Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1910-01-14
A FOOD PRICE INQUIRY
HARMON TO ASK PROBE INTO
HIGH COST OF LIVING.
Ohio Legislature viii Give Vital Ques-
tlon Precedence over All
other Business.


special message to the general as
sembly dealing with the unprecedent-
ed cost of living. He will ask the
assembly for swift and decisive action
in response to an avalanche of COM
plants over the present famine prices
of food. All the power at the COM
mand of the state government is to be
used in the effort to relieve distress
caused by the almost prohibitive cost
of the necessaries of life. Protest
after protest reaching state officials
and members of the assembly set
forth that plain, ordinary food is now
a luxury.
Within two days the aspect of the
legislative situation has changed.
The problem presented by the soar
ing prices of food has been put for
ward as the most important ques-
ton now before the assembly. The
governor, general assembly, attorney
general and the department of dairy
and food commissioner have Joined
hands in an effort to crush combina-
tions of business interests in any way
responsible for the abnormal price of
food. The day was entirely given
| over to a series of conferences deal.
ing with this question.
Following a conference with the
governor, Senator Richard Beatty,
who Friday announced his intention
of going after the cold storage monop-
oily in the larger cities. was closeted
with Attorney General Denman for
two hours. AS result of this con-
ference it was announced that the at
torney general would prepare bills
and resolutions covering the question.
Speaker Mooney of the house was
summoned and later announced that
the way would be cleared in the
house of representatives for imme-
diate action on the proposed legisla-
tion. The procedure will be the same
in the senate. Attorney General Den
man already has evidence, he says,
for use in action against dairymen's
associations in Cleveland and Toledo.
The search now is for evidence
against associations of dealers selling
food staples, such as meat and vege-
tables. To secure this evidence the
attorney general has asked for the as
sistance of Legislative investigation
each branch. Such committee will
be appointed at once.
To secure the legality of the action
and to avoid the danger of fiZzle, the
attorney general himself is preparing
the resolution creating the probing
body. 1t is the intention to send the
committee to all the large cities.
Columbus, O.-The general assem-
bly, is in confused whirl over
the report of the codification commits
sion. The confusion may end in a
panic and the rejection of the codi-
tication report submitted after four
years of labor and the expenditure OF
a large amount of money.
The following bills were introduced
in the house January 5: Appropria-
ton of $15S,4S3.13 for deficiencies au-
thorized by state emergency board {;
to make appropriation of $250000 for
salaries and mileage of members; Sc,
900 for contingent expenses of the
house and $4,000 for contingent ex
!, penses of senate; to appropriate 1925,
600 to pay the interest on the irreduci
BILE debit appropriation of $2.470,00C
/ for the common schools of the state
bill carrying partial appropriation OF
$2,7S1 900.
: The senate committee on taxation
i has recommended for passage the
; emergency bill of Senator Rathburn
] fixing defects in the quadrennial ap
praisement law The bill directs coun
r ty commissioners to fix the compensa
: ton of appraisers. The commission
: ers also are to determine the time
, within six months in which the worl
! must be completed for village ant
4 township boards. The appointment
!, of clerks and assistants by village
: and township boards is subject to re
vision by the county commissioners.
t Columbus, O.-The probe commit
tee organized on January 6 b!
: electing Senator Beatty, autho
of the investigating resolution
0 chairman, and Representative Riddle
secretary. 1t is not likely the commit
tee will hold any sessions until the lat
8 ter part of next week.
n Neither the senate nor house hell
: much more than a technical session
! There was a furry in the house whel
9 Representative Schaibly of Clevelan,
: blocked immediate consideration @
: the emergency appropriation bill
I Schaibly said he would never vote TO
! any bill he knew nothing about. Th
members supported him and consit
I Grafton of the bill was postponed unit
:. Tuesday afternoon.
o Representative Schurr introduced
y bill making appropriations for the TO
:, lowing educational institutions: Nj
n ami university, $650O0; Ohio univeI
e sity, at Athens, $4,000; Ohio Normf
d school fund, $4,000; Miami Norma
d school, 100000; Wilberforce, $30,00'
and Ohio State university, $425.000.