The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-09-27

terest, where his predecessor receiv-
ed only 1.5 per cent interest; and on
inactive accounts he now receives at
the rate of 81 to Al per cent, where
his predecessor received only 2.5 per
cent. and yet when the governor
asked the Republican general assem-
bly, to provide that competitive bid
ding for the states funds should be
compulsory, his recommendation was
ignored.
During the year 1909, with an aver
age daily balance of $97,5S4.11 less
than 1t was during the fiscal year
1908, the state has realized $20,284.86
more interest than it did during the
year 1908.
Suits are now pending under the
direction of the governor to collect
$328,506 interest received on public
funds by former treasurers, and not
accounted for to the state. IL is an
old principle of law that the trustee
can not personally benefit by his
trust, and it is confidently expected
that the recipients of these large
sums will be compelled to disgorge.
Really Something New.
Great frauds have been discovered
in the department of public printing,
and at least one offender is now pay
ing the penalty in the penitentiary.
The board of public works seems
to be honeycombed with extrava-
gance, If with nothing worse, and we
are confident that the searchllght Of
truth will show more in this behalf
than the public is aware.
And yet Mr.. Harding says the
Democratic administration has done
nothing new or worth while" 1t
may be nothing new or worth
while" to suggest reform in taxation
measures to a Republican legislature
when that party has control of all Of
the departments Of government.
1t may be nothing new or worth
while" to call the attention Of Re-
publican officials to the burdens of
taxation but it is something new
and worth while" to have Demo-
cratic administration force a reform
of this character through a Republi-
can legislature so as to grant some
relief TO the people.
1t may be nothing new or worth
while" to Republican politicians to-
discover the prevalence of graft in the
administration of public offices and
to have Republican officials enrich
themselves at public expense, but it
is something new and worth while"
to have the grafters brought to jus
tice and to compel them to disgorge
the part OF the peoples money which
they have placed in their own pock-
cts.
1t may be nothing new or worth
while" for the Republican party to
know that public funds should bear
interest for the benefit of the public
and not for the benefit Of the public
officer or favored banks, but 1t is
something new and worth while" to
the people of Ohio to have this doc
trine recognized and enforced
1t may be that it is nothing new
or worth while" for Republican
candidate or official to see and to
know of the excessive expenditures
and salaries in the board of public
works of the state, but it is something
new and worth while" to the public
to know these things and to have a
Democratic chief engineer in that de-
partment corerct them.
Offending Corporations.
The best paragraph in Mr.. Har-
ding's speech reads:
"Then when a corporate officer
transgreeses the law send him to
prison. No corporate offense was
ever committed but there was
associated Herewith a human Of
fender, and imprisonment will
prove ten times as efficient as
political threats or confscatory
fines"
This sounds strangely familiar. 1t
reminds one of the language of Jud-
son Harmon when he was examining
into the rebate charges of the Santa
Fe system, and President Roosevelt,
in order to protect his friend Paul
Morton, who had confessed openly to
rebating, wanted the corporations to
be held responsible for the criminal
| ohShSSo VI ito oihSCio VI dSohlo
stead of holding the individuals re-
responsible. Governor Harmon wrote
President Roosevelt these words:
"They (the corporatIons) can
not be imprisoned and punish
ment by fines Is not only made
quate, but reaches the real oul-
prit lightly, If at all. The evils
with which we are now confront
ed are corporate In name and in
dlvidual in fact. Guilt is always
personal"
Republican Officials Shield Grafters.
Mr.. Harding resents Ito quote his
own language) "the mendacious
charge in the Democratic platform of
Ohio that the Republican party
shielded and defended grafters." 1
deny that the platform charges the
Republican party with shielding and
defending grafters. What 1t did say