The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-02-10
PROTEST
Comes From Boss Cox GaDQ
Of Cincinnati
Against | Per Cent. Maximum
Tax Rate Bill
As II Would Cut Much OF
their Graft
Nothing In The Bill To
Arouse Public Officials
Striving To Render Economic
al And Efficient Service

Columbus, O., Feb. "a protest has
ben made by August Hermann one of
Boss Cox's lieutenants in Cincinnati,
against the one per cent maximum
tax rate bill, which If passed will
sound the doom of extravaganza in
municipal governments of Ohio. The
Cox government, with it's host of po-
litical sinecures for gang operators,
is the most expensive city govern
ment in the state.
1t is not surprising that the Cox
gang should protest against Govern
or Harmon's plan of limiting expendi-
lures of public money by the one per
cent tax bill. The Cox gangsters OBJ
ject to any restriction being placed
by the state on the expenditure of
public money. 1t cost money to build
up the Cox gang; it is expensive to
maintain this greedy gang and they
want to be free to levy any tax they
see fit.
Heretofore the Cox lieutenants in
Office have fixed all the tax levies for
particular purposes, and they have
never failed to provide spending mon
ey for the boys. The levies have been
high enough for that. If Governor
| Harmon's one per cent tax rate bill
should become law the Cox gang
would have to practice economy to
keep the expenditures within the
amount of money which the one per
cent rate would yield. Cox gangsters
have never practiced economy, and
they do not want to do it now. 1t
would be hard work for the boys.
They might have to spend more time
in their Office and thereby render
more efficient service. II that were
true public positions would not ap-
peal to Cox gangsters as worth hav-
ing.
There Is nothing in the one per cent
tax rate bill to arouse the opposition
of public officers striving to render
economical and efficient service. If
the one per cent rate will not provide
sufficient revenue the people may au-
thorize higher levy by election. The
trouble with the Cox gang is they re-
alize they can't carry some Of their
expensive schemes at an election.
The opposition of Republican pap
| A. hi ole
expected, for the Republican party
during its long control in the state
has ben lavish in expenditures, Law
ish to the point of extravaganza, and
it has missed no opportunity to
strengthen the party organization at
the public expense. 1t has made city
and village administration the cost
liest in the history of the state
through the enactment of code that
served the purposes of the politicians
of the party best.
In Attorney General Hogan, Demo
crat, the people elected to office a
man who will ably assist Governor
Harmon in political housecleanings
whenever they are necessary. The
new attorney general has been quick
to take hold of the reforms instituted
by Governor Harmon during his first
administration. One of his first i'm
portant acts was the retention of At
torney H. M. Booth of Columbus, as
special counsel, and the appointment
of Robert w. Mccoy, Republican
former assistant prosecuting attorney
of Franklin county, to take charge oi
the pending suits against Former Re
publican State Treasurer /. B. Cam
eron, and the estate of w. s. McKin
u non who was also Republican treas
3 urer. BY this litigation the Govern
or hopes to collect many thousands o
II dollars of interest on public money
believed to have been pocketed by the
two defendants.
General Hogan has also served no
tice that he will not permit the hands
of any Judge, investigating vote buy
ing, to be tied. The state legal de
partment will aid to get an early de
cision from the supreme court as Il
n the right of Judge Blair to dis
70 franchise vote sellers In Adams coun
n ty.
VI General Hogan also has filed sui
a. to oust the McCaskey Register CO
from It's Ohio charter for violating an