The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-01-17

what Influences are at work with re.
1pect TO legislation. There ought to
be no tempori2ing with this situation.
Lobbying without registration should
be nm offense punishable by imprison-
ment.
The platform adopted by the Dem.
ocratic party in convention at To
ledo. June AS, 1919, is the contract
made between the people on the one
hand and the state officers and ma
iority members of the Legislature on
the other Every instinct of com.
mon honesty demands that it be car.
ried out In good faith without inter
ference from other legislation. The
specifications in this covenant are:
First-"A short ballot in the Sc
lection of administrative officers as
a means for insuring greater scrutiny
in the selection Of public officials and
for fixing and centralizing RESPONSE
bility."
The purpose of this is to simplify
voting. The suffrage responsibility
is so vital that confusion at the polls
should be reduced 10 the nearest pos
sible minimum. The ballot should
be shortened by abolisEng as cleo
tive the less important Offices. The
amendments to the constitution which
abolish the positions of commissioner
of common schools and the board OF
public works and place these depart
ments under the control of the gov
ernor through appointment by him OF
the administrative heads, indicate
the trend of thought on this subject.
IN keeping with the intent of the
Ihort ballot provision, the legislature
should abolish as elective the offices
of dairy and food commissioner and
clerk of the supreme court, both oil
which are of legislative origin, max
ing the former position appointiye
by the governor and the latter by the
members of the supreme court. An
amendment to the constitution should
be initiated making the positions OF
secretary of state, attorney general
treasurer and auditor, executive de-
partments to be filled through ap-
pointment by the governor. This
would leave only the governor, lieu
tenant governor and judges of the SUI
preme court to be elected. The result
would insure harmony of action in the
state departments and center respon-
sibility in the executive. The sew
eral executive department heads
could then act in an advisory capacity
with the governor, as his cabinet.
This is identical with the federal
plan, which is conceded to be effi-
cient.
Second-"Separate ballots for state
and national officers"
Separate Two Issues.
This is induced by the desire TO
separate two distinct issues in the
election booth, and the wisdom of
the suggestion is obvious.
Third-"Home rule for cities"
This principle is now a part Of our
The home rule amend
ment, in addition to authorizing cities
to form their own charters, grants
the general assembly the right to pass
or optional laws which
cities may adopt without going
through the expense and burden Of
calling charter conventions and en-
acting charters for themselves. The
whole question of municipal organl'
zation is now in ferment through
out the country, several plans being
tried out UP to this time there is
nothing approaching a universally
of opinion with respect to the most
scheme. ! would therefore
recommend to the legislature the
adoption of such laws as will enable
cities with the minimum of expense
and trouble to make such selection as
their respective needs might suggest,
either the so-called business man
ager plan, the commission plan, or
the short ballot federal plan, The
last named is obtained by a simple
revision of the existing municipal
code i
Fourth-"The immediate valuation
Of property, tangible and intangible,
1f all public utilities"
The state regulation of public util |
ties has been OF such benefit to every |
interest concerned that every possible |
legislative facility should be extended |
10 this administrative branch of the
Reg llation is beginning |
to shed its real meaning in this state |
IS elsewhere. While business inter.
.sf,7 at first regarded the operation as |
N unwarranted trespass upon prop |
,rty rights they have, by experience,
ound in the state a cooperative aid
ust so soon as the main objective OF
service and reasonable
.ates was attained 1t is also regard
ID as more than a coincidence that
wherever supervision is had over the
of securities the market
fields better prices and reader de-
nand. Public confidence is naturally
stimulated in our state utilities by
,A9cial certification to the legitimacy
# the project. There is no depart
nent of our service, however, where
,ublic station calls for higher order
If efficiency than this.
Fifth-~Home Rule in Taxation"
This requires constitutional changes
md nothing can be done save the
adoption of g resolution in behalf OF
IN amendment to the state charter.
Sixth-"The adoption OF the Initta-
i've and Referendum amendment"
This was merely recomendatory
blank. The /. and r., so-called, is now