The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-03-13

Of the bill. Jung several times has
scented trouble and for the third time
he had the senate postpone any
of the bill. The argu-
ment being used against the bill is
that it would bring about action for
return to the old spoils system.
Another Probe Is Pending.
The present general assembly
is bound to go down in the
history of the state as a body |
of probers. II it continues its record |
of investigating it will have left few
things in the state unprobed. Right |
now three legislative investigations
are under way A fourth investiga'
tion is pending and a fifth is being |
agitated. Those in full swing are
scrutinizing the state militia, the
state and county Offices, and the Akron
strike, including the operations of the
rubber manufacturers. The one that
is now pending is that relating to the
so-called fire insurance trust" The
one agitated or proposed would look
into the question of the cost of oper-
ating the general assembly itself to
determine among other things wheth'
er future employees of the assembly
should not be selected on the merit
basis instead of the spoils basis.
A Real Bureaucracy.
A real bureaucracy is what Ohio
oflcialdom is going to be pretty soon.
Controlling commission to supervise
state business and under the commits.
sions bureaus or departments-this is
the policy of the hour. Indeed, 1t is
now proposed to make the tremend'
ously big department of workmenS
compensation merely bureau of the
industrial department. Before the
present assembly is through, there
will be six new state commissions
bowling to the public of Ohio, If Gov.
| Cox's program is carried out in toto.
They will be the liquor license COM
mission, the agricultural commission,
the minimum wage commission, the
school survey commission, the indus
trial commission, the civil service
| commission. There are few other
commissions of lesser Importance, but
those named are the really important
ones. Most of the new commissions
will get salaries of $4,000 each an
nually. In most cases they have the
right and authority to name the heads
of the bureaus under them. They
themselves are to be named by the
governor.
Agitation Against Loan Sharks
Agitation against loan sharks" pre-
walls again in Columbus and from here
it is spreading to other parts of the
state. Investigators here find that IL
is the rule of agents who loan money
on salaries and chattel property, to
charge 400 and 500 per cent. Speak
ers are now taking the stump in the
anti.loan shark campaign, urging bor
rowers not to pay. 1t is found that
hundreds of poor people have been
victimzed. In addition to the whole
sale arrests of the Sharks" instituted
some weeks ago. many more are
threatened If the supreme court
holds valid the present loan shark
law, a crusade is to be begun whose
aim it will be to drive the unscrupu
lous agents out of the state. A, re
cent instance in Columbus where 6
loan shark stripped of furniture
home where the mother lay dead, has
aroused public sentiment.
Prepare for Pitched Battle.
War paint of liveliest hue is being
donned by the "wets" and ''drys" II
anticipation of their pitched battle OF
the senate floor Thursday afternoon
AS the hour of the conflict approach
es, the feeling grows intensely bittel
, and a determined and savage tfgh
, seems absolutely certain. The "drys'
will center their first attack agains
the provision of the new bill givin!
, the governor the right to name thu
state licensing commission. Thel
they will hurl themselves agains
, what w. B. Wheeler of the Anti-Sa
p loon league calls a sleeper" in th'
BILL The alleged Sleeper accord
ing to Mr.. Wheeler, would give brew
: ers and distillers the right to peddl
!, liquor by the gallon from q wagon il
= "wet" territory, without paying an
license fee. Wheeler AYERS there i
, still another sleeper" lurking in tn
bill, one which, he says, would annu
. the constitutional provision.
n Blasts Dege's Hopes,
l. Hopes of Rodney J. Diegle, forme
o sergeant-at-arms of the senate, fo
y clemency, were blasted by Prosecutin
It Attorney Turner Of Franklin county
e In refusing Diegles request for &C
l. operation in securing his pardon, Tul
t. ner relieves Gov. Cox from the III
l. pleasant necessity of taking up til
d case. In his letter to Turner, Diegl
IS begs clemency, asserting he is witt
r out funds and that his family need
o his support. He says his suffering !
e the penitentiary has been terrible. !
IS reply, Prosecutor Turner remind
Diegle that by telling all he knew h
might have saved the state thousand
II of dollars and at the same time cleare
Q up disgraceful situation in Ohio.
IL Gov. Cox has named Harry A. Bel
IF Democrat, to assume the office
10 probate judge of Jefferson count,
h This is the office to which John Bell
1t nap, a Republican, seemingly Wa
d, elected, but which the board of ele
Lg tions refused to allow him to take c
At the ground that he violated the co
ID rupt practices act.
State Finances Flourishing.