Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-10-28
new LAW MAKES
. FAIR DISTRICTS
SpTague Act Restores Congress
] SlOnal Lines.
GIVES PEOPLE SQUARE DEAL
Act Known as "sprague Distrlcting
Bill" Should Get "Yes" Vote of
Every Citizen Who Wants Ohio
Properly Represented In National
Lawmaklng Body.

Every Citizen Who Wants Ohio
Properly Represented In National
Lawmaklns Body.
Columbus. - Especial Correspond
ence.)-To give Ohio Fair representa-
tion in the national congress the
Sprague act should receive the "Yes"
vote Of every man who goes to the
polls on election day.
The Sprague law has been subjected
to referendum by politicians who
farmed up on Ohio voters the most
unfair gerrymander that mas ever
been written into Ohio laws.
Under the Cox regime and at the
behest of the Cox political machine,
the Ohio legislature made new con-
gressional districts. In the shameful
redistricting job, the politicians wnol.
ly ignored the congressional district
lines established in Ohio for many
years. They arbitrarily mapped out
new congressional districts, so that
Democratic favorites could be elected
to congress.
The Sprague law upsets the work Of
designing politicians. 1t restores the
old congressional district lines as far
as possible. There are now % dis
tricts instead of 81, and that change
mad to be taken into consideration
when the Sprague law was enacted.
Sprague Law Is FarReaching.
The Sprague law means more than
1nta op wall laid
plans of clever politicians. 1t means
more than that men shall be elected
to congress from district made up
of one or another set of counties.
The approval of the sprasue act
means endorsement of the great prin-
olpaI of protection. Every vote for
the Sprague law Is vote for fair
tarlff-and It Is an accepted truth that
a protective tariff means busy and
we'll paid workinemen, prosperous
farmers and activity In all manufac-
turing and merchandising lines.
; If the Sprague law is approved the
I free trade congressional lines will be
broken down and the voters of Ohio
will be able to send men to congress
who favor protective tariff.
The Sprague law has the endorse
ment Of leading newspapers of the
state. Here are editorials from addt-
tional publications tnat approve the
Sprague law:
Better Business Conditions.
Defiance Express-The Republican lead
ers who met in Columbus last week de-
termined to make an organization by
n - t1,a fhr ttvtN
of the Spragie congressional redistricttng
bill. The effect OF this law Is to correct
the gerrymander in which the districts
were determined by William l.. Finley
and which was forced through the legis-
lature by the order of Governor Cox. IL
so grouped the counties that the DEM
ocrats can elect three or four more con-
gressmen than their proportional vote OF
the state entities them to.
The maintenance OF the Sprague law Is
Of vital Importance at this time because
II will add to the Republican membership
IN congress, men who will legislate for
better business conditions.
Cut Out "War" Taxes.
Mt. Vernon Republican-News. - The
fact that the Democrats are organizing
to defeat the Sprague bill at the Novem-
Der election Is in itself reason enough
why every Republican, and every man
who wishes return to a substantial
prosperity not dependent upon the Euro
pean war, should support the bill at tho
polls. Tho Sprague redistricting bill SIM
ply gives the people chance to send to
congress, at next years elections, Repub-
Mean congressman in numbers correspond
ing to the normal Republican vote In
Ohio. To prejudice the voters against
ehe bill, the Democratic press bureau is
referring to 1t as an unholy gerrynander.
efc. They evidently take the view that
anything likely to operate against the
dominance Of the Democratic party is
unholy, and that Democratic gerrymand-
ers are exceptionally holy. Previous to
the elections which placed the Democratic
party In power in Ohio. there was very
fair congressional districting law. As
soon as the Democrats could get to 1t
they changed the law so as to make ms
many safe and sure Democratic districts
as possible. They realized that Ohio was
normally Republican, and that as soon
as the internal troubles Of the party had
been adjusted the state would again place
the Republican party In charge of affairs
They hoped, and many Democrats be-
lieved, that the Republican party would
not "come back" for years, but they lost
no time in playing safe, and redistrcted
the state in the interest of the Demo-
cratic party. The Sprague bill merely
seeks to undo their work, and give the
Republicans n fair chance to elect con-
gressmen in proportion to the Republican
vote. Every Republican and every man
who wishes to see the country get back
TO a basis where war taxes" will not be
levied In times OF peace, should vote tc
sustain the Sprague bill. The Democrats
in Washington are now comforting on the
extension of the so-called war tax" and
they also have bond issues under consid-
grafton. To what lengths they will &c
should Ohio favor their schemes by
knocking out the Sprague bill there is nc
one with sufficient foresight to predict.
Mr.. Finley thinks the people at the
polls will repudiste the Sprague law
which corrects his personally man
eyed gerrymander of the congress