Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1911-06-02

UnioaDs had demonstrations recent
iy that their Judiciary, one Of the most
sacred institutions Of a free govern
ment, had been invaded by party boss
es In their inordlnate thirst for power.
Instead Of being places where the peo-
pie could turn to invoke the penalties
Of the criminal statutes on those who
had offended certain courts were be-
Ing used, In cases where men Of vast
political power were concerned, to
shield violators from the vengeance Of
the law.
Butthe general assembly took long
step forward from boss domination Of
the courts by enscting a bin provid.
Ing In the future that oil Ohio Judges,
from the dignifed gowned Justices of
the supreme court down to the humble
laymen who sit as justices Of the
peace, shall be elected on tickets alb
solutely free from party emblem or
device. Nominations may be made by
conventions, but the power Of bosses
to control nominations was broken BY
clause in the bill which says that
nominations may be made by peti.
lions There is not another such law
In the United States.
Ohio has been hampered by the
crude. unwieldy machinery OF a con.
stltution which was adopted in 1851,
and the subject Of making a new or
ganic law Is the biggest and most I'm.
portant proposition that has come be.
fore Buckeye general assembly in
many years. Selfish hands were being
outstretched to get control OF the con.
sututlonal convention to be held IN
1912 when Governor Harmon took
charge OF the arrangements for II and
s'~'ceeded In getting through the gen.
eral assembly a bill which viii remove
the delegates from political Influence
and make them responsible to the peo.
pie only. So well did he manage the
campaign that Ohio will set prece
dent for all other states to foRow when
they come to rewrlte their organic laws
Nominations Of delegates wiz be
made by petition only, and nominees
viii be elected on ballots absolutely
free from party device or emblem OF
any form Of party designation. The
liquor question, which has been q sore
spot In Ohio for sixty years. will be
finally settled when the new constluu
ton is adopted.
The state when Governor Harmon
grasped the reins of government had
nineteen penal. reformatory and beney
oieDt institutions. with the respousibil
ity OF governing them divided among
nineteen separate boards OF trustees.
three members 10 board They were
SO conducted as 10 secure neither econ
0my nor best results.
These trustecships. all honorable
positions aud eagerly sought after, had
been used as sort of currency TO pur
chase nominations and to repay the
boys who had delivered votes In con
venuons The trustees appointed su
perintendents and all subord mates
and these combined TO furnish the
dynamic power for the steam roller
which the late Mark Hanna ana Boss
George p. Cox used TO crush the life
out Of rebellions against the rule Of
the G. o. z. machine.
Governor Harmon's idea was that
"the establishments which q Christian
state maintains for charity are sacred
and that every selfish purpose should
perish al their DOORS"
Acting on this principle, the governor
framed and forced through the general
assembly bill placing all employees
Of the institutions ranking below gu
perintendent under civil service rules
The nineteen separate boards Of trus.
tees and nineteen stewards under this
law were legislated out OF office. and
the duties of the fftyseven trustees