Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-05-09
PROGRESSIVE LAWS
OHIO DURING
What the Buckeye State Has
Done to Try Out New Gov
ernmentaI Theories.

q
4 T<HIS is the day of the progressive
movement in our government,
u from the national capital down
4 TO the township center. Wheth-
i er the great mass of new and revolu
tionary legislation now being enacted
/ will he found good, as its authors and
4 supporters assert. or unsound and det-
4 rimental. as its opponents predict. 1t
must be admitted that the movement
is making political history, not only
4 for the United States, but for the
/ world as well
i Among the states that have been
helping make that history few can
i claim bigger net results than Ohio,
whose general assembly has recently
i passed so many progressive measures
4 that it seems at first sight TO have al
4 most revolutionized the laws of the
/ state
! Many other commonwealth, of
course, are working along the same
/ line. but as an illustration of concrete
4 achievement no better illustration
i than Ohio could be selected at present
/ 1t is interesting first of all, to note
/ that the Ohio lawmakers have given
i legal effect TO ffty-five of the ljfty-six
/ specific legislative recommendations
made by Governor James NJ, Cox in
i his message to the assembly. Tie one
recommendation Which did not get
] through was one contained I'm the state
Democratic platform proposing home
rule in taxation. 1t was suspected of
squirting at the single tax, and the
two resolutions to give effect to it were
voted down
Bewildering Changes.
1 Changes that are bewildering in mag
nitude, politically revolutionary in
their departure from the past, mark
j the three months work of the general
assembly. Twelve months ago the
state from the progressives' stand
point, was backward one SO far as
i its constitution and laws were con
cerned. A review Of the laws enacted
since discloses that the commonwealth
has been taken from the list of con
sentative states and placed in the pro.
+ gressive column.
One of the important measures en-.
acted by the assembly provided for a
state wide primary and sounded the
( linell Of all nominating conventions by
/ requiring that all elective officials
( state, county, municipal and township
( except in political subdivisions of less
than 1000 population. shall be nomi
mated by primary
Separate state and national ballots
We're provided, and hereafter Ohioans
will vote for the entire list of presi-
dental electors on n ticket by making
a single cross. sNext fall the people
will vote on the proposed short ballot
constitutional enlendmcnts providing
for the appointment of all state officers
and to authorize the shortening of
county and township ballots by giving
the general assembly power to desig
nate what officials in these subdiyi
sions shall be elected and what ap.
pointed
The removal of public officials, judges
and members Of the general assembly
was q weapon given the people to be
used by them in their fight against
dercliction of duty and misconduct in
/ office. Half holidays were created on
election days so as TO give all an OPP
portunity to participate in the sclec-
ton of public officials, and the corrupt
practices act was strengthened so as to
prevent the purchasing of elections.
Mothers Pension Law.
The Cox adherents point with pride
to a mothers pension law, under which
a maximum of SO per month may be
given to needy mothers for the first
] child under fourteen years of age and
q maximum of 81 for each additional