The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-04-02
TO MUDDY
THE WATERS
In Matter OF Operation Of
PerniCiOuS Lobby
There Has Been A Very
Consistent Effort
Present Administration In.
vited Its Return
After Being Driven Out By
Strong Men
And Its Activity Is Disgrace
full In The Extreme

Columbus, O., April 1--There mas
been q consistent effort to muddy the
waters in the matter of the pernicious
activity of a corrupt lobby which sur
rounds the Willis administration. Eff
forts at first directed toward Repub-
lican members, and for which they fell,
have now been directed toward Demo
Gratis. The scheme, of course, is to 80
besmirch all classes that one cannot
criticise the other. The malignity
with which this has been followed In
dicates certain direction, and taken
with the statement of Governor Willis
issued twelve weeks after the covert
acts of the lobby can have but one
meaning. Still further linking this
with the informal notice dropped from
the Republican press bureau that the
Democratic papers had better go slow
in their criticism of the administration
and it's lobby, the connection is clear.
Now the people of Ohio are not con-
cerned about the political complexion
of crooks. 1t does appear from press
reports that the entertainment by lob
byists at theatres, wine rooms and ev-
en- in the red light districts, have TAX
en- place and complaint of holdups
have been made to the city police. 1t
is even charged that women of vam-
piric tendencies have been imported
to lure the weak. 1t even appears
that once again some Democrats have
been tempted and with some Republic
ans have fallen. And whether the
crook is a Democrat or Republican,
the situation is disgrace to the state
which has been made possible by the
enfeebled administration by an inef-
ficient executive. Two years ago there
were no such scandals. The fact Of
the matter is that the vampires, the
corrupt lobbyists, the hoi polloi Of the
state have been invited by the admin.
istration itself. The crooks feel that
this year it is their inning and that
they have especial license to operate.
The administration now opening the
ways recruited to its banner the scum
of the earth, the malcontents, the
crooks who had been driven out under
the continued executive domination by
strong men. They are now coming
into their own as they think they de-
serve. But for Ohio 1t is sad day,
and unless the tendencies now shown
are checked Ohio will again bear q
scar where now burns only the blush
of shame.
Governor Willis has gotten contro
of all the jobs which is just what he
wanted all the time in the agitation ol
the tax situation and his consistent
efforts to demoralize the present law
Now he has kept his compact will
Peter Durr, of Cincinnati, in degree
Durr now becoming not only the pat
ronage dispenser for Hamilton coun
ty, but for all the state. The drastic
action of removing assessors on thu
eve of assessment period would prov
disastrous, but the Warnes law ha
already been indicated, and unles
! further violated 1t will save even al
. unfriendly administration from its owl
mistakes. The monkey business whicl
Willis has inflicted on his assembl
leaders has however endangered I'm
portant legislation. Before orderin
removal of the assessor in any count
willis had attempted to demoralize tn
law by an unfriendly state commission
and withdrawal OF executive suppor
Angered because his will was balke
! he has issued his executive order IL
. cluding his usual false and speciou
r political plea. With Peter Durr, Han
Q ilton county dealer at one ear, wit
|. Ed Fullington and J. M. McGiffert, p,
litical gold bricks, at the other,