The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-05-07
When The Wet Vote Was
Thrown To Him
And Not Now SideStep Re.
SpOnSibiIity In Matter

Columbus, O., May 6-The keynote
of the situation in the Eighty-first gen.
eral assembly is the demand on the
part of the members of the delegation
from Hamilton county that Governor
Willis keep the promise made to them
for the votes their county gave to
make Willis governor The difficulty
which has arisen is due simply to the
efforts of the governor to sidestep re-
sponsibility in this matter just as he
has in all other things.
The deadlock over the liquor license
decentralizer is not because of any
love the Cincinnati people have for the
present liquor license law, but is sim
ply predicated on the knowledge they
have the crux of the matter is in the
administration of whatever law may
be written on the statute books. They
feel, that given suitable local license
board and friendly state license COM
mission, it will be just as easy for Mr..
Willis to allow them to enjoy the full
measure of freedom they were prom
ised as 1t was for Mr.. Cox to see that
the law was enforced to the letter. In
other words, the simple statement of
their arguments is that it is just as
easy for the Willis administration to
allow Sunday opening as it was for
the Cox administration to enforce Sun
day closing.
The conference between the gov
ernor, Peter Durr and others OF Gin
cinnati, and Rev. 2. B. Campbell, of
Ada, makes plain the terms of the Gin
cinnati deal which was consummated
by State Chairman Edwin Jones, after
the Reverend Campbell had completed
the outline in conference with Ham
ilton county leaders. 1t brings to mind
the display advertisements in Cincin-
natl newspapers and in circulars dis
tributed on the eve of election that II
Willis were elected governor Cincin-
natl would enjoy the fullest personal
liberty under home rule.
All of the work of the assembly un-
der domination of the governor has
been hinged on the Cincinnati agree
ment. That such an arrangement was
possible is a disgrace to the state, but
that it has been permitted to go for
ward in legislative action and inaction
is a crime for which atonement will
be demanded.
Democrats in the general assembly
must stand firm against any repeal OF
the present license law and force Gov
ernor Willis TO keep the promise made
to Cincinnati or repudiate it utterly.
If it is repudiated 1t is a matter sole
ly of interest to Cincinnati in effect.
In general aspect the broken promise
will array itself with the other broken
promises of the governor made to the
public utility corporations, 70 the rail-
roads, to the coal operators, to the
county clerks associations, and to
countless individuals within his own
PARTY. But these things should not
be the source of worry to any Demo,
crat.
BY passing the Mcfarland bill to
create an advisory agricultural com
mission the house has made farce
and a fake out of the Smith-Mallow
agricultural ripper. If the Mcfarland
bill becomes law it will create again
conditions as they were before the rip
per was passed. The advisory board Is
to be composed of the secretary of the
state board of agriculture, the dear
of the agricultural college, and the
director of the Ohio experiment sta
ton. The point is made that they arr
to serve without pay on the advisor!
board, but they receive pay for thu
qualifying positions they hold just al
they do now.
Not only by the record of its jour