The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-04-13

some members OF this league Ht
known lobbyists, office brokers and
dealers in Illicit favors with the ring
which long disgraced the Republican
party in Ohio. The progress they
want is backward, like the crabs, to
the fruitful times when they swapped
votes they could control in the legis-
lature with the bosses on the other
side in return for advantages OF
some. sort to themselves.
"The governor has no. had the
veto i'm Ohio until the past few years.
II was seldom used until my time,
so there was no settled practice.
From the beginning my policy was
to sign a bill II | approved its pro.
visions generally. to veto II If | dis
approved them. and to let II become
a law by lapse of time without my
signature when It contained doubtful
provisions and also good ones which
outwelghed them.
Take our tax reforms. for exam
pie. which have attracted the often.
tion of the entire country
Zone of the first :hin2s : deter
mined to Is6o1take was to make the
raising OF public funds fair and Just
rs among all kinds of property and
TO check the ruinous increase In the
cost OF government. For under all
governments more real, substantial
wrong can be done to a greater num-
ber of citizens In the collection and
expenditure of the revenues than in
any other exercise of authority.
an addition to general knowledge
on the subject my experience with
various forms OF cooperate property,
whose true value is not easily learn
ed. had opened my eyes to the gross
injustice arising from inequalities in
valuations for taxation.
"The sytem in Ohio was adopted
when the property in the state was
chiefly laad II had become anti
quated and unsuited TO present
needs, In my first message, January
1909, | recommended the creation OF
a permanent tax commission. which
the state had never had. followed
this, from time to time, with various
! and repeated recommendations ol
tax reform and retrenchment
Legislature Baked.
'But the legislature, Republican In
both branches. was determined &c
permit nothing to be done which
would gain commendatlon for the
new administration, and nothing was
done.
'At the next sesscn of the same
body public sentiment had made II
self felt A bill drawn at my in
stance by a Democratic member was
defeated but mangled out of al
shape II was reintroduced and passed
as Republican measure. = II created
tax commission to be appointed b!
| the governor as required In Ohio
and placed limit on taxation. Blu
| the powers Of the commission wer'
too restricted and the tax limit wa
| too high. Nevertheless, the bill al
passed was better than none, SO lie
il become a law but did not sign II
announcing my Intention to content
for better one.
"in the campaign for reelection
which ensued this was my princira
| theme in addressing the voters. NJ.
| opponent, nevertheless, charged tina
] was opposed to tax reform and lin
itation because | had not signed thi
bill, which he declared was good ant
sufficient.
1
THE response was more than 100
900 majority against him and tn
election OF legislature Democratic
in both branches. which, In spite o
opposition from all quarters, includ
Ing some Democratic members. en-
larged the powers of the tax commits
sion, required the fair valuation O
property Of all kinds and reduced L
l per cent the limitation of taxation
state and local, for all purposes.
"The work done under this lay
was so thorough and 80 fair tina
more than seven million dollars O
taxes were transferred from tn
farms and homes OF the state {
other forms of property, chiefly tina
OF railroads and other corporations
And these taxes have been pal
without litigation The taxes Of Tn
people generally have been less tina
before. Offices have been abolishe
or consolidated and needless el
penses cut off on all sides.
MANY other examples could
given II time permitted. such as
public utilities bill In the preparatlo
and passage Of which ! took an az
tive part. but which / allowed to b.
come law without signing because
among other things. II authorize
the merger of competing telephon
and other companies. There SCENE
to be little or no opposition TO thl
feature, but following a belief {
long standing with me that monol
oily with regulation Is not a full sui
stltute for competition OF lndepel
dent enterprises. .I-was unwilling /
; become responsible for its operation
even with the approval of commits