The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-10-03
THE CHANGE IN
OUR GOVERNMENT
DEMOCRATS, SOCIALISTS AND
PRoGREssIVEs UNITED TO
AMEND THE OLD
CONSTITUTION.
REPUBLICAN LEADER TALKS
A Speech of General Brown Covering
State lssues-The Importance Of
EIecting Able and Unprejudiced
Legislators Is Emphasized.

Columbus, o. - Here in Ohio,
the first step toward the over
turning of representative form
of government has been taken.
September 3rd, less than so per cent.
of the 100000 electors of the COM
monwealth, registered their will on
AZ separate amendments to our state
constitution. During 10 years, Ohio
has maintained a commanding posi-
ton in the affairs of state and nation.
The original constitution, amended in
some particulars, gave place to a new
instrument 60 years ago, but no rad
ical changes were ever ventured until
this year. We have grown in every
essential way for a century, each cit
iZen secure in the enjoyment of his
natural and political rights; each,
with scarce an exception, proud to Oe
a son or daughter of Ohio A consti-
tutional convention after 200 days of
not over diligent application to a re-
sponsible trust, brought forth AZ sep.
arate propositions to be written into
the organic law of the common
wealth; many of them were pro-
posed statutory enactments, and for
the most part, all but revolutionary
in character. A trife over 80 days
of authorized public notice in the
newspapers was given of the election,
in statements grossly biased in favor
of the propositions. Upon poll of
less than one-half of the qualified vot-
ers, "a of the amendments were en-
dorsed by a bare majority of the
minority voting, in most instances
In other words, less than one-fourth
of the legal voters in this state have
declared the constitution radically
changed and thus the first sinister
movement against representative
government has been initiated.
Pulling Up by Roots.
No thinking man assumes that a
representative government has no
shortcomings. Human judgment is
not infallible. We have our limita-
tions Defects and deficiencies con-
stantly present themselves in the ad-
ministratiCn of government, national,
state or municipal The American
people, as has been so we'll said, have
got to answer the question, Need
we pull up our institutions by the
roots because they do not grow quite
fast enough to please us" or are we
to agree and say, Let us destroy our
fundamental principles; let us>pull up
our institution by the roots in order
to see why they do not grow faster"
1t is highly significant that in the
present campaign, the Democrats,
Socialists and leaders of the Progress
sives are substantially united in sup
port, not of progressive, but of reac-
tionary policies as represented in
many of the amendments to our state
constitution. BY the voice of per
cent. of our voting population, $4,000
in round numbers, we may be kept
busy in initiating legislation. II the
radical measures proposed are TO
bear their ill-favored fruit in the not
distant future we shall be passing
Judgment
of the courts of high and low degree.
Sent to the Scrap Heap.
Once the legislative branch is sub
iected to the whims of majority of
a minority, and the caprice Of a
fourth of the electorate is to super
sede the courts, what is to be the
fate of popular government under
which we have so long lived a free
and happy people? Thoughtful, pa
triotc men, may we'll pause and con-
slider whether or not, we are to pull
I'D our institutions by the roots, in
order to see why they do not grow
faster" 1t is within the bounds Of
conservative statement to say, that
once the people of this glorious re-
public awake to the true situation
and face conditions as they exist,
they will have none of this leaction-
ary overturn!ng of fundamental prin-
ciples, even under the name of pro-
gressive leadership, whether that
sadly-abused term be used by citi-
zen seeking official power or temper
airy fame among his fellows. They
reverence the old constitution that
Washington helped to frame, and ap-
proved, and Lincoln loved and under
which the union was saved-the con-
stitution under which the greatest
and best nation the world has known,
has been builded, and they renew the
old fighting feeling when they hear
modern sham statesmen calling 1t out
of date and fit only for the scrap
heap. The immortal ordinance of 'S7,
and the constitution written by our
fathers on this soil, are still dear to
the hearts of our people. They will
defend the charters of their liberty,
once they come to know of the real
purpose of this hysterical cry of al
legged reformers who would ride into
power upon the wickedly false pre-
tense of serving the best interests of
the honest yeomanry they profess to
love.
The General Assembly.
But, it may be said, the amend.
ments to the constitution of Ohio are
accomplished facts, in so far as the
verdict at the polls goes. This is
doubtless true. 1t is understood 1a
one-half of them are "permissiV e,'
and the other one-half mandat: .ry
The general assembly must give thu
first class, the "permissive," yitalic
enect. To the representatives of
which political party can this duty be
the most safely entrusted? In Obi,
as in the broader national contest,
the Republican and Democratic
parties are the real factors. One or
the other will be successful and II ra.