The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-03-04
WILLIAMS Goes
AFTER SYSTEM
Says Grand Jurors Should Think
For Themselves.
FOOD PROBERS BEGIN REPORT

Representative Riddle Says Witness
Dinsmore Tarrled Too Long by
Pool and Present Conditions Are
Not Propitlous For Immunity Bath.
Winters Presents His Utilities Bill
In House-Gibbs Of Lorain Wants
to Sell Canals Before March, 1911.
Columbus, O., March 1.-The legis-
lative committee that Is probing the
high price of foodstuffs has COM
menced the work of drafting the re-
port 1t will submit to that body. Chief
among the recommendations to be
made is one that the grand jury sys-
tenn Of the state be so revised that
the influence of the prosecuting attor.
ney will be mitigated. Mr.. Williams,
chairman of the committee, feels that
If any action Is to be taken which
will permit the wiping out of Illegal
combinations among dealers the first
step will be the enactment of somo
TO act as their own judgment dictates
instead of following blindly the sug.
gestions of prosecutors. IN too many
instances" he said, grand juries, in
stead Of following the desires of the
people, submit to the dictation of the
prosecutor, This should be done away
with and the jury system put back to
what 1t was originally intended to
be-"
AS q preparatory step to the hear
Ing which is 10 be given next Friday
by the state graft probers TO Hy Da
Wis, former state fro marshal expert
accountants have been put to work
on the books and accounts in the Of
fee of the fire marshal during the
past few administrations.
Representative Riddle of the com
mittee promises there will be some
thing turned up to discredit the bust.
ness methods of some of the former
fire marshals.
Testimony Not Needed.
The report is current that d. w
Dinsmore, whose dealings with Slater
for several years brought him under
suspicion, will be here Friday TO tes
tify before the Beatty committee
Representative Riddle said: "If Dins
more does come, I'll make fight
against permitting him to testify ant
thus get immunity from prosecution
We had hard time at first getting
information, but we have It now ant
we don't need any gratuitous testi
mony. We got that from Brelsford.'
Riddle says the committee knows
where Dlnsmore is working
In the senate number II bills
were introduced, the most important
being one by Mr.. Clevenger of Clinton
county, giving the accused the righ
to see the records OF the grand jur!
II the court approves. The bill wa'
drawn by Smith Bennett.
In the house the usual large mum
ber of bills were dropped into tn,
hopper, among the important one!
being the following:
BY Mr.. Nye Of Pike, 10 make en-
gaging In bucketsnop business a fel
ony.
Mr.. Swan of Preble, to provide To-
competitive bidding for state deposits
the governor, treasurer and superln
tendent Of banks TO constitute ;
board to receive bids.
For County Board Of Review.
Mr.. Reed of Wood, to create a coun
ty board of review to be appointed b!
the county commissioners, and to con
sist Of three members. The board 4
to have all powers now conferre,
upon county commissioners to review
valuations.
Mr.. Grover Of Galla, amending tn,
Akin liquor tax law so as to provid,
that 1t shall he paid into the stat,
treasury and the portion allowe,
counties, municipalities, etc, Is to b,
distributed among all the counties
Purpose, to let dry counties In OIL
fund.
Mr., Gibbs of Lorain providing 70
the sale of the canals by board com
posed OF governor, auditor and secrC
tary of state, TO be sold in whole o
part and not before March, 1911, an,
by advertisement and sealed bids.
Mr.. Crawford of Athens, making 1
unlawful for corporations dealing Il
any commodity to discriminate Il
prices between communities to driv
out competition, and providing heav
penalties.
Mr., Winters of Erie, new publ
utilities bill, Enlarges power of raj
way commission, Does not Troyld
for regulation Of lighting, heating an
street railway companies.