The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-03-22
SAYS HONOR or
HOUSE affected
BoWersox Wants Governor 10
Explain Bribery Charge.
CTHER MEMBER IS APPROACHED


Not Only Representative Who Had
Opportunity to Profit by Voting For
Elson Telephone Merger Blll--Rlt-
ter's Cold Storage Measure Dies
Peaceful Death In House-Smlth's |
Apprentice Bill Chioroformed.
Columbus, o., March 10. - In the
house joint resolution was intro.
duced by Judge Bowersox Of Williams
county calling upon Governor Harmon
to submit any information or evidence
Of any kind he may have in his posses
sion, regarding the charges of alleged
bribery in connection with the Elson
telephone bill. The resolution was
adopted under a suspension of the
rules.
In support OF his resolution Judge
Bowersox said the governor in his
special message had treated of grave
matters affecting not only the honor
Of the house, but every member of the
house. He said every member should
cooperate with the executive in in
governor had called their attention.
He spoke of the introduction OF
the Kemrel bill to require lobbyists
to register, but said the assembly
should not be shooting In the air, and
should have the facts, and then pro-
ceed to fearless and conscientious
performance of it's duty. The resolu-
| odn hxr fa ne
TO ] nay, the negative vote being cast
by Representative Battlefield
Wllber Tells OF Offer.
At the same time that the house
was considering the Bowersox resolu-
tion, Representative George NJ. Will
ber of Union county, member of the
house finance committee, was telling
about the offering Of money by the
telephone lobby to secure the passage
Of the Elson merger bill. Wilber
makes public the fact that one Of his
fellow members told him that he had
been offered a bribe to support the
Elson measure. He is Withholding the
name of the representative, but may
give 1t to any legislative committee
| ludL may DG " luNGoIl6dIO
the reports Of bribery.
In the house the Ritter bill for the
, regulation of cold storage and pack
ing houses was given it's bumps. Mr.
Ritter and ~ other representatives
voting In favor of the bill, while SO
members cast their votes in the mega
tive. The bill l'placed all storage and
packing houses in the state under the
supervision of the dairy and food de
: partment, and required a registration
fee of S. before they could do bust
ness in the state; they were to give
statements of the amounts Of material
on hand, amount OF goods manufac
tured, and other interesting data fol
which food probers searcned in vair
: some weeks ago. If the dairy ant
food commissioner, by examination Of
: the plants, found that the plants ol
r factories were being conducted In {
. method not conducive to the genera
!, health, or that there was misrepresen
tation of the materials solu, he coul(
revoke the certificate.
Intended as Revenue Getter.
L corrective measure or high-cost-of
living measure, but as revenue get
ter Several members, including Rep
resentative Braun Of Franklin ant
v Representative Russell of Wayne, Pre-
ceeded to jump on the already dyinj
bill and kick the lining out of thu
most tender part of its anatomy
> which was that as q revenue gette
II it would bring in about $4,000 whel
=, the state needed millions, and that
d established bad precedent in puttin
n special tax on particular kinds O
, business.
. The Smith bill to prevent the lin
itation of the number of apprentice
: to be employed in the trades, allege
by labor union men to be aimed a
l. the unions, will not be up for passag
). at this session Of the Legislature
\. Smith of Marion announced that h
,s had thrown up the sponge, as he ca
not get the bill out of the committee