The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-10-13
Fraudulent Fertilizer Deal.

Fraudulent fertlllLer Deal.
When Gov. Harmon went into Office
he made the statement that the rascals
in the fertilizer cases must be prose
cuted promptly and to the limit, and
IL the State Board of Agriculture
could not get justice through the
Attorney-General's office, he was
something OF lawyer himself and
was willing to shed his coat and take
the matter in h 5 own hands If
necessary.
To the victims of those great swind-
ler's that unsolicited declaration was
a source Of real qualification and hope,
but the very first thing the executive
did was to remove the members of the
board who had been most active in
ferreting out the frauds and who, it
was apparent to him, he could not use
for the purpose which in the light of
subsequent events was shown he had
In mind.
After thus eliminating those mem
bers most likely to prove stumbling
block, he called the balance to his
office and by threats of removal, COM
PEELED a majority to vote to displace
their secretary, who had charge of the
prosecution, and put in his place the
Democrat who could be depended upon
in any emergency.
Within three days after the new
board and new secretary were installed
in office, the governor ordered that the
fraudulent fertilizer companies have
license to do business among the farm
ers of Ohio, issued to them and accord.
ingly the permit to proceed was duly
placed in their hands.
The next step in the process Of
establishing them upon their feet was
taken In about six weeks. Pursuant
TO an interview between the attornies
of the fraudulent company and Har-
mon, all the preparation and expense
incident to the establishing of absolute
guilt by the Attorney-General were
overthrown just on the eve of trial by
an agreement to quash the custer pro-
ceedings in consideration of the pay
ment of all costs by the fertilizer
people and promise TO go straight In
the future. The latter consideration
was, Of course, necessary i'm such a
transaction to give color of good faith
to the proceedings.
The agreement was to wipe the
slate clean and then if they perpetrat
ed more fraud upon the farmers they
were TO be cited for contempt anC
suffer the penalties without Other
formality.
That arrangement was all right fol
them, and should have placed them IL
creditable altitude before the public
as was designed. But unfortunately
the State Chemist, Prof. Lord, of thu
Ohio State University could not b'
prostituted in any such way and hi
very next report showed that tn,
company had again placed in tn,
hands of the helpless farmers as man,
as eighteen brands of fraudulent fer
tilizer materials, yet up to this dat
no citation for contempt has beel
forth coming Notwithstanding tn
fact that appeal after appeal has beel
sent in imploring action.
When the present governor wen
into office the managers of the fraudu
lent fertilizer company openly an
triumphantly boasted that now ther
would be some sweeping changes mad
In the personnel of the Agriculture
Board.
They seemed to have full and [
them very satisfactory understand
ing with the governor, but no on
could bring himself to believe tina
such thing could be possible in vie
Of the reputed character of the ma
and the Board itself was the mo,
incredulous Of all but, in view of I'll
proceedings which followed, SON
know positively and others are force
TO believe the oft repeated itteratio
that prediction pact was entere
into and that the goods were deliyert
and the accounts squared.