The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-08-03

and Want
Present In Inundated Parts
Of SCiOtO Marsh
Especially In Onion Growing
District In Hardin
But Little Attention Has Been
Given For Relief
-Four Thousand Persons Said
To Be Destitute
Needs As Pressing As In The
Mining Regions

COLUMBUS, w., July ol-StarVatlOn
and want are present in the recently
inundated districts of the Scioto
marsh and especially in that section
known as the onion growing district
in Hardin county. Notwithstanding
the fact that this is the governors
home county but little attention has
been paid to conditions by the state
administration which has been turn.
ing all it's efforts toward relieving
conditions in the southeastern mining
districts. While this is most neces-
sary relief, doubly necessary because
it is due to the shortsighted policy of
the Willis legislature which, under
executive dictation, took from the
miners the relief of a protective law
without giving to the operators the
relief of decently competitive rates,
get it should not be permitted to draw
attention from districts where want
is as the result of things over which
man has no control. When the miner
needs and asks is condition under
which he may work and earn his liv.
ing, he is not seeker of charity. But
in the onion fields the giving of work
is not possible. Four thousand or
more persons are there destitute.
Some of them are permanent resi-
dents, others are there temporarily
but unable to leave because their
means of earning a living has been
taken away by the floods. The land
owners had their all invested in the
lands and in the making of the an
nual crop and they are without funds
with which to care for those left on
their hands. The extension of aid by
the state to the flood stricken dis
tricts is not a matter that can be
worked to political advantage but it is
none the less essential. Need there
is equally pressing as the need in
the coal mining districts.
An expression on the recent state
ment issued by Highway Commits
stone Cowan and Budget Commission
er Fullington. is printed in the Cald-
well Press. 1t strikes center. Here
it is: Instead Of roads we are offered
chuckholes and explanations. They
explain that Cox cut the road levy and
that reduced the amount of road mon
ey. Sure, it was intended to do so.
But, Cox said, at the time, that what
ever the new levy lacked in produc-
ing road money, that amount could be
drawn from the $S,O00,000 unexpended
surplus in the treasury and that there
would not be one foot less Of road
built, or one shovel full less of dirt
thrown than formerly, because of the
cut in the road levy Had he remain
ed governor that plan would have
been carried out. The Republicans
could have carried out the same plan,
but for one sad fact. That fact is this
with the increased salary appropria-
IlOuS ny tut w Ills iC6 6loldtuCJ IiCi o
won't be any $S,OO0,OO0 surplus to
draw from. No, the Republican panty,
controlled by the road machinery
makers, committed an. assault with
intent to kill, on the state highway
department. They said in their plat
form that they would abolish It, They
saw that would be suicidal and got
cold feet on that proposition, SO in
stead of killing 1t outright they just
MANNED it for life. That's all they
did. Had Cox remained governor.
there would have been just as many
miles of road built this year as last.
He said so and told how he proposed
to do it. But it is difficult matter
to take money from a surplus when
there has been no surplus (or one
that is expended to run the Willis ad-
ministration its first six months and