The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-05-20


ing Of proposed legislation. and need
ed assistance was given to the general
assembly by the establishment Of
legislative research bureau.
| Protection For Investors.
Inscriptions dealers in fraudulent
securities, stocks and bonds will had
that the field for their activities II
Ohio has been considerably lessened.
and Ohioaus who are robbed OF mil.
Mons Of dollars annually By the
~fakers" will discover the general 20.
sembly has given them needed pro-
lection with respect to investments
through the Clark "blue asy' act. The
state superintendent Of banks and
banking was given the power to II.
cense or refuse licenses to all brokers.
The same ofiicial must certify to th4
character Of stock In all new corpora.
tions before 1t may be sold, and any.
body who wishes to sell land situated
outside the state to resident Of Ohio
must certify to the banking superin.
tendent full information about such
land. Violations oe Che law are classed
as felonies. with imprisonment and
heavy fines ~ punishment.
Taxing Machinery Rsorsanixsd.
The taxing machinery Of the state
was reorganized and modernized 20 ~
to catch the !. dodgers who have es-
capped contributing their Just share of
tax money by either hiding property
or getting inadequate valuations. In.
stead Of electins local assessors, and
thereby placing them under obligation
to the property owners for their posi-
tons, . law was enacted under which
these onicials will be appointed. There
will be deputy tax commissioner ap-
pointed In each small county. and two
In the larger ones. These will appoint
assistants. and all may be removed
for dereliction Of duty. The work OF
the old quadrennial appraisers will be
done by the appointive assessors and
county boards Of complaint will re.
place city boards Of review.
The new local taxing assessors
will be immune from all local in.
nuences, will be free to make fair
and adequate values OF property
without fear Of Interference from
local people. and this will greatly
strengthen and render more So
cure the Smith per cent tax rate
law, which was established on the
theory that adequate valuations
would be made.
The people will vote next fall ON Q
proposed constitutional amendment tn
exempt public bonds from taxation,
30 as to provide better markets for
the securities, and that they may be
issued at lower rates Of interest. At
the present time what bonds are sold
are taken by forslgn investors. there.
BY escaping taxation In Ohio. while
the local government pays high rate
Of interest and gets nothing In return.
The Limitation Of the Smith tax rate
law which restricted the amount of
money that can be raised to what was
produced IN 1910, Plus certain per.
centages. has been eliminated, but the
per cent maximum remains.
Lave For the Housewife.
In the interest of the market basket
Of the Ohio housewife . new act pro.
vides that whoever, combines to fix
the prices OF certain food stuffs shall
be fined or sent to the penitentiary.
Dry food products must be sold by
weight instead OF measure. unless
there IL q written agreement to the
contrary. There will be no loopholes
hereafter for the dealer who uses
crooked scales.
To conserve the forests Of the COM
monwealth, forest lands were exempt
cd from taxation. not to exceed 20
acres to farm. The state forester
may take over waste land and plant II
with seedlings. To promote the pub
lie health, the state department hav-
Ing charge of such activities was Civ.
en- $4,000 10 use In campaign for
the prevention Of tuberculosis. Physi.
clans were required to report vital
statistics. The sale Of cocaine, NOR.
phine and other narcotics was prohib.
tied under severe penalties. except on
physician's certificate. Misbrandiny 9
OF patent medicines was prohibited.
Counties hereafter must send tubercu.
lars to tuberculosis hospitals. and
nurses must be provided to visit con-
sumptives.
The people will vote next fall on
proposed constitutional amendment
to permit women to hold offices In
state institutions caring for women
and girls exclusively. and state com
mission will improve the morals OF
theaters by censoring moving pic
lures. To give the people q more
workable municipal initiative and ref
: erendum law. the percentages were
. reduced from 20 to 10 per cent. and
} to prevent fraud and corruption law
was enacted to prohibit payment fol
signatures to !. and r. petitions.
Burden Of oevsrnmsnt LIshtsnsd.
An important departure was the
move to lessen the burdens Of the
state government by making self-sup
! porting those departmonta established