The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-10-09
INTERESTS BEHIND
BAD ROAD PLANK
Author Insists That II Means
What It Says
TO END HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT

Campaign Fund for the Purpose Of
Getting Control OF Road Contracts
and the sale Of Road Machinery.
While Congressman Willis is busily
engaged In denying the import Of the
Republican Bad Roads" plank, the
author. Samuel Mcclure, insists 1t
means exactly what II says. Light Is
issued on the matter in the following
which appeared In the newspapers
on Sunday:
Was Not An Accident
The assault upon the state high.
way department by the Republican
platform. and the declaration to re-
turn to the county supervision in road
building, was not an accident. 1t was
carefully thought out. and intended
for the exact purpose Of binding the
party to the old system Of road build
ing-which was no system at all. but
rs many systems as there are coun-
ties in the state. The men who adopt
cd the anti-gOOd roads plank In the
Republican convention are too closely
associated with bodybuilding ma
chinery for them to have overlooked
this chance Of selling millions Of dol
lars worth Of road machinery.
Where the roads are all constructed
under the county unit plan 1t natur-
ally requires more road machinery
than whore the state supervises the
building and where roads ore COM
pleted within a reasonable time. Any
man who has travelled over the state
lin the good old days-has seen road
scrapers and rollers and cement mix
ers and other road tools rottipg by
the wayside. II was common sight
to encounter stone crushers rusting
In the fields, and that meant money
In the pockets Of the men who built
such things. One does not find so
much discarded machinery at this
time--and business Is not so good
with the road machinery builders.
30 II was not an accident that the
Republican platform should pledge
the party to repeal the law that saves
waste In road tools,
Names Arc Given.
To he more specific. The Ohio
Tractor Roller Sales Co., doing bust
ness in Columbus, is equipped to sell
all kinds OF road-building supplies,
from pick handles to pumps, concrete
mixers and other heavy machinery
~ hn
given as w. w. Williams. Fl. d.
Stevens, Newton M Miller, W. II
Schaffner and Charles Doe. with w
W. Williams, president, and Newton
M. Miller, general manager
Newton M. Miller was very active
in securing the nomination OF the
stand-pat candidate for governor, He
is credited In the statement Of cam
paign contributors rs having put VI
$3.50 for the Willis campaign. In the
makeup CT the Republican executive
committee we find that Mr.. Miller Is
4 member from Franklin county. The
Republican campaign book gives him
still further honor by designating
him as chief Of the organization bu
reau, whatever that means.
w. Fl. Shaffner. mentioned AZ di
rector In tho Ohio company. 10 {
brother Of G. d. Shaffner of Marion
q director In the Ohio Tractor Manu-
featuring company. Warren q. Hard
ing Is also a director in this lattel
company, and the connections be
tween the two companies arc such o,
to lead one to believe that the Ohit
Tractor Sales company was organ
lied to sell the product Of the Ohit
Tractor Manufacturing company. A
least w. II. shsffner IL president o
the Marion County bank. in which
his brother, G. u. Shaifner. ts cashier
and Warren @. Harding . director
and II Is not likely that such finan
cial friendship would work to tn
detrlment of either company.
Friend Of Miller.
The treasurer OF The Willis primAY!
campaign fund was A, 8. C0nklin
Conklin is closely allied with Miller
and was himself one Of the origina
incorporators Of the Tractor company
Then. Ben w. Hough. co-worke
with Miller and Conklin. was vic
chairman Of the Willis campaigl
fund and Is now treasurer OF the Re-
publican state executive COMMITTEES
lis II not something more than CO
incidence that these men 90 closet
connected with the manufacture an
sale Of road machinery should also b
40 closely -elated to the organization
that promoted the candidacy of tn
standpat candidate! 10 II not also bs
yond human belief that q road plan
could have been inserted In the RI
publican platform without the me
who wsre most interested In roa
questions knowing something abov
III Further. does any sane man b,
lleve that these men connected wit
the manufacture and sale OF road m,
chinery would have favored q roA,
building system that tended to reduc
the output and sale Of that very nj
ehineryO
Sam Mcclure. who claims autho