The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-09-26
FRAUD NOT coNooNEO


The decision of Secretary Graves
throwing out the fraudulent referen-
dunn petitions not only preserves the
sanctity of one of the corner stones of
our sacred state constitution, but 1t is
an admonition that 1t is just as repre-
hensible to attempt to corrupt the
electorate as it is to try to buy votes
of legislators.
The decision preserves this reserve
power for the people. A different rul-
ing would have been cOndoning fraud,
bribery, forgery and perjury all OF
which plainly appeared in the petit
tions. 1t would have been fatal to the
!. e. r. for that, in effect, would have
been turning this weapon over to all
the lobbyists, bribers and crooks, who
had done so much to bring representa-
tive government into bad repute. The
people would never countenance such
an I. & r.
The electors turned to direct action
to prevent corruption.
Secretary Graves ruling in a nut
shell was that the |. & r. is power
for the use of honest men not the dis
honest; that petitions must represent
the sentiment of the signers and not
be the offspring of few selfish inter
ests and bearing no earmarks of genu-
ineness.
Convictions have established that
laws can not be purchased.
Secretary Graves ruling makes it
| impossible to purchase referendums.
The proposed referendums began
with the efforts Of private liability in
| surance companies to destroy the
Green Workmen's Compensation act
"a humane law which is indorsed by
both employers and employees.
The liability companies found ready
tools In the corps of lobbyists, who
had caused trouble in the general as
sembly The Ohio Equity Association
was formed by these men. To magni-
fly opposition and gather strength for
the sole purpose of pooling all votes
for the defeat Of the compensation act
several referendums were proposed
and campaigns were inaugurated, Ma
sentiment was found for such action
A referendum had to be bought
That was dirty business. 1t required
| frN. In hn nT
eral Hogan, who represented the state
at the hearing before Secretary
Graves, The Equity Association want
ed dirty men and it got them" The
testimony showed that among its cir
culators of petitions were men who hat
, criminal records. Many were buns
! gathered up from dives and pressed
1 into service Testimony of witnessei
, showed that officers of the Equity AS
, sociation condoned crookedness on th'
>. part of it's solicitors, encouraged anC
q assisted in preparing false petitions
e for filing
z Fictitious names discarded by direc
}. testimony brought the total number o
e signatures far below the number re
4 quired by law, while all litigated case
in courts ranging from the common
= pleas of Ohio to the supreme tribuna
$ In Oregon established the principl
1 that when those In charge Of a pet
G ton connived at illegalty the Who'll
| In II
by General Hogan We're Secretar
Graves not the court Of final jurisdiC
9 ton in this matter, we would not tt
Il day have an operative |. Il r., but
r. would have to be suspended and othe
n referendums thrown out until cour
4. procedure for contests was provide
G by legislative authority So in thi
@ respect, Secretary Graves ruling ais
z preserves the |, a. II.
S Brilliant as has been the work c
o General Hogan in the past in pros'
IS cutting grafters and purifying the p'
ii lucal atmosphere, his splendid legt
L. talents were never more forcibly an
,t effectively employed against crooke'
ID ness than they were against this ne
Ie form of corruption, Great credit mus
be given Governor Cox for the promp
le ness with which he proceeded in thes
Dt cases, for It was he who Is responsib
r. for The investigation conducted by M
p Graves, and which has resulted Ia a
II annullment of dishonest efforts