Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-05-09


Representative Vonderheide of Day
ton Is one of the administration lead
ers In Ohio house of state general as
sembIy.
ed member of the state tax COM
mission by Gov. Coz. Since Mr.. Don.
ahey became auditor Mr.. Baker has
been in charge of the work of inspect
ing state departments. The salary of
deputy auditor is $4,000 year. Mr..
Baker is a Democrat.
Probe Lobbyists Methods.
Methods used by lobbyists of public
utility corporations of the state to de-
feat the Snyder indeterminate fran
chise bill on the last day of the leg
islative session are expected to bring
some startling developments. Ugly
stories are being told of the work of
the lobby during a period when the
rank and file of the assembly was
confused and bewildered by press of
eleventh hour duties and rush of final
business. Old bribery stories that have
practically died with the punishment
of former representatives and SEN
ators are being revived and their lurid
details interviewer with the many and
mysterious happenings of the horde
of lobbyists that swooped down upon
the legislature last Tuesday. Not in
the halcyon days of Representative
George B. Nye, confessed bribe taker
and solicitor, could the members of
the third house" have put on a more
bold or blushing front than that which
they assumed during the last "a hours
of the assembly's life. One of the
members of the house, commenting
on the movements of the paid agents
of the utility interests, said: They
descended upon US from as many di-
rections and as unexpectedly as a
swarm of vultures over the dying
body of a wounded animal"
Grand Jury Investigation.
Only a grand jury investigation,
which Prosecutor Turner of Franklin
county has Just promised, will devel-
op just how the lobby completely
turned the sentiment of the lower
house, but the tremendous effect of
the methods used was discernable
even to the most casual observer. On
Tuesday morning the house was ready
to pass the Snyder bill, then in con-
ference. But before midnight 1t had
converted the measure into a milk
and water carrier, applying only to
the city of Cincinnati, and in the
opinion of most attorneys, invalid in
its application there. The oroginal
bill proposed to allow cities the right
to enter into contracts with public
utility corporations by granting the
corporations indeterminate franchises
involving pre-arranged agreement as
to the right of the city to insist upon
obedience to terms. But the lobby
forced concession after concession and
then, unsatisfied, killed the bill out
right. Mayor Hunt of Cincinnati has
demanded a probe of the weapon,
whereby death was dealt and the
prosecutor instantly promised the ma.
chinery of law.
In his letter to Mayor Hunt. Turner
a dead letter by the action of the
members of the general assembly in
inviting all the lobbyists of the state to
speak before committees. He holds
this destroyed the groundwork on
which the law was built.
The presence among the lobby of a
former governor of Ohio has caused
good deal of criticism. The former
executive probably will be called as
witness before the grand jury.
Flood Sufferers Housed.
Exactly SO Ohio cities and towns
suffered from floods to the extent they
were obliged to appeal to the state
flood relief commission and Red Cross
for help. "Of these places we have
cleaned up 81, and by that / mean
that that number are no longer re
ceiving financial assistance from us,
said L. e. Stein, special agent of the
Red Cross, on duty at headquarters al
the state house. Excepting for q
requisition that Us coming from Day
ton for more supplies, emergency re
lief work is no longer needed. Re
! Mobilization work is now almost who'll
ly engaging the attention of the re
lief organization. This includes get
ting people back into their homes
with furniture and other necessariei
replaced and in finding employment
| for those left without work as a result