Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-10-01
AUTOCRACY IS
NOT AMERICAN

There is ample reason for the close
accord between President Wilson and
Governor James M. Cox of Ohio.
Both are autocrats and both are ad-
vocates of an autocratic form of gov
ernment.
1t has already been shown how Cox
sought in the so-called Budget Law
to make himself financial dictator Of
the state. In his Short Ballot pro-
position of 1913, following the adop-
tion of the constitutional amend
ments, Governor Cox evolved a pro-
gram which provided for the most
autocratic Capitalization of power
ever seen under a Republican form
! of government.
This program included first the
Capitalization in the hands of the gov
ernor power to grant liquor licenses
thruout the state, taking away the
right of the people to elect their tax
assessor and centralizing their ap-
pointment. in commission controll-
ed by himself; taking control of the
agricultural interests of the United
! States out of the hands of the farm
ers and centralizing it in COM
mission of politicians controlled by
: himself, centralizing control of Ohio's
schools in commission to be ap-
pointed by himself.
Cox succeeded for a time in con-
trolling liquor licenses as well as in
dominating taxation and for a
period of two years he kept the "dirt'
farmers out of control of their own
affairs. His proposal to seize control
of Ohio's schools aroused such op-
position that it never came to vote
in the legislature.
We come then to the Short Ballot
proposal. The executive branch of
r the state of Ohio is composed of a
+ Governor, Lieutenant Governor
r who is in charge of the election
E machinery and Auditor Of State, the
State Treasurer, who is in charge o1
{ the finances; and an Attorney Gen.
r eral who is in charge of che judicia
: functions. All these officers are
o elected by the people; and in tur1
n control appointments in their depart
: ments. Cox's blunt proposal as i
y pointed out in an article in the Pro
h vidence "R. l." Journal, who's,
e Washington correspondent, Mr.. Ser
vellon Brown, has made study O.
r the situation, was to make himsel
e and the Lieutenant Governor tn
d sole election officers of the common
IS wealth. Under a bill the followin,
# clause in which he eloquently tells o
the purposes he had in view.
The governor shall appoint tn
l. Secretary of State, Auditor o
L State, Treasurer of State and AT
4 torney General and shall have tn
i'd right to remove any of said officer
SO appointed
IL The passage of this outrageous bi
h. as the. Providence Journal points ou
ly would have placed in the hands {
Governor Cox absolute control of a
the financial. law, and electio
machinery of the state.
But this is not all. Governor Co
proposed to go still further with h
Short Ballot proposition and planne
Legislation would have complet,
of " wiped out local county governmel
40 and as the Providence Journal "pl
hs5 in Governor Cox's hands a pow.
II that can only be compared to a tran
J Formation of the 4S states of = tn
= un!on into territories with the CO.
r. r troll of and the appointment of q
no executive officers In each, by Il
"a president of the Unieed States"
~ ~ would have put 8,238 public offic
Ia entirely at Cox's disposal.
'N Here is the proposal as it w
adopted by the Ohio Legislature
1913 under the whip of Govern
no Cox; "For. the purpose of providil
No a short ballot for county and tow
ship officers laws may be pas
ay ed nrovidine for the election of a
or e pointment of and terms of all su
;oa on county and township officers til
loI n5 may be necessary, which office
,,u -, shall have the power of local taxati
VI for police purposes, as may be p,
+od scribed by law. Laws may be pas
'ea ed providing for form Of govel
H. ment for counties and the townvEhi
oI therein"
ooi Says the Providence Journ
Continued on page eight