The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-06-22

vote for Republican for United
States senator If the people by their
votes declared for a Republican" the
governor told this committee dur
ing the conference. Il would be
proud to do it. would simply be
doing the will Of the people," One Of
the committee suggested the Oregon
plan was undemocratic. The executive
replied, Its the very essence Of De-
mocracy to put the government back
into the hands Of the people and let
them say whom they want for United
States senator"
Governor Harmon took new tack
and had similar measure offered IN
the house. the Wyman bill That
body passed it and sent it to the sen.
ate. where the governor finally got
sufficient Republican votes to save It.
Ohioans had demonstrations recent
~ that their judiciary. one of the most
sacred institutions of free govern
ment, had been invaded by party boss
es in their inordinate 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.
But~the general assembly took long
step forward from boss domination Of
the courts by enacting bill provid-
ing in the future that all Ohio judges.
from the dignified 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 petit
tons. There is not another such law
in the United States.
Ohio has been hampered by the
crude, unw1eldy machinery Of con-
stitution 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-
stitutional convention to be held in
1912 when Governor Harmon took
charge Of the arrangements for it and
succeeded in getting through the gen.
eral assembly bill which will remove
the delegates from political influence
and make them responsible to the peo-
pie only. So we'll did he manage the
campaign that Ohio will set a prece-
dent for all other states to follow when
they come to rewrite their organic laws
Nominations of delegates win be
made by petition only, and nominees
will be elected on ballots absolutely
free from party device or emblem or
any form Of party designation. The
liquor question. which has been sore
spot in Ohio for sixty years. will be
finally settled when the new constiru.
ton is adopted.
The state when Governor Harmon
grasped the reins of government had
nineteen penal. reformatory and benev
olent institutions. with the responsible
Ity Of governing them divided among
pineteen separate boards of trustees.
three members to board. They were
SO conducted as to secure neither econ
Omy nor best results.
These trusteeships. all honorable
positions and 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.
ventons. The trustees appointed su-
perintendents and all subordinates.
and these combined to furnish the
dynamic power for the steam roller
which the late Mark Hanna and Boss
George B. Cox used to crush the life
out Of rebellions against the rule OF
the G.. o. p. machine.
Governor Harmon's idea was that
1.-The establishments which Christian
state maintains for charity are sacred
and that every selfish purpose should
perish at their DOORS"
Acting on this principle. the governor
framed and forced through the general
assembly bill placing all employees
Of the institutions ranking below su
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 fifty.seven trustees