The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-03-20


the present assembly.
"Third. Many have believed that
In the old days laws we're not passed
which were calculated TO redress
wrongs and correct inequalities which
grew up under our system OF govern
ment. l have not heard word spok-
en- nor read a written word in this
connection in the last year.
"The opposition TO the present ad-
mnistration is tina. which has been
developed by certain groups whose
preferences have been uprooted by
the laws recently passed They would
be foolish to specify their real grieY-
ance because their selfish interests
would be too apparent to render their
activities Of any account; so that the
opposition is more or less nebulous'
II deals with generalities II does
not charge corruption, sins OF omis'
sion, nor any action which could be
chargeable to privilege. II simply
saws that too much has been done
and yet up to this hour not one critic
has specified a law which he would
repeal.
81 recognize perfectly well that the
program Of legislation in Ohio has
been extensive. / am mindful, too, OF
the fact that the purpose and nature
of some of the laws are not clearly
understood and have been misrepre-
sented by designing interests. And
while the opposition must take posi-
ton which 1t win have to defend II
Il proclaims specifically that certain
laws must be repealed, II is much
easier to indulge in the general
charge that a machine has been Gre
ated. II is needless to say that the
very persons who inspired and have
maintained this contention have no
ethical objections to any kind OF a
machine, particularly If its results
were harmful to the interests of the
masses and helpful to the few. The
day OF an anaemic administration in
this or any other state is passed. The
time has come when platforms must
mean something, when pledges given
must be redeemed, when public Off
cials must assume responsibilities
and be chargeable with the results.
Cleaning the Liquor Traffic.
"The cry of machine grows out Of
changes which were made in the laws
with reference to taxation and the
liquor traffic. Things were going from
bad to worse in the constantly agi-
tated liquor question. Matters purely
economic in nature in their consider
alton by the legislature had to run
the gauntlet Of prejudice on both
sides Of the liquor question. Any man
could open a saloon regardless of his
moral character, and he could con-
tinue to operate it no matter how dis
gracefully he conducted his place,
"The liquor license law was drawn
so as to provide for a strict enforce
ment of the law, and the law is being
enforced in Ohio. But that has been
possible only because the executive
control has extended to every depart
ment of administration. II the com
missioners had been elected in the wet
counties it would have been perfectly
easy for the governor, in the event OF
the laws violation, to have reminded
the people tLat the men selected were
of their choosing and the error would
have to be remedied at the next elec
tion two years in the future.
"People are sick Of vacillating ex-
ecutive policies in any state. They
demand Of executive heads every
where that the policy shall be posi-
tive-one thing or the other. We
knew perfectly well that if the liquor
license law did not provide for the
most efficient organization, any part
Of which could be removed by the
first act Of neglect, the thing would
Sail of its own weight. I assumed re,
sponsibility for the law. I assume re-
sponsibility for the results. Call this
what you will, machine
or otherwise, the one thing which in
the final analysis will interest the
public is what has the result been,
good or bad? Corrupt or clean? Eli
cient or otherwise? If disreputable
places have not been put out OF busi-
ness, if gambling houses, barrel
houses and road houses have cot been
deprived of their licenses; if the laws
have not been enforced, then the
blame must center upon me. l repeat |
that it is the result, and not the
method, in which the people are ia
terested.
To Tighten Tax Burdens.
"The same holds true on the sub
ject' Of taxation. From the earliest |
day of history public officials have
hesitated to change taxation laws
When l assumed the oath of office in
the statehouse l knew what every |
person in Ohio fully un.
derstood, and that was that the sys-
tenn of listing property for taxation
was a plain travesty on human intelli-
gence. We first made careful inquiry,
not only into conditions in the state, |
but of the surveys which had been
made by past administrations and the
that had been sub
mitted by commissions composed Of
men of unquestioned sincerity of pur-
pose and ability. 1t would have been
much easier, so far as my regime is
to have done nothing on
the subject of taxation. There was
nothing to be gained except what we
knew to be inevitable controversy