The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-09-04
POLITICIANS FEAR
REFERENDUM VOTE
Blame for Present Scandals
Should Be Placed at Once.
CMansfeld NeWs.)


Whose fault is 1t unless that OF
Governor Cox and his plentitude Of
commissioners, appointed, awaiting
appointment or hoping for appoint
ment under laws passed or in pros
pect, that the initiative and the refer
endum, to which they profess allegi.
ance, may shortly become subject to
derision, distrdst and disCarding?
In how far leading politicians of the
Cox school may be involved in sinis-
ter and underhanded methods to
prevent a referendum vote on certain
measures that are favored by the ad.
ministration, because they give the
governor opportunity to add to the
number of his Eenchmen by the ap-
pointment of thousands of men to Of
flee, and favored by prospective ap.
pointees to such Jobs because they
want the jobs, may not be definitely
known at this time.
However. the attitude of the COVER.
nor and his satellites does not fur
nish reassuring proof that they want
the initiative or referendum save as
that system enables them to put
through their schemes for power and
pelf.
From their present attitude as to-
the Green law referendum, seeking to
invalidate the petitions by casting
suspicion upon all who oppose the
law because sCme of the signatures
were forged by lazy and dishonest
canvassers Tor possibly by some mar.
plots in the employ Of the referendum
opposers) it would seem that it is
hoped by the alleged friends of the |.
and r. to force its use for the pur.
poses they desire, but to oppose ami
discredit it whenever the system is
sought to be employed against the
measures favored by the administra.
tion.
1t is high time that this matter be
fully investigated and carried to the
last court if it is proposed las can go
easily be done) for the administration
and it's inner circle of tax eaters to
raise the question of doubt in refer
ence to every referendum petition
that does not please them and insist,
because some spurious names or sig
natures are attached to petition,
that thousands of genuine signatures
shall be ignored.
1t will also be of interest to note
what disposition is made of some of
the alleged self-confessed rogues who
have so readily confessed" to their
acts of yillainy in forging names to
petitions
If it shall develop, as alleged by
tion, who have been accused, but
without slightest evidence of proof of
completely or guilty knowledge of
forgeries in connection with the
Green law referendum, that various
interested parties, including way-up
politicians of the state, have been
conspiring to defeat referendum on
the Warnes and Fitzpatrick measures
by every means from lying to at
tempted theft Of petitions, there
should be such a shaking up of dry
bones Of alleged reformers in this
state as will serve as warning
against all fake friends of the peo-
pie" for the next century.
Let's have the truth about this mat.
ter. Every charge and counter charge
should be probed to the bottom Let's
learn who the liars, the pretenders
and the hypocrites, the self-seekers
and the would-be czars and autocrats
of government and bossism really are.
We have all heard and read a great
deal about reform and progress, many
promises Of increased efficiency and
honesty, specious pleadings to "let
the people rule" touching talks about
the brotherhood of man, the ameliora-
tion of the condition of the masses
and the uplift of humanity in general
through the boosting into place Of
power fellows who are long on this
sort of talk but mighty short in per-
formances.
What we want-those of us who are
not in office and don't want otiice--is
less blue sky and south wind. less
buncomEe and fewer demagogues in
public life who are seeking to play a
confidence game upon the people and
| to ingratiate themselves by profess
ing to do what they know can not be
done and which they would not do if
they could.