The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-06-20
40 TO aeFeReNDUMs 9


"The statement made BY the oricer
Of the socalled Ohio Equity Associa-
tion who filed the petitions praying
for . referendum ON the Green Work.
mems Compensation act and initiatins
. new compensation law to the effect
that there was an organized effort
made to induce voters to decline to
sign these petitions, is Of course, un-
true; but, even SO. Is more humorous
than false" said w. L. Finley. chair
man OF the State Democratic execu.
tive committee, in Columbus.
1T is not charged that the admin.
-istration or the Democratic organiza-
tion Is responsible for this so-called
effort, but that is the plain inference
to be drawn. The truth Is that every
working Democrat In Ohio knows that
II there had to be q referendum ON
any enactment OF the last legislature
We should have chosen the Green
Workmen's Compensation act as the
one upon which the vote should be
taken.
we could not ahve afforded to
let THIS referendum fail for lack or
signatures to the petition. But when
we discovered that the Equity Asso.
citation was paying minimum or
,five cents per name for signatures!
was employing college students,
school boys, teachers. etc.. at this
rate and some as q fat rate Of $50
per petition, regardless Of the number
of signatures; when we discovered
that the slums Of Cincinnati were no.
Ing worked BY the members Of the
George B. Cox organization and large
numbers Of signers thus secured, We
felt that the liability companies could
BY these means secure q referendum
without outside assistance. The right
TO sign q referendum petition. from
conviction and without pay, is con.
stttutional right and is encouraged NOT
questioned. 6'iA'dolu0'N -
AT the same time We do not feel
that the farmers Of this state should
be buncoed into signing such petl'
,tions on the Cunningham Agricultural
Commission bill. the Warnes tax bill
and the Fitzpatrick tax bill by the cor
rupt and mercenary methods Of the
Liability Insurance Companies as
above indicated. Every agricultural
paper that circulates In Ohio liz op
posed to the referendum aud In favor
: of the new Agricultural Commission
The head OF every Agricultural De
partment OF the state is likewise 0p
posed to the referendum and In favOl
. Of the Commission. Every Intelligent
high.class progressive farmer In thu
State occupies the same position
but few professional farmers who
through political manipulation have
secured sort Of leadership and ON
~cial position In the grange, have yield
Sed to the Establishments Of the Liabil
ATTY Companies and have undertaken
40 deliver the farmer petitions ant
vote into their hands.
IA commission appointed by GOvei
nor Mckinley more than twenty year
ago 10 Investigate the subject OF tai
alton recommended the enactment O
"a law almost Identical to the Warne
nisw Every taxation expert In Obi
anG the United States opposes tn
Ilprinciple OF self assessment and ia,
~ors che principle of assessment b.
zppointive assessors provided for 4
ahe Warnes bill. Allen Riply Foot
1.-TWO years ago advanced the enact
fment OF the Edwards bill. which wa
Sin effect the Warnes bill OF today. Blu
E'oote has changed base. though tn
: Abusiness organizations comprising hi
State Board of Commerce have MOI
These Chambers OF Commerce an
Business Mems Associations are Il
day supporting the warnes bill. bu
they fired Foote from his positio
some time ago and he now. at the st
licitation OF the Liability lnsuranc
Companies, has Joined them in thel
night. The most progressive taxatio
thought Of the day supports tn
-Warnes bill. Any one having no col
'vlction on the subject who signs
fpetition asking that this bill be r,
Hfefred TO a vote Of the people, sinipl
10 accommodate the fellow who 81
1iolts him 70 sign Ii to receive pa
out OF . corruption fund made up I
fhundreds Of thousands OF dollars thu
rightfully belong to the injured wor
men Of Ohio. and which have bee
fwtthheld from them by Liability fnsu
unse Companies, becomes a party to
URsss fraud.
The Attorney general OF the sta