The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-03-24
SENATORS PROTEST
OHIO REORGANIZATION
IN SPECIAL MESSAGE

COLUMBUS, o., March Z4.-PerSlS-
tent partisan pressure Is being applied
to the members Of the Ohio senate by
the state administration to induce
them to sink all personal opposition
to the bill re-organizing various gov
ernmental departments and to vote
for its passage as an emergency meas
ure.
Combating this powerful influence
are a number of members who today
registered their objections through the
medium of a letter of protest, written
tosGovernor Harry l. Davis, by Sen
ator j. F. Burke, of Elyria, promoter
of the round robin against the bill of
which so much was said recently.
For obvious reasons those associat-
ed with him declined to go with him
openly in the "belling of the cat" but
they have authorized him to declare
that he represents their sentiments
Meanwhile, the plan Of summoning
county, district and state leaders here
to wrestle with obstinate senators Is
being followed and. 1t is said, with
success. Among other things Senator
Burke said in his letter to the COVER
nor:
/. That vote for an emergency
would be "unfaithful to our oath of Of
flee" in that it would be ignoring the
constitutional privilege of the public
by denying to it the power to vote.
Senator Fears "convietion."
2. That a vote for an emergency
clause might convict us and the party
of political cowardice," and there Is a
clear constitutional method of remov-
ing the Extraordinarily amendment
of the constitution.
ut seems to be the general belief
that you, as the governor, are the one
who is using his influence to force this
emergency clause upon the bill.
1T Is being urged that this bill
tends to concentrate power In your
hands. Do you think that any brief
and temporary advantage, however
valuable, will compensate you and us
for the swift and sure rebuke which
Is almost certain to follow, when the
people have an opportunity to act in
relation to those who they believe
(however mistaken they may be in
their belief have denied them the
constitutional right Of referendum for
personal, political or party gain?
do you not think that to deny to
the people their own constitutional
privileges will make it more difficult,
If not impossible, successfully to con-
tinue this law in operation. Would
the voters not be liable to rebuke us
at the polls by electing legislature
that would repeal an act so passed,
even If 1t were a good one?
"Disrespect" Is Predicted.
I'VE are fearful of the consequences
upon the sentiment Of the people of
the state. Do you not believe that
for Us to vote against the plain intent
of the constitution will cause and fost-
er disrespect for our law-making body,
the administration and our institu-
tions.
do you not believe in the final
analysis, governor. that we should
have taken the people into our conf
dence throughout, and enact meas
ure which has in mind their interests
and their affairs to the highest de-
gree, making such changes as fairness
and conscience would suggest, and
the declare to the citizens of the
state. as their servants and not their
directors, we will turn it over to them
for their approval or rejection?
Our work in that case well may
come to naught for the time being, but
we have retained the confidence of
the public, have been in harmony with
!, the constitution, and have been true
J. to our oath of office and our best
selves"
Defiance greeted the protest of Sen
ator Burke, the governor saying sig
nificantly that this is what the round
robin had dwindled to- and stressing
the lack of signatures.