The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-08-12
NEWS FROM
OYER OHIO
Intelligencer Bureau.

The Ming OF a petition this week by
the liquor element OF the state asking
for a smaller legislature viii result. ~
80 believed. In one Of the most spirited
wet and dry lights ohio has ever seen.
and the state has had it's share In NJ
ing the petition the vets nave broks~
n promise made TO Governor Cox by the
liquor element. but the promise was not
broken until after Cox. though warned.
had appointed "A liquor license commits
sion pleasing to the wet faction.
The petition bears Il5.5.e signatures
more than 10000 more than required I'M
Ger tho law. II asks for a smaller reg
islature based on population. The CON
stltution now prov ldcs that each county
shall have one member Ia the legislature
II the constitution D. amended as the
saloon advocates propose. members 90
the lower house VIII Dee elected hy dis
tricts. where one county has not enough
votes 10 eutttle ~ TO "A representative
This will materially reduce the country
representation iu the lower house rs
well as tn" upper and no anti-saloou
element sees In a." proposed change the
Nipiug out OF all temperance statutes.
II is said that the dry forces would
not he SO bitterly opposed 20 the change
if each member Of toe legislature were
present plan OF the vets g. to have all
The representative from a county. which
80 entitled to more than one. elected at
large The drys would prefer to have
the counties divided. with one represen-
tstive froN each. so that the fight could
he concentrated. instead 81 elertirg tho
tepreseuAuflNe- en- flhrSe, In tfiN way
. large wet section or one county could
not throw its vote for all tho Wet can
didates. district trat Is dry could
choose It's own repreSe NATIVE.
When these petitions were fr-' r'rcu-
lated. the attention ~ Governor Cox was
called TO the fact Hnd he opposed o..
Naturally. II COX were 20 iudurs~ tins
plan OF rohbing the rural counties or
their one representative given them hN
the constitution. tire country districts
would hght him when he comes up for
reelection. It - said that the governor
appealed 10 the liquor men not 10 force
the issue nov. and they promised him
they would not. sun the saloon element
maintains mat 10 never made such a
promise TO him. The anti-saloon league
observed that The petitions were stiI IN
circulation after the governor made his
said. mat the petitions were merely stray
ones that had not yet been withdraw %.
Gov believed this. despite the info-ma-
tion laid before him ny fhe auti-saloon
Many saloons OF the state.
u Is now up 20 cox 20 solve the prob
lem. Tho drys OF to state and the vot-
-rs in the rural counties who are in dan
ger OF losing their REPRESENTATION in the
house look 20 him for action. cox ap-
pointed a liquor license board faNora hl 10
70 tho vets and the Hrtl-slioou forces
say he must abide hv the Consequences
~ the legislative reunion M Toda-
POINT this week, attended hv stat" and
county office-holdrrs and or CO seekers
members or the Legislature ami poiiti-
clans in general. TIE wcts' 50. e-ne vs.
t"rly. denounced. Rural legislators
naturally DO not relish me .iea OF Icing
PIT out OF oTice.
Washington. O IT,. Aur. appealing
70 Mayor Harte ". Smith arI Others
who were present % save rifn. r-tt,r.
Nlyre. aged - and Colorel. who vas
arrested Tor Investigation IN connection
sht upon George ". Ducey. veteran
grocer today confessed 20 che crime ana