The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-04-25
REFERENDUM
DECISION
Ut Supreme Court On The
GerrymandGF
Was In As.CaSG Never Taken
Seriously
Significance Of Referendum
Was In The Vote
Taken By The Electors OF
Ohio Last Year
Being Passing. OF ;. Judgment
On The Administration
Being Passing OF !. Judgment
On The Administration


decision of the Ohio supreme court
sustains the validity of the referen-
dunn election which rejected the Will
lis-Sprague gerrymander, Inasmuch
as the suit in the matter was never
looked upon seriously, this decision
has no import other than to pave the
way for entrance in the federal courts
for finding in regard to the appor-
tionment law relating to congressional
districts. The little doubt of the out
come was made clear by the procedure
to elect delegates by districts in it's
state as at present constituted.
Regardless of the merits of the suit,
the significance of the referendum was
indelibly written at the time of the
election. 1t is doubtful if the people
were greatly interested in the arrange
ment of Ohio counties in congressional
districts, but it was their first oppor-
tunity to give expression to their feel
ing against the present governor of the
state for his falsity and inefficiency.
Along with the Willis-Sprague law was
presented the -McDermott law
Both were rejected by decisively over
whelming majorities. The same result
would have obtained with any other
Willis law presented for decision.
The second referendum on Willis
takes place in connection with the
preferential primaries in which the
governor is candidate, this time be-
fore Republicans only. He has made
whirlwind campaign, he has delivered
speeches every day, he has created
vast personal machine among civil
service employees, he has had great
sums of money spent in his behalf. He
has used every means at his command
as a politician and has employed all
the power of his office. Yet on the
eve of election his only hope against
present disaster lies in the probability
that Republicans who are disgusted
will stay away from the polls.
spired the undying hatred and opposi-
ton of House Clerk J. P. Maynard. by
refusing to allow the state to pay for
$s5' worth of engraved stationery the
clerk and speaker purchased for their
use from Republican worker. May
nard has therefore appealed to the
good young governor and complained
of the report on the Willis legislature
which showed the extravagant person
al use of state property, and the pur-
chase of small perquisites of office
such as carnations and pen knives.
1t seems that some of the early Re-
publican candidates for office in Ohio
have been seeing ghosts by night. Not
only have they hidden with their ears
to the ground but some of them have
burrowed so deep that Identification is
impossible from the portions of anato-
my left on exhibit.
State Senator Wickline, who makes
sad irons at Akron, by action of the
state auditor was prevented from col.
lecting a profit of Az cents pair on
auto tags, on contract he secured Sc
cretly from Secretary of State Hide
brant, while acting as the agent for
a New York concern. The total
amount of the profit expected was
$4,000. Since the exposure of the
fact that the bid was not regularly let,
and the discovery of the little profit
arrangement, Bre'r Willis has not had
so much to say about the secretary OF
states savings. But Friend" Wick
line is not so retiring, and is quoted
as saying that he will push suit to
enforce the payment to him of the un
earned profit. Inasmuch as this profit
is more than double the amount the