Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-02-06
NEWS CULLED
INTHECAP|TAL
What Legislators Are
Doing and Other
Happenings.
D. A. DONOVAN.

~ EMOCRATS in the house re-
s "A turned to the strict construc-
n n tion teachers of their fathers
in determining that there can
be nothing done during the special
session that is not specified in
detail by the governor. 1t was
upon this ground that the house
rejected, 20 to SO, the Conover amend
ment to the new automobile bill that
would divide the proceeds of the auto
axes equally among the counties of
the state. Democrats in the rural
counties voted with their party, al
though their personal desires would
have inclined them to the Conover
change. For two hours the hall of the
house rang with the constitutional ar
guments of the contending forces, the
Republicans trying to show that the
governor had not the right to restrict
his call so closely, the Democrats at
tempting to prove that the new con-
stitutional amendment gave to the ex-
ecutive sweeping and almost unlimited
powers. States having similar consti-
tutional restrictions were combed
carefully for precedents, but the solons
finally waived arguments and voted
along party lines. Winters of Erie
was one of the few Democrats who de-
serted to the Republican SIDE Hav-
ing rejected the Conover amendment,
the house finally passed the auto bill,
which contains, however, only the sim
| gle provision that all proceeds of the
| auto tax shall go to the state highway
department. The law now pending in
the courts gives majority of the pro-
ceeds OF the state treasury, a provision
that was partly responsible for the
laws being held unconstitutional by
the lower courts. To change the auto
fees themselves another governor S
message and another bill will be nee
essary.
Prayers by House Chaplain.
Not to be outdone by the senate, the
house is going to have its prayers said
in future by regular house chaplain.
In the past the lower branch has been
dependent on ministers who might
volunteer to come at each days open.
ing session and pronounce the invoca.
tion, Some times there were when no
minister could be found and then
some preacher member of the house
would have to respond And there
we're occasions whereon the house
ministers were absent and then some
lay member would founder through
some crudely framed prisons that were
not at all inspiring. Now Rev. D. ]
Starr, former chaplain of the Ohio
penitentiary, will be the regular house
| chaplain. He will get S. a day for his
services if the house follows the prec
edent set by the senate. Since open
ing prayers don't last many minutes
the chaplain will receive a pretty fail
salary as salaries go.
Cox Won't Heed Their Demands.
1t was stated on good authority
that Gov. Cox will refuse to
heed the demands of the German
American alliance that he permit
the special session Of the general as
sembly to give cities greater leeway
in dealing with the saloon question
The governor has let it be known that
he has determined to leave all of the
larger demands for legislation, except
ing those already mentioned in his
special messages, to the consideration
convene next January. The demand
fC greater home rule for the cities il
probably the most insistent of all, since
it was pressed also by the Ohio League
Of Municipalities that met here las
week. The German-American alliance
however, will press its demand mucl
more forcibly than did the League O.
Municipalities. The alliance is TO,
home rule for cities not only in salool
matters, but in taxation. finances ant
other subjects. In saloon matters
strictly it believes that the cite
should determine for themselves mat
ters of Sunday closing, midnight clos
ing and the like. 1t wouldn't seek t,
change the license law, but it woult
leave to the discretion of the cite
the maner in which the law should b.
enforced. If certain city, for ez
ample, believed it's saloons should re
main open on Sunday, then it coul
have open saloons on the Sabbath, az
cording to the viewpoint of the all
ance. And if a neighboring cit
wanted closed saloons on Sunday,
similar discretion to close saloon
would be given to that city, accordin
to the alliances way of seeing things
The real facts are, however, that tn
new demands upon the governor don
stand any better show than did the DE-
mands of the Republican minority
few days ago.
Designate Main Market Road.
, Acquiescing in the wishes of Colun
, biana, Stark and Mahoning counties
Gov. Cox and State Highway Commis
sioner Marker have designated as
Governors Recommendation.
: That the state release it's claim fo