The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-10
OHIO DEMOCRATS
OBEY ORDERS OF
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Relief of Cities is Believed I'm
possible Under Present
Regime.

COLUMBUS, O., May 10.-Emer.
gency financial relief for cities. school
districts and other political subdivi-
sions from the present legislature is
believed by political leaders an impos-
sibility as q result of the failure OF
the bill intended to give such relief
to pass the house as an emergency
measure. Democratic members. after
being called to the executive Office
and warned by Governor Cox against
passing legislation to break the Smith
one per cent law, voted almost solidly
against passing the relief bill as an
emergency.
Ordinary Measure.
Failing to pass the bill as an emer-
gency, Republican members then
passed 1t as an ordinary measure. sub
1ect to referendum. and providing for
the special election to issue bonds
and levy additional taxes on Novem-
Der 4, general election day. If ref
erendum is filed on the measure, which
Governor Cox declared today would
be done II the bill was passed. the bill
will be killed by the mere filing of the
referendum with the secretary of
state, as it then could not become a
law until approved at referendum. and
not being lay, no elections could be
held under 1t on November 4.
Only one Democrat, Representative
Thompson. of Franklin county, mem
Der of the taxation committee, which
framed the bill, voted with the Repub-
Hcans. Gordon, of Brown, Democrat.
was silent on the bill, but voted with
the Republicans for the emergency
clause.
Gov. Cox is expected to veto the
measure, as he did an Identical meas.
ure recently. Republican leaders de-
clared today they will pass it over the
veto.
Floor Leader Hopple assumed the
role of spokesman against 1t. He used
much OF the argument voiced in the
morning by the governor, the burden
of which was that additional tax bur-
dens should not be placed on the pres
ent general property tax duplicate, but
rather upon the prosperity of the state
in the form of an income tax. The
income tax, even at low rate, he.de-
clared, would bring into the treasury
more revenues than any other form
of tax
Hopple advocated the governors
substitute proposal of having subdi-
visions borrow money on short-term
certificates of Indebtedness and retire
them, If possible, by new revenues
e1eh, as the income and inheritance
taxes,
Should Not Be Advanced
x Clark replied that Hopples argu-
ments, if valid now, were equally so
when the legislature convened last
January, and should not be advanced
now to block the general program OF
the joint committee on taxation.
Republican Floor Leader Beetham
declared that Cox's address to Demo
cratic members, as reported to him,
contained the most glaringly untruth-
full statements, and Intentionally so.
that he ever heard from a governor
of Ohio. He said the Democratic mem
Ders lad received their orders and
were obeying them blindly.
Hopple declared the Republicans
were similarly bound by caucus agree
ments.
Friends of the governor were say
ing today it is possible he will call j
special session Of the assembly in
June for the sole purpose of having
an income tax law enacted and other
tax measures he wants to see adopted.