The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-11-02
new CASIO LAWS
NOT POPULAR
History Shows That Ohio People
Have Been Conservative.
THE CONSTITUTION OF 1851
All Questions Received Majority Vote
On Proposition but Not Majority
of Votes Cast at Election.
BY PROF. c. 3. GALBREATH,
Former State Librarian.

OF votes Cast at Election.
BY PROF. c. 3. GALBREATH,
Former State Librarian.
In spite of the demonstrated defects
and inadequacy of the constitution OF
1902, the new constitution, embracing
TIE popular reforms of the day, was
not carried by an overwhelming ma
jor!ty. This attests a fact tnat has
been eviCent throughout oar state
history; when it comes to the adop.
tioE of state constitution the people
Of OGio have been conservative. And
we might truly add that when amend
merts have been submitted tna elect
ors have been Indifferent as well as
conservative.
To the changes brought about by
the new constitution, the people grad
na.ly adjusted themselves and 1t
steadily grew in popular favor. 1t
added tC the strength of the Demo
cratic party, and Joseph Medill, the
president Of the convention, was
elected governor by substantial ma
jority. The apportionment, as already
noted, was made in the interest OF
that party, but it was destined soon
to lose the advantage of its gerry
mander. New issues, national in their
scope, aIcse above the political hori
Zon. The clOuu, at first small and in
significant, grew as it swept on, bear
ing ii its breast bolts of destruction
for the Whig party and for us oppo
nent the scourge of defeat, humilia
ton and long years of exile.
The section providing for the
amendment of the constitution re
quired that proposed changes should
receive a three-fifths affirmative vote
of both branches of the general as
sembly and then be submitted to {
vote of the people at the next elec
ton of members of the general as
sembly. In order to become part ol
the constitution, an amendment mus
receive a majority of all the votes
cast at such election. OF course, il
might receive a majority of all the
votes cast thereon, but not a major
ity of the total votes cast at the
election. The votes on the amend
mems submitted in 1857 will Illustrate
the practical working of this section
Vote on amendments to the Consti
tuition submitted at the October elec
ton, 1857:
Total number of votes cast. ..... 1872, 12
Affirmative vote necessary to
carry any amendment ......... 166,06
Proposition No. l, annual ses-
siOns, Ges ...................... l5l,2l
Annual sessions, No.............. 31,S9
---
Majority Observation-Disclosures. 1913
| Proposition No. 2, change of dis
trict courts, Yes ............... 1856, ,64
| Change of district courts, No -. 3O,OS
Majority .................... 126, so
Proposition No 3, bank and indi-
vidual taxation. equal Yes 80. 160,47
Bank and individual taxation,
equal, No NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 2O,6O
Majority .................. 1879, SO
| Proposition No. L. corporations,
Yes .,............... 12S, %
| Proposition No. 4, corporations,
No .................. S5,97
Majority Observation-Disclosures. S7,25
Proposition No, s. single districts,
/ Vac IA {, %
Proposition No. 5, single districts,
No ..,................ 92,65
-. on
| Majority ................k ...... 1l4,6O
It will thus be seen that while eac
proposition received a majority of tn
votes cast thereon, no one received
constitutional majorityof all tnevote
cast at the election All of thes
amendments were defeated by tn
electors " ho refrained from voting o
them. Some of them doubtless di
this purposely, but most of them wer
negligent and Indifferent. OF cours
it was the purpose of those VIII
framed this section to make it some
what difficult to amend the constitl
ton. The theory was that before
change should be made there ought
be such a popular demand for it ths
it would secure the support of nj
jority of all the votes cast at the rel
ular election.
However this may be, it is certai
that the practical inability to adoI
amendments led the people in 1871
vote for convention ito revise, altt
or amend" the constitution. tt
two decades from 1850 to 1870 ha
witnessed great changes in Obi
The population had grown from
98O,S29 to 2,S65,2SO, but in = muc
greater ratio had increased our co
! porate and industrial development
Vast aggregations of wealth had bee
invested in commerce and manufa
turing. Railroad, telegraph and e
press companies were performing
great service for the people, reapir
rich returns and gradually a2quiriI
, political influence of a dangeroI
character. Immediately after Il
close Of the civil war the enterpri
ing spir;. of the people turned
peaceful activities, great manufactu
ing establishments sprang up, al
Ohio exemplifled the declaration of
president of the United States tn
the 'fires Of productive industry we
dndled at the funeral pyre Of sla
cry" These changes magnitied o