The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-04-30
THREATENED
REFERENDUM
On The Worst Of Willis
RippcrS
Has Caused The Legislature
To Consider Well
Before Committing Itself To
Decisive Action
Trying To Change Laws To
Fool The People
And Still Pass Muster with
The Politicians

Columbus, o., April 27-Threatened
referendum elections on the worst of
the Willis rippers passed by the Eigh-
ty-first general assembly has had the
effect of making the members of that
body consider we'll before committing
itself to deeds. Promises of destruc-
ton have been prolific and each the
senate and the house has taken hand
in things that were most Questiona-
bic only to be checked by the other
branch, while Governor Willis and his
advisers paved over the things to see
how much they could be changed to
fool the people and still pass muster
with the politicians as full-fiedged rip
pers. This was true of the agricultur-
al ripper, which first provided a board
with unlimited expense, and later
when the press exposed the scheme,
fixed a limit that would not make too
great an increase over present cost
when the political workers began to
work. 1t was true of the civil service
ripper which came FROM the hopper so
raw that it needs genuine broiling
over hot Goals to make it even repre-
sentative of a self-acknowledged de-
structive administration. 1t is true
also OF the tax ripper and it will be
true of any other sub rosa attempts
yet to be made. Should there be no
referendum elections the possibility
of having the people pass on their
acts has had the effect of making the
destructive measures less destructive
and it has prevented from passage
some measures which were too bad
to put to the test. The Civil Service
association will undoubtedly refer any
ripper passed. The Democratic state
committees have not yet signified their
intentions as to any measure and will
not until the end of the session which
is not yet certain, but every act of the
administration and of the legislature
is being carefully watched.
The statement in these columns that
the demand of Governor Willis for
wholesale designations was cleverly
masked raid on the public utilities
is borne out by subsequent
events. The governor has officially
stated that he did not intend to file
charges against members of the re-
naming commissions, but that he
would wait for the rippers to take ef-
feet against them. When he asked for
resignation he knew the rippers were
under way. He further knew he
could not legislate the members of
the utilities commission out of office.
He dared not move against that body
alone; hence he issued a blanket de-
mand. BY some means he managed to
secure the designations of the men,
bers of the utilities body, and that
now is his to deliver where he prom
ised it before he was elected. 1t will
be interesting to note developments
in the management of the public utili-
Ties WItu Iue W DC Adhcup
as there is strong suspicion of con-
nection with certain financier-states-
men who are of any party and for any
candidate where it can be made best
to pay. But the significant fact is
that Governor Willis will not push
charges against any Of the hated Cox
appointees since he has scared off
the two whose posts he was bound to
deliver and there's no use being meal
y-mouthed about it,
The most careful observers have
been wondering where the Republican
machine got its impulse to destroy
all beneficial legislation, and what
made it think the people of Ohio want
ed to go back to the days of political
manipulation, bossism and election
frauds, and big and little graft, with
the corporation managers running
h,,.;,1ee aD1 pnfyx;nc foUatbar tn