The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-05-25
Poll Of Legislature On Pres
idential Preference
Makes Poor Showing For
Gov. Willis Ambition

Columbus, O., May 22-Though it is
generally conceded now in all sections
of the country that President Wilson
has gained strength with all the peo-
pie and that opposition to him will be
more perfunctory act, the interest
ing game of picking the strongest Re-
publican presidential hope continues.
The other day in the closing hours of
the legislature poll was taken of the
Republican members of the house and
senate, the idea being to secure line
on endorsement for the higher ambi-
tions of Governor Willis. In the SEN
ate not single vote was recorded for
Willis and in the house he got but
fourteen out of the seventy-three.
Senator John Holden never appear
ed to better advantage than in his final
speech in the legislature in behalf of a
bill for relief of cities which was killed
under pressure from the governors of.
flee. Mr.. Holden pointed out that new
er before in the history of the state had
there been such marked agility on the
part of legislators who jumped at the
crack of the lash welded by the execu-
tive. Individuals among the senate
members who had jellyfished through
the session were held up to scorn and
flayed unmercifully by the senate lead
er who adhered strictly to facts. Mr..
Holden was given attentive and sym
pathetic hearing by Republicans, many
of whom are resentful of the govern
or'S boss tactics.
In the last day of the legislative
session a resolution attacking the ma
tional administration was adopted in
the senate under ruling which shut
off debate This petty action brought
from the Democrats a protest voiced
by Senator Lynch, who said
'At this time in contemporaneous
history, when every patriotic American
citizen should lend his best efforts to
States of America in his time of trial
at time when every patriotic citi-
zen should realize that no president
since Lincoln has had such serious
and delicate problems to solve as has
President Wilson-at time when the
jingo press is silent-it behooves the
patriotic citizens of the state of Ohio
to show that we possess minds suffi.
ciently broad. hearts sufficiently large,
and manhood enough to look first to
our national honor and frown upon in
cipient jingoism and small party spir.
it,"
BY resolution attaches of the SEN
ate are to be permitted to remain on
the payroll as long as the clerk of the
senate desires Luckily the legisla.
ture adjourned when it did or some one
would have figured up way to use up
all of that ten million dollars surplus
left by Cox!
1t is noted in the summary of leg
islative action that the number of COM
missions has been greatly increased,
and what is of more than passing in
terest is that by legislative act the lie
is given favorte campaign state
ment made by Governor Willis and cir
culated by him in ''the little red book"
The most important commission is one
clothed with unlimited power to build
Offices for housing departments out
side the statehouse, Governor Willis
having failed signally to squeeze any
of them back as he promised to do.
The Youngstown Vindicator justifies
the remark that the taxdodging spirit
is abroad again by the fact that it was
campaign promise of the victors last
year.
referring to the legislature the Pi