The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-08-31
By Gov. Willis To Remove
Them From Jobs
Or Was The Governor OnI y
Making A "StaII'?

ment issued at GAINESVILLE Governor
Willis finally admits that "a few Re-
publican office holders who hope
thus to hold their places" are assist
ing in the prosecution of referen-
dunn on the McDermott liquor license
law. This being true let him now
keep his promise to separate them
from the payroll unless, as appears
probable, he is winking at the work.
The charge is made and substantiated
by evidence that Willis license COM
missioners are interested in the work.
1t matters not what their personal
reasons of interest may be, it is now
clearly up to the governor to make
good his threat.
Just how free the administra ton is
from the implication of secret succor
for the referendum may be gathered
from the records. The Willis general
assembly appropriated for the liquor
license commission for the present
year. the sum of $253,SS250, including
$4,000 for salaries of three commits
sioners, $4,000 for a secretary and
$4,000 for contingencies. This is
based on the expense of the last year.
1t is evident, therefore, that the as
sembly did not pass the McDermott
law in good faith but that they an
ticipated a referendum. and the con-
tinuance of the Greenlund act. Fur
thermore the same appropriations
were made for the second year of the
Willis administration. 1t is true that
to make a showing of economy Gov
ernor Willis cut from the appropria-
tingencies above enumerated for the
second year, making the stupendous
saving of $4,000, but he did not mo-
lest the appropriations for the first
year. The finances are in condition
for continued operation of the present
license system.
The Willis men interested in the
referendum know this situation. Will
lis knows their interest. The Nc
Dermott law will permit Cincinnati to
have an open Sunday after September
8. 1t keeps the letter of Willis prom
Use. Now, are other interests of more
moment to the governor than the
pledge to Cincinnati vets, and if so,
does he want the McDermott law to
be knocked out so that the present
law can be kept in effect and keep
Cincinnati closed, while at the same
time providing salaries for numerous
Republicans who want to serve as H.
cense commissioners? The answer
lies in the action the governor him
self will take against "a few Repub-
lican Office holders" and what they
may say after that action.
Harry Taylor, editor of the Ports
mouth Times, thinks the joke is on
the G. o. P. papers, because their de-
centralized state agricultural board
secretary, Renick w. Dunlap, gave a
contract for $4,000 to the billboards,
and asked them to print pages of
plate for passes
The newspapers told of a confer.
ence which resulted in the tentative
formation of political triumvirate
with Willis for president Cole for
governor, and Dick for United States
senate. Willis Indignantly denied
that such a conference was held, bui
he has been caught with the goods
nevertheless. The conference was in
his own office, private entrance
through the Office of the adjutant gen
ercl being used so that it might re
main secret. The deck has been fixet
and the cards are being dealt. If the
o.,