The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-09-17
SURPRISE FOR
THE PROBERS
Found More Money In State Treasury
Than They Thought Should
Be There.
DISCOVERED NOTHING WRONG
Democratic Managers Dumfounded at
the Manner In Which Their Charges
Were Thoroughly 0iscredited-Now
Left Without Campaign Material.

| N'S "ohaSSIs CuIlIOuHuGu al
the Manner In Which Their Charges
Were Thoroughly Discredited-Now
Left Without Campaign Material.
After very studious reading of the
report made by Senator F.. C. Howe
on the investigation last spring into
the offices of the state auditor and
| treasurer, the Democratic managers
nave concluded that little campaign
thunder can be found in it. The
failure OF this source of supply leaves
them very much discounted, because
| practically their entire reliance for
issues" was placed on this report
This Howe report. it will be re-
membered, was the result of a Demo-
cratic investigation into Republican
Offices. Mayor Johnson of Cleveland
engineered the probe, and his lieuten-
ants prosecuted it, The best Senator
Howe could do for his party was to
say that some of the methods of book
keeping in the auditors and treas
urer's offices might be improved. Two
Cleveland city accountants We're dis
charged by Howe because they could
find nothing wrong. Howe was so
embarrassed by the fiasco that he de-
layed his report for some time and
then attempted to conceal 1t from the
general public.
The investigation was undertaken
by the Democratic senate on the ad-
vice of Mayor Johnson, and Howe was
made chairman of a committee con
sisting of himself and Senator Drake,
Democrats, and Senator Patterson.
Republican. Senator Patterson, and
for that matter Senator Drake, had
nothing to say as to the conduct of
the inquiry. Howe took complete
charge, hired his expert accountants
and turned them loose in the two
offices under fire. and employed one
of Johnson's traction attorneys at an
expense to the state of $40 per day.
Promises That "Blew Up."
In order to secure the cooperation
Of his Democratic colleagues in the
senate. none of whom were any too
anxious to be the victims of a boom.
erang, Howe promised them great dis
closures of Republican dishonesty,
mlsmanagement of state funds and
enough further information to sweep
every Republican out of state offices.
BY implication he gave them to un-
derstand he would gather enough evi-
dence to put a few men behind the
gray stone walls. On these promises
Howe was permitted to go ahead and
investigate to his hearts content.
Governor Harris and the Republican
senators, anxious to have a thorough
investigation if any question was
raised that reflected on their admin
istration, pleaded for fair, biparti-
san inquiry. But Howe and Johnson
thought that would be death to their |
plans. They had the votes in the |
senate and, by using them, inaugural
ed one of the most unfair and biased |
probes they could devise.
The net result of all their weeks |
work and an expense of almost 81 900 |
to the state, was a verdict that not |
cent was missing from the state treas
ury and that in fact, more money was
on deposit than they thought should
be in the states possession Even
JohnSOns accountants, who went thor
)ughly into the affairs of the auditor
and treasurer, were compelled to COM
Dliment the two officials for some of
he work their offices had been doing
The utter failure of the investiga-
ion from a Democratic standpoint
naturally angered the party managers
They had been drawn into the thing
against their will, and at the urgent
of the Cleveland mayor, who
promised startling exposures. To re-
aliate, the men who controlled the
Jarty at the state convention ran the
'rusher over Johnson, the false
prophet. Not content with that, they
'arried the fight against him to the
Denver convention and finished the
OBJ there.
An echo of the investigation comes
n the semi-public announcement that
Senator Howe is to be denied q re-
by Johnson.