The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-01-22
legislative Committees Made
Up Of Reactionafies
So Clock viii Be Turned Back
On Progressive Acts

Columbus, O.. Jan. 21--Eur0pe has
q war but Ohio has the Eighty.frst
General Assembly. And this general
assembly seems to be inculcated with
the idea that It's mission is to tear
down and destroy. Ohio has become
too progressive under the continuing
Democratic administrations. and the
Republican majority with the assist
ance and influence Of the Republican
administration is going to set Ohio
back notch or two. It matters not
what Ohio may think about the prop
osition. there has got to be q going
back Just the same.
It Is q good deal like that favorite
old vaudeville sketch that was q
scream a few years ago. Appears the
girl before her old uncle. He accuses
her. "Bxt, Uncle Eph," she says, II
aint done nothing wrong" and raises
her hands in supplication. II know
yer aint done nothing wrong" replies
Uncle Eph, "but its a stormy night
and out yer goes" And 80 1t Is with
the laws passed by the Eightieth Gen.
eral Assembly-they "aint done moth
ing wrong" but out they go.
When the delay In the Eighty-first
General Assembly had reached the
stage where even the most agreeable
Republican members had become i'm
patient at the attitude of Speaker
Conover who wanted to name all the
committees. but who seemed to know
not his mind, Representative Alton
e. Etling. Of Wayne county made a
few terse remarks that brought mat
ters to focus. Mr.. Etling pointed
out the waste OF money and urged an
immediate attention to the needs of
legislation, II any there were. His
attitude was 80 expressive Of the gen.
eral feeling that It was decided to
proceed. The committees were an
nounced by the speaker and there
was seen the reason Tor the delay. In
all the committees that are likely to
have to deal with the laws Of
destruction not single Democrat is
given place of Importance, and what
is more to the point, there is a not
able absence of Republicans who are
likely to show signs of intelligent ac-
tion, or independent thought on pro-
gressive measures. In reference to
all meters slated for destruction the
committees before whom they are
likely to come are made up as far as
may be Of reactionaries and known
stand.patters who, as President Will
son so aptly described them, have
not had a new idea In forty years" In
Ohio these reactionaries are even
worse, and do not want to permit any
one else to get by with a new idea
or thought, SO that they are going to
turn the clock back to get even with
presumptuous progressive gentlemen,
who kept platform pledges and full.
filled constitutional amendments.
When the two branches of the leg.
islature were ready to get down to
work 1t was found that some twenty
bills were ready In the senate and ov.
or one hundred were ready in the
house. In the senate were introduced
destructive administration measures
to break down the civil service reg
ulations, and to throw the tax admin
istration into local politics In every
county. In the house, of course, there
were many bills Of general applica-
ton that find their way into every
general assembly but all the mea-
sures of importance have to do with
the general plan of destruction out
lined by Governor Willis. The Hoy
Ill k1A I'd