The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-09-28
ANTI-WILL|S
CLUBS FORMED
Just As Governor Starts On
Western Trip
To Feel Out Sentiment For
His Ambition
Deficit Of $4,000 From
Holding State Fair
Due To Flood Of Passes Is.
sued To FaVOriteS
Fantastic Performance Was
BOpe'S Appointment
Fantastic Performance Was
BOpe'S Appointment


ganization of Anti-Willis clubs with
official incorporation papers issued
by the secretary of state was planned
and begun within an hour of the
time that Governor Willis started on
his trip to the coast to feel out senti.
ment in regard to his further politi
cal ambitions. This action followed
the disbanding of the Frank B. Willis
Presidential club of Cincinnati, or.
ganized by radical dry workers, Matt
Glaser and Rudy w. Mack. The
break came when Willis ignored the
organization in the matter of jul
dicial appointment while at the same
time ignoring the regular Republican
party committee. The purpose of the
Anti-Willis clubs will be to not only
put stop to the presidential flirta.
tion of Willis but to effectualy op.
pose whatever ambitions he may
have.
The appointment of Judge A. r.
Warner, former Judge of the insolv.
ency court, to the vacancy in Hamil-
ton county, is generally resented.
The record of Judge Warner, credit.
ed with originating the divorce.
while-you-wait" idea caused his over
whelming rejection for denomination
last fall. His opponents for appoint
ment were former mayor John Gal.
vim, past grand exalted ruler of the
Elks, and M. F. Roebling, dry choice.
Faced by the stern necessity of
being forced to pay it's obligations
the new state board of agriculture
was this week compelled to make
sorry confession that the first state
fair conducted under its auspices
was a failure. 1t appeared before
the state emergency board and ad.
mitted there was a deficit of $4,000
which it asked to be made up of the
upappropriated moneys in the state
treasury, mostly of the surplus cash
left over by the former state admin
istration. The plea was made that
extraordinary demands came for fair
equipment. The financial statement
shows that he receipts were $4,000
less than in 1914, but the attendance
was slightly larger. Analysed, this
means. that there were $4,000 free
passes given to the favored members
of the Republican organization for
distribution among the camp follow
ers. The deficit would have been
larger but for the unusual device of
opening the state fair at night and
letting in the Columbus people at 25
cents a head. The visiting farmers
who attended during the day had to
pay so cents apiece. When Governor
Willis was engaged in tearing apart
the highly efficient state agricultural
commission, which always made the
state fair meet the cost of its opera
ton, it was predicted in the general
assembly that there would be a re.
turn to the old deficit system which
marked the reign of the old partisan
state board. With the state flooded
with passes and the fair grounds
choked with machine politicians as
policemen, gate tenders, building at
tendants and what not, it is no sur
prise that the taxpayers will have to
dig down in their jeans and find
$4,000 to pay for the extravaganza
The state emergency board has or
dered the politicians who created the
deficit to itemize the bills which
they assert they were compelled to
contract before the fair opened its
gates.
More fantastic performances in Co
lumbus! Governor Willis has re
moved from the important post ol