The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-10-20

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Then the cry was raised that this
rigid limitation would retard the de.
velopment of the growing cities in
Ohio, but Governor Harmon had fore
seen this and, to take care of the con-
dition, had prescribed that the aggre.
gate amount of money to be expend-
ed in 1912 could exceed by s per cent.
what was expended in 1910. In 1913
the aggregate amount could be in
creased 8 per cent and in 1914 IL per
cent, and 12 per cent plus thereof for
succeeding years The percentages
for increases were intended to take
care of increased expenses brought
about by growing population in ex-
panding cities.
There has been a general curtail-
ment of public expenses to keep with
in the laws limit. In Cincinnati where
Republican Boss Geo. b. Cox is in
control, the mayors annual salary was
reduced from $4,000 to $4,000 while
that of the vice-mayor's was cut from
$4,000 to $4,000.
The Chicago Tribune has adopted IL
novel method of testing public senti-
ment, using President Taft's tour OF
the west as the basis of the expert
ment.
The Tribune has put its best staff
correspondent on the trail of the pres
ident. Instead of going along with
the presidents party and gaining his
impressions of public sentiment from
the cheering and shouting, the seeth-
ing crowds, the brass bands and the
banners, this correspondent travels a
few days behind He drops into the
towns, that the president has visited
and talks to all sorts and conditions
of persons about the president and his
speeches.
Thus this staff correspondent, in
stead of feeling the public pulse while
the fever Is at It's height, makes his
diagnosis after the patients condition
has returned to normal He gets the
sane, considered afterthought of the
people instead of the somewhat hys-
terical effervescence that the pres
ence of the nations chief executive
usually brings to the surface in any
community.
The result of this correspondents
observations has brought to light two
conditions, the existence of which has
long been suspected by wise political
observers.
One of these conditions Ia a notable
lukewarmness toward the president in
the middle west The people have no
particular animosity toward him, but
they suspect that he is not the man
for the job. This sentiment has been
deepened rather than lessened by the
speeches of the president. The mid
die west believes that Mr.. Taft should
not be renominated and that IL he Is
renominated he will not be reelected.
The second noteworthy condition
found by the Tribune's correspondent
Is that the middle west believes in
Governor Judson Harmon and hopes
for the nomination by the Democratic
party of man who stands for the
principles he does.
According to the progressives, y
writes this correspondent from Hutch
inson, Kan, "the Republicans are in
grave danger of losing Kansas"
Similar expressions run all through
this trained Observers dispatches de-
scribing the effect of Mr.. Taft's visit
on the public mind after the people
have had time to reflect on what the
president has said. It should be re-
membered that the Tribune is one OF
the most independent newspapers po.
litically In the world and its greatest
pride is in giving political news that is
absolutely unbiased"
The records show that the military
expenditures Of the United States is
increasing rapidly especially since the
war with Spain. 1t now costs more to
build a ba.tleship than 1t did few
years ago and other expenses are
greater In much the same proportion
The extravaganza of Republican fed
erai administrations Is piling up the
cost of militarism. Under the Taft
administration, new battleships are be
ing built and the steel trust is paying
increased dividends, while the In
creased cost of living is harassing peo-
pie throughout the land. An estimate
of the cost of maintaining the military
arm of the government by the Tech
nical World magazine places the an
nual figures at $500, 1922, ,7SO. This is
at the rate of $1,06S, $500 day.
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