Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-07-04
AboIishing Of Capital Punishment
Article /, Section 9.

Article 1, Section TO-.
No. 8 on the-RalIot
This amendment amends section 8
of article one Of the Bill of Rights by
adding thereto the following:
Until otherwise provided. by law,
persons convicted of crimes heretofore
punished by death shall be punished
in the penitentiary during ife."
The organized labor movement from
time immemorial both industrially
and politically, has had as a part of
it's declaration Of principles the abol-
ishment Of capital punishment. It is
admitted that this is a. matter that
the legislature has the, authority to
enact as a law but the facts remain
that the Ohio legislature for many
years gone by have been urged by
both the State Federation and other
reform organizations to pass laws Of
this character and to date have
never seen proper to do SO. Asking
that it be made part of the Consti-
tuition puts the question up to the peo-
pie for their approval OF rejection by
rejection by referendum vote and will
give the opportunity to determine
whether on this subject the legislature
has been representing the people or
simply the personally prejudices of the
members elected to that body. Per
I-sonally have looked upon the death
penalty for many years as relic of
the dark ages. The old slaves in the
time OF Christ were nailed to the cross
for going on strike or doing any other
form of a crime against the dictates
of the Masters Of those days.
In late centuries religious persecu-
ton burned people at the stake and
it is not 50 many years ago that it
was common practice to hang people
for sheep stealing and the regular
practice in our Western civilization
for horse stealing in very recent
years, and whilst possibly there
might have been some reason for it
in that Western civilization because
of the lack of means to mete out
punishment for crimes in any other
way. There certainly cannot be any
reason for it in civilized country in
this goth century.
In the discussion of this matter be-
Fave +ho convention %~ro ~ &ba roi1
lister delegates voted against this pro-
posal and one of them talked against
it and it Is somewhat surprising that
quite number Of our professional
people oppose its adoption at the
present time, whilst the working class
have always stood for it.
This amendment if adopted will
substitute life Imprisonment for the
death penalty, and as it is both legal
ly and morally wrong to commit MUIR
der, the killing of persons as pun
ishment for crime by the State must
be equally wrong, and every work
ingman in Ohio should vote for this
amendment.
Article !, Section 10.
Dispositions by State and Comment |
on Failure to Testify In Criminal
Cases.
No. on the Ballot.
This amendment proposes: First:
that the number OF persons to censti-
tute grand jury and the number nee
essary to concur in finding an indict-
ment shall be determined by law. At
present grand jury is composed of
fifteen persons at least twelve Of
whom are necessary to concur in the
finding of an indictment.
Second: Provision may be made by
law for the taking Of the accused and
also By the state Of the deposition Of
any witnesses whose attendance can
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