The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-06-27

gotten. If 1t is enforced--and State
Dairy & Food Commissioner Strobe
says 1t will be-Ohio consumers will
be saved from $10,000,OOO to O.OOO.-
600 that they have been losing every
year by short weighing and short
measuring. The demand that produce
be sold by weight had its origin in the
cost of living agitation of two years
ago. 1t was readily proved that the
consumer was losing money every
,1me he bought certain staple pro-
ducts by measure.
The Thomas bill makes the ounce
and the pound the standard instead of
the old familiar measure. All food
products except berries and liquids
are to be sold by weight. Failure
to sell by weight means in cases of
convictions for violating the law a
fine from $40 to S1OO.
A great many concerns that have
been getting special interest legisla-
tion from Republican general assem-
blies for many years, now feel as
though they would like to prosecute a
host of lobbyists on charge of OBJ
tanning money under false pretenses.
These lobbyists contracted to get GER
tain bills through the Democratic gen
eral assembly but they made mis-
cradle failure. A good many self-seek.
ing concerns as result got no returns
from the big salaries and liberal ex-
pense allowances that they gave to
their Columbus lobbyists. A notorious
lobbyist of Cleveland, let out an aw-
full howl the other day because he ahd
not succeeded in having repealed a
law relating to the taxation of money
that had been on the statute books
since 1892. Farmers, owners of small
homes, city lots and other tangible
property have too long suffered from
the non-taxing of personal property,
for public officials to begin to repeal
laws that were enacted to get it on
the duplicate. 1t is strange that the
lobbyists should begin to complain of
a law that has been on the statute
books for 20 years. Is 1t because they
fear the state tax commission, body
that has lifted great load from the
shoulders of owners of tangible prop
erty, will enforce that law?
Seantor Pomerene was right when
he declared in recent senate speech
that all violators of the Sherman an
thrust law should be prosecuted un.
der the criminal clause of the act Sen
ator Pomerene is to be congratulated
on taking the position that the Grim
inal laws of the country apply to all
classes, and that they were not in
tended to punish the weak and to be
of no avail against the powerful.
In his speech, which was a strong ar.
raignment of the two trusts, Senator
Pomerene set forth series of law
violations that>would not be tolerated
for moment, if men of less power
and influence were involved.
Speaking for myself" said Sena,
tor Pomerene, Il think it is high time
that the American people should un
derstand whether the stars and stripes
are to be the emblem of their power
and authority, or whether that emblem
shall be the oil barrel or the tobacco
tag. The poor and the lowly are not
above the law, and the rich and the
strong in combinations ought not to
be permitted to violate 1t with i'm
punity."
Ohioans are glad to know that they
have at last sent man to the senate
who is not tarred with the same
stick that number of other interest
serving senators from Ohio were.
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