The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-02-25
SLATER is NOT
ONLY CRATER
PEObSTS on Track Of others Who
Accepted Commissions,
SMITH OPENS CANAL FIGHT

MARION county Legislator wants Stato
to Cell Waterways and Use Money
to Improve Hlghways-Freiner In.
troduces Bill to Abolish State Game
and Fish Commission Telephone
and Telegraph interests Protest
Against Public Utilities Bill.
Columbus, o.. Feb. s2.-The ltate
graft probe committee has found evil
dence to show that the grating oper
ations of Mark Slater were not en-
tirely confined to his business
transactions with J. Il. Brclsford
but were carried into practically all
the purchases made by him during the
second term Of his administration.
In some Of the other purchases
made by Slater from supply houses in
Cincinnati and Chicago, the graft ran
high, in some cases to as much as 800
per cent of the value of the goods
actually purchased.
In no subsequent case examined
however, has there been found bill
paid where no goods at all were de-
lfvered, as was found In one instance
in the Brslsford transactions. Still
the rakeoffs were many and large. 1t
should be stated that SO far as the
investigation has gone, nothing has
been found to challenge the integrity
Of the other supply houses that sold
Io 20 Tho 10 rer at,t IN
the agency through which they were
sold. and 1t is presumed that the
agent divided 1t with Slater.
While the open meetings Of the
committee have 80 far had to do only
with the state printing department,
the committee haL been delving into
other state departments and in at
least three others has secured evil
dence that commissions were paid to
persons in them on goods purchased
by the state. More than that, In many
cases 1t is found that the goods sc.
cured did not run up to the amount
paid, and the presumption is that the
commission was really paid as
sugar" to the department to o. X.
bills higher than they should have
been.
Wire interests Heard.
Telegraph and telephone interests
presented their side of the case be.
fore the committee in charge of the
Woods public utilities bill. On Thurs.
day evening the street railway and
lnterurban railways will appear in op.
position to the measure.
The annual fight to abolish the vari.
Gus canal systems OF Ohio has made
its appearance In the form OF a
Joint resolution presented by Rep.
resentative Smith of Marion coun.
ty, In which he proposes that the ca.
nails shall be sold and the money de.
| rived from their sale devoted to the
Improvement of the public highways
of the state. The sale is to be con.
Quoted by the state boards Of public
works and auditor Of state, and tho
money thus realized turned into tho
state treasury to the credit of public
highway improvement fund.
According to Mr.. Smith the canals
have no place In modern means OF
transportation, they are entirely use
less and the money expended on them
Is an absolute waste, while oil the
people would get some benefit from
improved roads and highways.
The resolution recltes that the CO.
nails cost the state about $40 COO, 900
originally, and that In latter years the
appropriations have been from S400,
900 to 100000 year for their i'm
provement, with no appreciable ben
eft to even the people living around
the route Of the canals.
No one knows the value Of the ca
nails OF the state, but 1t Is supposed to
be very great and, In addition to
placing this immense sum to the
credit OF the highway fund, Mr.. Smith
proposes that appropriations be made
annually equal to the amount now ap
propriated for the maintenance Of the
ca" is, to keep the roads in repair
lie would have that done this year
This resolution will bring to the city
the largest lobby that has been here
In years, rs the canals have 4 my
friends, not only including those who
have water privileges, but those also
who have hopes for the future of the
canals of the state, which is encour.
aged by the talk now and then OF a
barge canal.
To Inspect Children.
A bill to provide that every child in
the public schools OF the state shall
be examined and tested once year
for sight, hearing and distractions In
breathing was introduced by Repre-
sentative Bense, 1t provides that the
examination shall be by the teachers
under directions from the state board
of health, but that any board OF edu-
cation may appoint one or more
school physicians for q term OF FIVE
years. 1t also provides that the board
may make arrangements with the
local board of health for medical and
sanitary supervision. aud may EN-
ploy dental inspectors and school
nurses.
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