606 



OHIO. 



In the Senate as elected there were 18 Democrats, 

 17 Republicans, and 1 Independent Republican. In 

 the House there were 62 Republicans and 47 Demo- 

 crats. On joint ballot the parties stood 79 Repub- 

 licans, 1 Independent Republican, and 65 Demo- 

 crats. 



Several Republicans opposed to the election of 

 Mr. Hanna to the United States Senate formed a 

 combination with the Democrats for the organiza- 

 tion of both branches of the Legislature and the 

 defeat of Mr. Hanna. The combination was engi- 

 neered by Charles L. Kurtz, who led the anti-Hanna 

 Republican forces in the State election. At the 

 organization of the Senate an anti-Hanna Repub- 

 lican kept away from Columbus. The Independent 

 Republican voted with the Republicans. With but 

 35 Senators present, the Democrats had a majority 

 of 1, and elected Thaddeus E. Cromley, Democrat, 

 president pro tern., the Republicans voting for J. 

 Park Alexander. In the House 9 anti-Hanna Re- 

 publicans, who had refused to go into the Republic- 

 an caucus, joined the Democrats in voting for Harry 

 C. Mason, anti-Hanna Republican, for Speaker, the 

 vote for Mason being 56 against 53 for Alexander 

 Boxwell, the Republican caucus candidate. The 

 other offices in the Senate and the House were di- 

 vided between the friends of the combine. 



The combined vote of the two Houses indicated 

 a Hanna shortage of at least 3 votes. In the inter- 

 vening time before the voting for Senator the ex- 

 citement ran high. The Democrats and anti-Hanna 

 Republicans at the last moment agreed to vote for 

 Robert E. McKisson, Mayor of Cleveland, anti- 

 Hanna Republican. In the Senate McKisson's vote 

 was 19, being the full Democratic vote with 1 Re- 

 publican, while Hanna had 17, including the Inde- 

 pendent Republican. In the House 43 Democrats 

 and 6 Republicans voted for McKisson, 56 Repub- 

 licans for Hanna, 3 Democrats scattered their votes, 

 and 1 Democrat was absent, sick. In joint Assem- 

 bly, next day, Hanna received 73 votes, the exact 

 number required to elect, McKisson 70, and 1 Demo- 

 crat was absent. The vote for the full term followed 

 with the same result. 



A charge of bribery was immediately made against 

 the Hanna party, and the Senate adopted a resolution 

 to investigate. The House also adopted a resolution 

 to investigate, the Republicans mostly refusing to 

 vote. In March the House took up another charge of 

 bribery in connection with a two-cent-fare fare bill, 

 and appointed a committee to investigate. Both 

 investigations were carried on for some time, but 

 without specific result, beyond forwarding to the 

 United States Senate a record of the proceedings of 

 the investigating committee in the senatorial elec- 

 tion case. 



A large number of bills became laws. Among 

 the more important of those of a general nature 

 were the following : 



Repealing the act of the last preceding Legislature 

 permitting city councils to grant street railway fran- 

 chises for a term of fifty years. 



Repealing the law for the registration of land 

 titles, passed in 1896 (Torrens system), which the 

 Supreme Court in 1897 decided unconstitutional. 



Providing penalties for cruelty to animals in 

 transportation. 



Compelling railroads to carry bicycles with pas- 

 sengers as baggage. 



Providing for more thorough inspection of shops 

 and factories. 



Making it unlawful to screen coal at the mines 

 before weighing. 



For the regulation of exits from theaters, public 

 halls, etc. 



Guarding the health of female employees in shops 

 and factories. 



Regulating nominations to office by examination 

 petitions (known as the Pugh law). 



Amending the game laws. 



Providing penalties for abandonment of destitute, 

 infirm, or aged parents. 



Providing penalties for the unlawful employ- 

 ment of minors. 



Compelling proper drainage, plumbing, and ven- 

 tilation of bakeries. 



Amending the act of 1890 for the suppression of 

 mobs and lynching, and making the county in 

 which the offense is committed pecuniarily liable 

 to the victim or to his legal representative. 



Amending the laws regulating marriages so as to 

 require that every person applying for a marriage 

 license shall state upon oath the name, age, resi- 

 dence, place of birth, occupation, father's name, if 

 known, and the mother's maiden name, of each of 

 the parties to such contemplated marriage, and shall 

 also state the number of times either party has been 

 previously married, and in case the bride is a 

 widow, or a divorced woman, her married name 

 shall also be stated, and in addition the name of the 

 person who is expected to solemnize the marriage 

 shall be stated. 



Political. The Prohibition State Convention 

 was held at Columbus, May 18. A proposition to 

 unite with the other minor parties that had placed 

 independent tickets in the field in 1897 was rejected, 

 and the decision was made to maintain their organ- 

 ization as heretofore. A full ticket was nominated, 

 as follows : For Secretary of State, Thomas Brown ; 

 Judge of Supreme Court, M. Rouch : Clerk of Su- 

 preme Court, J. D. Swan ; Dairy and Food Com- 

 missioner, W. M. Hills; Member of Board of Pub- 

 lic Works, Robert Candy. The following platform 

 was adopted. 



" Resolved, that the manufacture, sale, importa- 

 tion, exportation, and interstate transportation of 

 all alcoholic liquors for beverage purposes shall be 

 forever suppressed, to which we as a political party 

 pledge ourselves when in power. 



" That no citizen should be denied the right of 

 full suffrage on account of sex. 



" That all men are entitled to one day of rest in 

 seven." 



An additional resolution was unanimously and 

 enthusiastically adopted, as follows : 



" That while we hold that the policy of arbitra- 

 tion ought in general to prevail in cases of dispute 

 between nations ; yet, we hereby express to the 

 President of the United States and the authorities 

 of the nation at Washington our loyal sympathy 

 and support in the humanitarian war that is now 

 being waged by our country in behalf of the op- 

 pressed people of Cuba, and of the cause of popular 

 freedom." 



Representatives of the Silver Republican, Negro 

 Protective, Liberty, and Populist parties met at 

 Columbus, May 25, and organized the Union Re- 

 form party, placing in nomination a State ticket 

 made up from those parties. Some of the persons 

 nominated declined, and their places were filled by 

 others. As finally agreed upon the ticket was as 

 follows : For Secretarv of State, James A. Graft ; 

 Member of Board of Public Works. John A. Shef- 

 field ; Judge of Supreme Court, Arthur A. Brown : 

 Clerk of Supreme Court, Martin Krumm ; Dairy 

 and Food Commissioner, Seth II. Ellis. The plat- 

 form, after a long preamble, declared : 



1. For direct legislation under the system known 

 as the initiative and referendum. Under the " in- 

 itiative." the people can require that any desired 

 law shall be submitted to them for a vote. when, if 

 it receives a majority of the votes cast, it will be 

 thereby enacted. Under the "referendum," the 

 people can require that any law which has been 



