Frank B. Willis 1915 State of the State Address

              MESSAGE OF FRANK B. WILLIS,
GOVERNOR OF OHIO.
To the Members of the Senate and House of Representatives',
It is at any time a distinguished honor to be a member of
the law-making body of the state of t Ihio because of the oppor
tunity such membership affords for service to the people. This
opportunity will be greater in the 8ist General Assembly than
in some of its predecessors because recent political events have
demonstrated anew the abiding faith of the people in their chosen
representatives as the proper constitutional law-making bod) ;m<l
their disapproval of executive law-making which might easily
degenerate into political dictation; and as your opportunity for
service to your constituents is thus broadened and as your fee!
ing of individual responsibility to them is heightened, the honor
of serving as a member of the General Assembly is enlarged
and more distinguished. You enter upon your labors at a time
when there is a disposition to entrust to your hands larger
powers, impose upon you greater responsibilities and set befon
you the reward that always follows the free and faithful pet
formance of public service. I can assure \<>u thai there is no
disposition to impose upon you any obligation or restraint except
your oath of office and your duty to your constituency. in
is vested the legislative authority: you constitute an independent,
coordinate branch of the state government. An appreciation
of that fact and your desire to win popular approval should
incite to consecrated effort and worthy achievement.
In a special sense your constituency is the citizenship of the
county or district from which you were chosen, but in 8 larger
sense it embraces the entire state.     Your  votes in  the General
Assembly will most frequently be cast  for or against mefl
that effect  this larger  constituency.     Appreciation  of  this  im-
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