The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-01-16


pass alternative or optional laws
which cities may adopt without 60
Ing through the expense and burden
OF calling charter conventions and
enacting charters for themselves. The
whole question II municipal organi-
zation is now in a ferment through
out the country, several plans being
tried out, Up to this time there is
nothing approaching a universality
of opinicp without respect to the most
efficient 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 manager
plan, the commission plan, or the
short ballot federal plan.
Fourth-"The immediate valuation
OF property, tangible and intangible,
Of all public utilities"
The state regulation of public util-
tiles has been of such benefit to every
legislative facility should be extended
to this administrative branch of the
government. Regulation is beginning
to shed its real meaning in this state
as elsewhere. While business inter-
ests at first regarded the operation as
an unwarranted trespass upon prop
erty rights they have, by experience,
found in the state cooperative aid
Just so soon as the main objective of
satisfactory service and reasonable
rates was attained.
One development of the railroad
and utilities laws which has been very
unfair to the state should be cor
rected. Under present practice the
commission establishes or revises a
rate. The utilities company, il it de-
sires, makes objection and is given
hearing, which is exhaustive and ex-
tensive. The commission then either
amends or retains the rate previously
fixed, whereupon, the corporation, in
many instances, goes into court, asks
for and receives an injunction. The
delays of the law are we'll known and
the issue remains unsettled for year
or more. The law should be so
changed that the court cannot issue
an injunction in these rate matters
without an investigation. This is the
practice elsewhere and should be
adopted in Ohio.
Home Rule in Taxation.
Fifth-"Home rule in taxation"
This requires constitutional changes
and nothing can be done save the
adoption Of resolution in behalf of
an amendment to the state charter.
Sixth-"The adoption of the initia-
tive and referendum amendment"
This was merely a recommendation
plank. The I. and R., so-called, is
now part of the constitution, but
some action by your body remains to
set it into motion. The intent of this
amendment is to give to the people
the right to redress a wrong through
the referendum, and through the in
itiative to procure right that has
been denied. The legislative action
should be in exact harmony with the
spirit Of the provision.
Seventh-"Further reduction in the
hours of labor for women, and fur
ther restriction on the right to en-
ploy children in factories"
The inspector of workshops and
factories strongly urges raising the
school grade qualification for chill
dren between the ages Of ii and 16,
and joins in the opinion shared by in
dustrial commissions in other states,
that the most wholesome results can
be obtained by giving to the depart
ment the right to determine the hours |
of labor for women and children |
where the present nine hour law
seems insufficient
Ninth-"Legislation looking to the |
improvement of the roads and high
ways, of the state" f.
Some hold to the opinion that the
defeat of the good roads bond issue
to the constitution. dis
poses of that question, so far as state |
activity is concerned. do not sub
scribe to that view. Observation in
all parts of the state leads to the
belief that the amendment failed to
receive endorsement for the reason
that a majority of the counties have
good gravel roads, and they objected
to state levy until such time as the
counties, less advantageously equipped
both in roads and construction ma
terlal, had made the progress of other
counties under existing laws. The
federal government is working out
splendid development In the science
Of construction, drainage and mainte-
nance, and it would seem an incon-
gruous circumstance if the state did
not exhibit the same degree of inter-
est and convey the benefits, which
the general scheme of government log
ically exacts from that unit. Nothing
makes for a civilization more than
good roads.
States Penal Institutions.
Tenth-"Continuation of the reform
In the conduct of the states penal in
stitutions which has been inaugurated
and the abandonment of the present
prison system" etc.
The commentator of the board of
plan is fully justified
BY results obtained, but there is much
yet to be done. In fact, every COM
mission created during the last few
years finds its function of wider ben.
eft to the public interest than the
authors of the legislation doubtless
and yet the administra-
i've heads find many changes needed