The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-05-14
THE Wall OF
HIS Voice
Against Executive Domino,
ton Of The Legislature
By Gov. Willis viii Not Again
Be Heard
His TOuted HdndS.Off Policy
Proven A Failure
And His Changed Methods
Are Of Brutal Order
All Because He Has Been
False To His Trust

Columbus, o., May lit is not
likely that Governor Frank B. Willis
will soon again be heard to raise his
voice against executive domination of
the legislature. He has found that if
he is to have anything done he must
accept leadership and enforce his de-
mands and he has further found that
his touted hands-off policy was not
such as to bring any credit to his ad-
ministration.
Like those drunk with power, how
ever, the governor has not been tact
iul in enforcing his demands. Meth
er the things gained nor the methods
OF their gaining have brought to his
standard any supporters or any
friends, and his critics have multi
piled tenfold.
The threat to hold up the Cincin-
natl rapid transit bill, simply because
the Cincinnatians insisted that he
Keep the word pledged to them to
gain his election was crude. The ac-
tlal removal of that bill from the
house calendar to prevent it's consid-
Grafton at the governors bidding was
brutal.
There was no silk glove method in
dealing with the senate in the closing
hours of the memorable weeks ses-
sion. The governors secretary was
the message boy who lobbied the re-
calcitrants into line. The honeyed
sound of patronage notes was warbled
into the ears of one; the sharpened
blade of the political axe was shown
the furtive eyes Of the other.
1t was deal against deal; fiattery
against flattery; promise against
promise; broken faith against broken
faith; and lie against lie. 1t is per-
haps a harsh term, this last, but it is
true.
And all Of this because the gov
ernor of Ohio has been false to his
tIust. He won his Office on falsity
and on falsity has he conducted it.
An appropriation bill pending for his
two years of Office asks for the ex-
penditure of more than two million
dollars more than will be received
from all sources; yet the good gov
ernor will not hesitate to reach back
into the treasury and grab that need.
ed two millions taking it from the ten
million dollar surplus the extravagant
Jim Cox saved even while Willis
fbbed about deficit. An agricultur-
al ripper was passed and signed one
day, and then another bill was passed
to restore conditions as they were,
only changing the officers. A terrible
machine was found entrenched
against the dear people, but it ceased
to be hateful when Willis got the lev
ers. The civil service is ripped to
pieces, and Willis is being made into
the chief saloon keeper OF the state
and fighting hardest for the job.
No wonder, then, that Willis breaks
his pledge and commits the autocratic
acts he formerly condemned. No
wonder that he plays the game under
packing house rules" where the win
ner takes everything and takes it any
way he can get it.
The governor has broken faith so
much and with so many that he is in
desperate straits. Can he be blamed
for being somewhat Of ruffian in his
methods?
Letters of complaint are being re-
ceived in Columbus at what is a pal
pable attempt to further the personal
aims of Governor Willis and others
under guise of good roads promotion,
Plate has been sent broadcast and
used by many papers before they
scanned the contents 1t now appears
that it was joint promotion plate for