The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-02-26
Legislature HOnOrs Bill Of
$1,000 For Supplies
Which Develops Petty Graft
For The Members

Columbus, o., Feb. 23--Now the
good people of Ohio who have been
watching the actions Of the Eighty
first general assembly are trying to
find out where the legislative majOri
ty got the tip for the repeal of the
indeterminate sentence law. Under
this law passed by the Eightieth gen.
eral assembly, Ohio took large stride
forward In the matter Of prison reform
and though the law is yet young its
wisdom has been many times demon
strated. Nor has there been single
incident to throw discredit ON the law.
When first the repeal measure was
offered 1t was voted down in the
house, but somehow, somewhere, 1t
was announced that this was one of
the hated Cox laws and must be des-
troyed. So be It. The repeating meas
! ure was called for o. reconsideration
and passed by strictly party vote.
Now should the senate concur the
prison system of Ohio will have set
tied back to the time when q criminal
might well say he never had been CIV
sn chance when he wanted to do
better, and the hardened offender may
laugh in his sleeve at the lightness of
the punishment administered to him.
The action OF the house on this meas
ure shows well the attitude of mind
: of the majority membership. II Is
peanut, partisan politics of the mean.
. est order which sacrifices the good of
the state to selfish jealousy
When a particularly meritorious
measure is introduced by Democrat
in the Eighty-first general assembly 1t
long enough to permit the same provi-
,sions TO be Incorporated in a bill to
he introduced by a Republican. Thus
are statesmen made and known in this
.'Ohio which has given the nation presi-
dents
Z taken any interest in government
there has been a demand that the
judiciary be taken out of politics and
kept out. Now among the first acts
oi the legislature is partisan at
tempt to put the judiciary In politics
ar deep as II ever was before.
Readers of the columns OF enlight.
,enment herein given last fall well re-
member. that an attempt was made by
tho Republican executive COMMITTEES
IA make partisan fight for control
OF the courts. Failing IN their designs
the ability Of the people to select was
shown. Now the disgruntled polin
gians would make the election of judg
es a partisan matter and landsld,
into Office judicial candidates whose
only ability is that for political man
ipulation.
Like the repeal OF the indetermin
ate sentence law. now half done. thi
act to make judges political was no
based on any platform pledge or prom
Use. 1t simply shows the weakness
o. the majority In the Legislature ant
its inability to run itself.
By all means the Eighty-first gen
eal assembly should quit and 20 home
Governor Willis has landed anotle
member OF the Republican state CON
mittee hangerson in a fat job In tn
xtatehouse. This time II is Charlie
rfBillwriter" Galbreath, who become
state librarian at $4,000 ousting Joh
Henry Newman. Galbreath has bee
q machine Republican who has he'll
office before, who was and Is Willi
booster. He has written the admin
iftration" bills asked by Willis, ha
.collaborated with the governor, an
NiIl continue to do so, whether I'll