The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-05-04
Present Law Has Not Been
Given Try Out
But Willis Wants II Repealed
For Selfish Ends

Columbus, O., May Unless the
state administration expects the Re-
publican leaders in the Ohio senate
to stultify themselves before the peo-
pie it can scarce hope for their sup
port for the vicious Hulswitt bill for
the restoration of the joint ballot sys-
tenn for state and presidential cleo
tions. 1t is true that Governor Will
lis has demanded the Hulswitt bill as
an administration measure for the rea-
son that he thinks the next Republi-
can national ticket will help the Re
publican state ticket which will have
upon it the odium of an inefficient ad-
ministration, with its catering to lob
bies, to utility company interests and
to Hamilton county leaders. 1t is
also true that the Hulswitt bill is in
troduced by Hamilton county men,
ber and desired by Hamilton county
politicians as an aid to their county
ticket. The Hulswitt bill relies on the
ignorance of voters and the hesitancy
to vote scratched tickets to gain bene-
fit for state and county tickets under
the vote er straight" idea in national
election time.
When the Hulswitt bill passed the
house it did so under false impress
sion and but few realized it's meaning.
A number Of Republican members who
two years ago voted for the separate.
ballot system under misunderstanding
voted for the Hulswitt bill. But there
can be no mistake in the senate. Ev-
erybody knows what the bill means
and everybody. knows its purpose.
Two years ago the measure to sep
arate the ballots was introduced and
passed as non-partisan measure,
with tendency toward the non-parti-
san election. This law provides for
printing the names of presidential and
vice-presidential candidates and presi-
dental electors on one ballot, and the
names of state and county candidates
on a separate ballot In the house but
one Republican now a member voted
against it In the senate there was but
single dissenting vote, that of Sena>
tor Broadstone, Republican, who was
not returned this session. On the 9th
err hand Senator Howard, Republican
floor leader, Senator Moore, Senator
Gallagher, Senator McDermott and
Senator Wise, the second termer Re-
publicans of this session, advocated
and voted for the bill which passed as
Senate Bill No. rs and became law.
The law has not yet been given trial.
Is it possible that Governor Willis
can expect men of this caliber to stul-
tify themselves, to brand themselves
as political hucksters and to blacken
their records in order to give him a
personal partisan advantage, and aid
the Cincinnati bosses to keep their
control?
1t is not likely that Senator Howard
and the rest Of those mentioned will
repeal an act of their own making
without any demand other than that
coming from Mike Mullen and Gov
ernor Willis who have joined hands
apparently for this measure for what
ever it may mean.
Whatever liquor license decentraliz-
er comes out of the present general as.
sembly may we'll be looked on with
grave suspicion. Since there was no
demand for a change in the present
system, satisfactory to both vets and
drys, the advocacy by the governor of
any decentralizer to enlarge local pow
er is in itself an acknowledgment of
the charges made concerning the elec,
tion deals last fall. Now that the An
drews bill has been defeated with its
regulatory provisions and on their ac-
count, and the governor frankly ad-
mits truce with the Cincinnati brew
cry interests, there can be no doubt