The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-03-30

as Guilbert has entrenched himself Is
more powerful in his control over big
business than any other similar Of
ficial In the United States.
Save for his veto power the gov
ernor of Chic is today mere pup
pet. He must bow to the auditor on
questions vitally affecting the public
welfare. And this is true largely be-
cause of laws that have been sneaked
upon the statute books during the
last six or seven legislative sessions,
For the most part this powerful and
dangerous machine, centering about
the office of the auditor, has been
put together unobserved and m-
watched by the people.
"a committee from the Ohio senate
has been organized to investigate not
only the office of the auditor but the
ramifcations of his power. But be-
fore the work of investigation has
fairly started it has been met by de-
termined resistance, with the threat
that Il is to be stifled If that is pos
sible. Senator f. c. Howe. Cleveland
is chairman of the committee. Some
pref urinary work. largely confined
to searching the statutes In compil-
ing the legal power of the auditor,
has been done.
LET there be nos misunderstanding
on the part of the people of Ohio"
says Howe. =
1.-the power which lies lin 1and
which | firmly believe to be exercis-
ed by the auditor of state, exceeds
that of Croker of New York in the
palmiest days of that boss It. ysur-
passes anything | have known in
Pennsylvania and ] know that state
from the inside 1t surpasses anything
4 have found or ever heard of in any
state in the union.
'iDufng Jthe thirteen years that
this one man has been auditor he
has quietly and skillfully, like a
sapper, erected system the like of
which is probably not to be found in
America. 1t spells purpose In every
line. II is no accident that all these
laws have been passed elevating into
the hands of an obscure auditor a
pawer which makes every other state
and almost every county officer his
prey.
'.At his command are at least 1O,-
900 men. They are not bound to him
by the ties of jobs. The bonds OF the
spoils spstem are like the strands OF
yarn in comparison with the bonds
which unite this system into a
whole. 1t includes first of all the
banks with $7,OO0,000 as a bait to
the street railways, gas, electric light
and water companies of our cities.
To these must be added all the
telephone companies which he assess
es. With them go the interurban
railways which are reached through
the assessment powers. To this is
added the power to assess, practically
at will. the banks trust companies
and financial concerns.
! Here Is one man who holds the
power, like slave driver, whip,
over not far from l,500 900, 900. 1t
includes every agency of privilege in
the state of Ohio. 1t is so colossal
that it seems incredible that any one
man should have dared TO work out
system 50 fearful in its possiblli-
ties.
"Now II is possible to see why
Brown, Cox and Guilbert could afford
to let every other office pass by them
but not the auditor, treasurer and at
torney general. All the others were
as playthings beside them. For here
was means of campaign funds.
Here was an opportunity for attor-
ney's fees the like of which never
hung before barrister. For there
is no limit to the possibility OF fees
which could be charged by him who
had his hand on these offices"