Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-03-24
CONSTRUCTIVE"
PROGRESSIVE
HARMON'S WORK
AS SHOWN BY HIS RECORD
Did Much For Common PeO.
pie of Ohio

point to more actual constructive, pro-
gressive work for the common people
than "Uncle Jud" Harmon, governor
of Ohio.
Harmon has been governor of the
Buckeye State three years, and under
his guidance the Ohio general assem-
bly, enacted II important bills that
Enlightened people had been pleading
for in vain for several decades.
The bills on the Harmon program
are: The Oregon plan of nominating
and electing United States senator's
by direct vote of the people; placing
the Ohio judiciary beyond the clutches
of party bosses by electing all judges
on non-partisan ballots; an employ
ers' liability act making provisions fer
all injured workmen from fund made
up from contributions by employers
and employees; public utility COM
mission with authority to regulate is
sues of stock, rates, mergers and SER
vice; a corrupt practices act that will
make vote buying in primaries and
elections a dangerous undertaking;
limited initiative and referendum for
Ohio cities; a central board of controi
for 19 state institutions to take the
place of 10 separate boards of trus-
tees with their corps of employees; a
shorter ballot by abolishing boards o.
infirmary directors of three members
each, in every county of the state, and
turning their duties over to the coun-
ty commissioners, making large sag-
ing; a reform of Ohio election laws
to prevent corruption and fraud; also
a strict system of registration to pre-
vent foaters voting; to have delegates
to the 1912 Ohio constitutional conver
ton nominated by petition only and
elected on non-partisan ballots; a
back-to-the-farm movement by requir-
ing agriculture to be taught in all
Ohio village and county schools; rati-
fication of the proposed income tax
~, J,,,0 -
ton; memorializing congress to call
a convention to provide for the direct
election of United States senators.
providing for the construction of Il
women's reformatory and placing ali
girls in the state correctional institu-
tions under the control of women; in
suring the safe handling of all state
money by depositing in banks undAr
the competitive bidding plan; a COM
plete reformation of tax laws that pur
tax dodgers out of business and COM
PEELED corporations and owners of in
tangible property that have been
lodging taxes to place their holdings
on the duplicate the same as small
property owners. Included in this Is
maximum 1 per cent. tax levy limit
bill. AS a result of this work, the
average tax rate in Ohio has been re-
duced from three per cent to about
nine mills; the appraisement of Ohio
public utility corporations for taxa
ton has been increased 81 600, 900 900,
the railroads alone in 1912 will pay
nearly $2,000,000 more taxes than they
did in 1910 before the Harmon tax re-
form. The personal property tax du-
plicate of the state will be increased
from 1927, 7,370,943.19 to $2,500,000 ,00l
in 1912 and most of this are increases
to private corporation properties.
stocks and bonds, so that the man If
moderate means is benefited; and fl
nally, figures given by the state tax
commission will show that the take;
of the farmer and home owner have
been reduced over $7,000,000 a year
nan duNOCdJCd MANY
more progressive measures than the
Ohio general assembly enacted. Har-
mon urged the abolition of the party
emblem in purely municipal elections.
smaller city councils, with large part
to be elected at large; the nomination
by statewide primary elections of az
who are in any way to act for or ra
present the state officially or political
ly and the non-partisan nomination Of
judges. The general assembly, how
ever, disregarded Governor Harmon'5
suggestion with respect to the last
four bills In Ohio the people are
claiming that the reform measures
Judson Harmon put through the Ohio
general assembly are as progressive
as any legislation program of any ex-
ecutive in the United States. If pro-
gressive democracy means construct
i've democracy then "Uncle Jud" Har-
mon is certainly progressive.