The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-03-12
STANDARD OIL !.
IS Willing
To Put Up Necessary Amount
Of Money
To Maintain The Oil lnSpcC.
tiOn Department
As Il Gives A Line On BuSi-
ness Of Rivals
Appointment Of Commission
For State Office Building
Is TaCit Acknowledgment OF
Campaign MiSStatements

Columbus, o., March 10--A strenu-
GUS fight is being made by admins
tration leaders for retention of the Of
fee of state oil inspector to which
Prof. J. M. Barr, of Barberton, was
recently appointed, but which the SUI
preme court of Ohio held was main
tained by fee system for producing
revenue which was unconstitutional.
Inasmuch as there is no need for the
Office IL It Is not to be permitted to op-
crate as a revenue producer, there is
pendent thinkers in the Legislature to
entirely abolish the office. investiga-
tion on the part OF Mr.. Carr developed
the fact that the suit brought against
the department was by an independent
operator of Cleveland, and that the
Standard Oil Company had no con
nection Herewith. He Immediately got
busy with the friends of Governor vii.
liz and their connections, and now
comes the announcement that the
Standard Oil monopoly will not oppose
the continuance of oil inspection for
which they will agree to pay what is
necessary for keeping up the Office,
which Is estimated to be u fee of about
three cents per barrel inspected. A
little investigation shows why the
Standard Oh company has given con
sent for the Willis administration to
20 ahead and re-estaplish the depart
anent. The old law, which 1t Is desired
10 have re.enacted with new sched-
nle Of fees. provided that the records
of the department must be kept for
inspection by the public, and the Stan
dard Oil company has maintained n
force OF clerks to copy records so that
they might keep accurate tab on what
amounts of oil were sold, by whom and
10 whom. So II would appear that
the Standard Oil company would be
the principal beneficiary Of a continu-
ance of the department II the state
were not to be permitted to derive a
revenue therefrom. For this reason
Governor willis may not be able to Sc
cure the passage of new oil inspec.
ton law from the general assembly.
With the appointment of the Joint
commission under the Kious resou.
ttOn to secure plans fer building to
house state offices there Is tacit ac.
acknowledgement Of campaign mis-state.
7ncnts. Not only Is there appointed
another legislative commission of the
kind condemned by the successful can,
didate OF The campaign, but also there
Is an acknowledgment of the truth
which was so sadly fractured in re
gard to the housing Of state depart
snents. II win be remembered that
during the campaign the Republican
candidate for governor made an issue
>Of the amount OF Office space rented
by the state outside the statehoust
There was printed little red book CIV
sng pictures of the office buildings oc
cupied, the impression being left with
che voters that these buildings hat
boon rented during the last state ad
snintstration. when as matter OF fac
the rent cost begun many years ago
was reduced during the last two years
Now the present administration I,
Following In the lead OF It's predeces
sor and the commission Just created
under the Kious resolution simply re
places the building commission o
the last administration It Develop
that while one hundred thousan,
square feet of floor space is now need
I'D outside of the statehouse. an ad
ditional fifty thousand feet viii hav
to be secured, and plans are now be
ing perfected to carry out preclsel
the recommendation of Governor Co
that state office-bulldlng be erected
u will be recalled that Governor Co