The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-02-13
COLUMBUS,
A REFORM THAT Is NEEDED AT
HOVE.
Enormous Expenditure of the
States Money tor St:ldries.

COLUMBUS, OEIo, February 6 6-After
the members have had vacation OF
| four days, and tms to delihela'e On
temperance, xation. judicial changes
AMI other questions Of great moment
sheY return IT, find that there is need OF
reform at their own door Attention
was called in trese dispatches last week
TO the grabbing OF stationery, rcissors,
pencils and all the elcetras supplied hv
The State. This grab is terrible. and will
leave fine record for the Legislature il
il keeps on. The General Assembly met
on the first Monday in January, and has
been In session little over month,
and Its supplies in that time have run
up enormously. One Of the Senators
has foand that there ia a great demsnd
for paper-knives, and that one article
shows fearful record. for which he has
ascerta;ned the figures.
SO far the Senate has drawn 131 pa
per knives and the House 224, as the
Senator learns from the books Of the
Secretary OF State. There are los mem
beis in the House, and they have thus
got over two each, although IL Is the
purpose to furnish hut one each during
the session. The S'nste gets therefore
twice that. There are thirty three Sen
ators and 13l paper knives have heen
drawn for them, making four erasers 10
each Senator, or about one per week
The Senator who was "6ggering"
said be had received ouly one, AMI he
knew OF no other Senator who had re-
ceived more than one There is evil
dently big ra'-hole somewhere in the
Senate that should he stopped, or BY
the close OF the session the statesmen
will he credited with stock Of goods
on hand that Uill he astonishing
The Sergeant-st-Arms have power to
draw supplies al their option and there
is no check. Their assistants are the
ones that do most of this, and this is
especially the case In the Senate, which
is making the worst record bv far on
the supplies II will he necessary to
have more than $4,000 appropriated
for stationery il this matter is let TO
rnu as il has been, and 1t is due the
Senators that they should investigate as
to the disposition OF. the 13l psper
knives and othor supplies stree the Fl st
Of last month.
It is also noticed in the Honse that
the members have been furnished again
with copies OF the Revised Statutes.
Last gear thev all got copies, and OF the
close Of the session only f'teen of The
los returned them. The others drew
sgain this year. There are some stolen
from the desks. The committees are
supplied with copies Of the statutes, and
tee'rooms. The feeling is that the State
ia able +, stand it, and some parties are
showing their lit:leness. Some OF these
are unworthy hangers on sbou' tue Rep
resen,ative halls.
Some Senators have none Of the era
sers In addition to these articles the
Senate has drawn slxty-two morocco
diaries, two for each Que, and 2l7 blank
books, about seven each. The House
has draws 1872 morocco diaries and /,
123 blank books. being eleven each
This does not include the bulk OF the
supplies, which consists Of fine letter.
paper, pens and the like. For scissors
there is great demand These ar
tic'es are drawn for. the S,lops, aud il
they get them & is bad enough, but Il
they do not get them it is still worse,
and it should be known where things