The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-08-04
SHARP POLITICS
IS ATTEMPTED.

"Non-Partisan Progressive" move
ment for the selection OF delegates to
the state constitutional convention
started off well in this city. The at
tendance of representative citizens
was large, and the general spirit man
ifeSted was encouraging to those sin
cerely desirous Of men being chosen
for delegates who are broad-guage
and not merely repositories of one
idea alone Developments and time
Will show whether this spirit Will
control the drafting of the platform
and the selection of delegates.
1t is well known that there was a
widespread suspicion that the move
ment was started by the Rev. Herbert
5. Bigelow of Cincinnati, as a shrewd
device of the Progressive Constitu-
ton League" to secure the election
OF three men from Franklin county,
whose one overwhelming object would
be to secure the insertion in the con-
stitution of radical and practically
unrestricted and indiscriminate initia-
tive and referendum provision 1t can
not be denied that there was strong
| and growing feeling in Franklin coun-
ty that piece Of sharp politics had
been played and that an attempt was
being made to commit different or
| ganizations = particularly religious
and commercial--to propositions as to
| the state constitution which Ito say
| the leasD they did not fully compre-
| hend. Many representatives of organ
| izations attended the conference on
| the general understanding that it was
| a town meeting" of citizens to start
movement on a non-partisan basis
| to secure the election Of three thor
oughly qualified men as delegates to
! the constitutional convention, but sew
eral speakers bluntly declared that
the real object was to see that only
avowed and out-and-out advocates of
the initiative and referendum were
| elected to the convention, and 1t was
declared that nobody who differed
from this program had right to be
| present at the conference. 1t is but
fair to say, however, that this exclu-
sive and narrow-minded view was not
the prevailing one 1t is equally prop
er to say, also, that it is yet to be
seen how far the extreme view will
control the outcome of the movement.
1t appears that within 48 hours the
plans Of the originators of the move
ment were considerably modified. If
there had been any intention of Sc
lecting three candidates right away
on straight-out platform Of n Y1-
est and most unrestricted initiative
and referendum principles for engraft-
ment in the constitution-and there
was some fear that this was the orig
inal plant was abandoned.
Mr., Bigelow's speech vas able,
adroit and conciliatory, and was
doubtless intended to remove the sus-
picions which he frankly confessed
existed; and yet ne undoubtedly in
tended to leave the impression that
the chief object-if not the only OBJ
ject-of the movement was to secure
the election of delegates committed
above everything else-to the initla
tive and referendum.
Against Group" Scheme.
Taken as a whole the speeches
were most excellent in tone; but un-
mist ikable evidence was manifested
of serious differences on fundament
ais. For Instance In taking the
chair the Rev. DR.. GLADDEN. emphatic
ally and unequivocally declared
against selecting three men as sim
ply representatives of three specia
interests or classes; and yet the ten
tative plan of organization which was
presented provided that the body
should be divided into three groups
for the selection of candidates. la
Dor group" a granger group" anC
a third group" composed of those
elements Of our citizenship not in
cluded in the first two groups"
The differences of opinion as to this
proposal was very marked. On thu
' one hand it was urged--and this wa
, the attitude of DR.. GLADDEN. in hi
opening speech--that the three candi
) dates should be selected Independent
[ of their calling or their class interest
the one controlling consideration be
ing as to their qualifications. On tn,
] other hand 1t was claimed that unless
p the workingmen and the farmers in
sisted on representatives of thei
class being included among the dele
| nafinn In tho constitutional
tion, there was danger of their inter
e ests being overlooked. This shar
8 difference of point of view took eS
preston in the discussion of claus
l. in the tentative plan of organization
" in which 1t was provided that eac
6 OF the three groups" proposed shoul
select it's own candidate for delegat
y to the constitutional convention. |
l. was pointed out that under such a
arrangement any one, and, indeed
e each of|the three groups" might sc
lect candidate who would not b
satisfactory to the two othe
groups" and 1t was argued that N
man should be selected who was nc
the choice of the organization as
amendment that each group" shoul
present name or names for delegate
but that the final choice should b
left to the entire representatives a
q body. So radical were the diffe
ences upon this point that settl,
- ment was postponed for week.
~. G. r." Discussed.
AS might have been expected, ther
were grave disagreements indicate
as to the initiative and referendum
and II is impossible to say with in
It partiality which particular view pr,
vailed. It is certain, however this
e practically all of the originators
I'd the movement are out-and.out SUI
Ia porters of a radical initiative and re
70 erendum provisions in the constit,
N tion and 1t is altogether likely tha
had they been able to have done s
they would have at once declared thf
an iron-clad endorsement OF the wi,
n. est application of these principles O
the part of candidates would be a
"a absolute condition of support: an,
m indeed$that this would have been th
main, IL not practically the sole tes
10 of course honesty and respectabllit
n and average ability being concedel
70 This is the position of the great M
jority of the labor representative
r The farmers are much divided on tn
d proposition; and there can be litt
question that among the third "grouI
representing all outside the otht
two "grOuDS"-there Is maiorii