Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-05-16

show that the short ballot
n fight this summer will occupy
the center of the political
stage. Three prominent state Off
cials, the attorney general, the audi
tor and the treasurer, have united
forces to contend against Gov. Cox's
short ballot program as recommended
to the people by the recent session
of the legislature. The latest shot at
the short ballot is being fired by
State Treasurer John P. Brennan. In
signed statement he declares that
the short ballot proposed by the gov
ernor Is not that which the constitu-
tional convention intended last year
and that furthermore the Cox plan
would detract from the power of the
people. Brennan maintains that the
constitutional convention meant the
short ballot to involve only the elm
ination of two members of the state
board of public works and the school
commissioner. He holds that this
plan was ratified by the people last
September and that the recent leg
islature went little further and abol.
court and the elected dairy and food
commissioner. To go further and to
permit the governor to appoint all
other state officers expect the lieu.
tenant governor would be a tremen.
dous political error, according to Mr..
Brennan.
Says Law Is Not Annulled.
The impression that has gone
abroad that the present Legislature
has practically annulled the one per
cent tax law is wholly erroneous, ac.
cording to former Deputy State Audi
tor Peckinpaugh, newly appointed
member of the state tax commission
Mr.. Peckinpaugh says that there are
only three laws which permit the one
per cent law to be over-ridden. They
are, first, the Hite bill, which author
ICES half mill levy for good roads;
the bill which permits reconstruction
from flood damage, and a third meas
fire which permits school houses de
stroyed by any catastrophe to be re
built. Funds raised under these laws
are the only kind that can be levied
in excess of the provisions of the II
and Is mill limitations of the Smith
law, Mr.. Peckinpaugh holds.
Walter Browns Opinion.
In the opinion of the majority Of
political observers here, the Walter
Brown inyective against any proposed
plan to merge the Republican and the
Progressive parties means virtually
the end Of the entire merger move
ment. In his statement regarding the
recent proposal of the Republican
members of the general assembly thai
the party leaders get together OF
some reunion plan, Mr.. Brown says
that reunion. is out of the question
He AYERS that the parties are too
widely separated ever to be amalgam
ated again. He holds in effect tha
there soon will be only two parties
the Progressiyes and the Stand-pat
ters. He remarks that the anxiet.
for reunion is wholly on the side o
the Republicans and he intimates tina
Il is the growing strength of the Pro
gressives that is causing the old par
ty to become anxious.
Asks Change of Venue.
Former State Bank Examine
Clement e. Baxter of Lima does no
want to be tried in Franklin county
He was indicted on the charge o
taking $3,140 of the funds of the Co
lumbus Savings & Trust Co. on tn
day when the bank was closed an,
while he was acting as the bank ex
aminer. He has filed motion in tn
Franklin county criminal court ask
ing for change of venue, on tn
ground that there are $50 stockhold
ers and 5000 depositors of the de
funct bank living in Columbus, an
that he cannot hope to get fair tria
here.
Says Cities Have Home Rule Now.
would not the people have NOR
confidence in our courts, if our court
ad more confidence in our people,"
This statement of Judge R. N
Wanamaker of the Ohio suprem
caurt, made in his dissenting opinio
in the Toledo home rule case, prom
ises to be heralded all over tn
United States. 1t is being discussed
In connection with the Wanamake
opinion in full, as one of the mos
remarkable judicial utterances mad
in the history of the United States.
Differs With His Colleagues.
The Wanamaker statement wa