The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-04-21

manner characteristic OF those great
bodies following 1851 were those pro.
posed by the constitutional conven.
ton in 1912, and adopted in large
part by the people at the special cleo
tions OF September Of that year Keep
this in mind. Ohio, from 1861 until
1913, a period Of 62 years. almost
three-quarters Of century, did not
adopt a new constitution.
In 1852 the population of the state
was 100000 The population OF
cities was as follows: Cleveland, IT.
O34; Columbus, 1852; Toledo, 1923;
Dayton, 1887; Youngstown, 2,SO6;
Springfield, 5,10S; Hamilton, 3,21O;
GAINESVILLE, 1929; Sandusky, 5,OS7;
Akron, 1906 There was but one
steam railroad which ran from San
dusky on the lake to Cincinnati on
the river. There was not gravel
road in the commonwealth mud
roads everywhere. Not more than
one out OF every 100 acres of forest
had been cleared and was under cul-
I tivation. Many Indians remained,
particularly in the the northwest, in
the Miami and Scioto valleys and in
the hill counties. There were five
small colleges. There was not a pub
lie school system worth while, the
means of education being community
institutions conducted for the most
part in log cabins. Outside of the
cities 95 per cent of the people lived
in log houses. The only means Of
, transportation east and west was the
! stage coach. The telegraph had just
been invented. There were no
! stoves, no furnaces, no electric rail-
ways, no telephones, no monographs,
no electric nor gas lights, no auto
mobiles, no reapers nor corn plant
ers, no steam plows. The beasts Of
burden for the most part we're the
oxen. There was no manufacturing
worth the name. There was not an
industrial plant working hundred
people. These were the conditions
that existed when the last effective
constitutional convention was held in
Ohio prior to the year Of my election
4, to the governorship. The laws made
\ p6TulbSlNe ny TIC tOHollluIiOh WCAC
those suggested by the social and the
industrial conditions of that day. It
is not necessary to make any appeal
to the public Imagination to bring
forth an appreciation of the wonders
of men. of invention. Few words are
required to picture the advance made
in the arts, in commerce, in educa-
szI. H. ,kO a. =,
commonwealth of swamps and log
cabins in 1852 to the most progres.
sive commonwealth in all the world
in 1928.
mo man will contend that consti'
tuition framed in 1851 could be sue
cessfully adjusted to the conditions
existing So years later. In 1872 a
convention was held, but its recon
mendations were not adopted by the
people, so that the constitutional
convention, when it assembled ir
1912, found itself confronted with the
refinement of an instrument 62 years
old. During this long period of time
laws had been passed TO provide fol
the social and industrial evolution:
of the times, but many of them, IL
fact most of them, were declared un
constitutional, because the old con
stitution did not give to the legisla
ture the right to pass such laws. The
constitutional convention held in 191.
made such recommendations to thu
people as We're suggested by our eX
periences for over go years, and prac
tically all of these recommendation,
were adopted at popular election
The constitution as changed not onl.
gave the legislature the right to pas
laws providing for new conditions
but in many instances it directed tn
legislature to take this action. Whei
assumed the oath of Office Jan. 1G
1913, the definite and specific instruc
tions had been given to me to pre-
: mote the passage of laws indicates
by constitutional changes. That ha
been done, No one up to this hou
has charged remlssness in duty il
9 this respect The accumulation O
i governmental necessity covering
period of almost three-quarters OF
+ century was thrown upon my shou
! ders, and what has been done is tn
+ result, not of any caprice nor ind
9 vidual ideas on my part, but becaus
j ! was seated in the governors chat
. with definite instructions. The gam
of life is pretty fast in this day. Sc
! cial and industrial Developments ar
i rapid, and almost three-quarters of
$ century brings to us so many exper
0 ences that we can only profit from
Q them by living under a constitution
I which enables us to pass laws for tc
n day and not for the day Of the mu
I roads and the log houses. The mar
/ therefore, who continues to complai
a of the extent of our new Legislation
, is criticising his fellows and decrS
y ing the old scheme of republica
0 form of government. Let it be III
! derstood that ! am not locating tn
I responsibility for the purpose of visi
Z ing any criticism on the public desir
as expressed at the special electio
0 in 1912 for the purpose of passing o
y the new constitution. On the COZ