The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-03-23
fcOROmy' Feature Of New
OIL Inspection Law
A slbterfuge To Establish A
Political Machine

O.S AhaASh 3V oAhSS
Chairman Reighard of the finance COM
mittee has issued his disclaimer con-
corning the activities Of the state
house lobby and has made the explana-
ton that the only entertainment en-
ioyed was visit to Cleveland thea
ter at the expense of lobbyist, the
thing is considered settled. This is
especially true since it brought from
Representative Deaton the statement
that he was misunderstood when he
spoke about lobby actions, and that
when he mentioned the wining and
dining of solons he had no reference
to the members of the finance commit
tee, who certainly ought to be above
suspicion. But the people of the state
of Ohio still look with open eyes and
are not concerned at the manner of en-
tertainment lobbyists give. Whether
the members "went to the theater" or
whether they also took in the pleas
ures oriental is purely family trou-
BILE. Neither are the people concerned
that the members of the finance COM
mittee may be clean and that the
blame lies elsewhere. But they are
ashamed that the spineless admin
istration of Governor Willis has per-
mitted the assembly to fall under the
charge of suspicion because of the
presence of big lobby, both regis
tered and unregistered. And the fault
is all the more glaring in view of the
fact that the Eighteenth assembly ac-
complished it's work without a single
member falling under suspicion be-
cause then there was governor who
did govern and forcibly drive out the
corrupt lobby which is thriving SO
pleasurably now.
How is the passage of the Moore oil
inspection law as a matter of econo-
my? After the supreme court knocked
out the old law by forbidding the gain
ing OF revenue by the state, there re-
manned no excuse for the law but to
provide patronage. Senator Moore put
his bill across the senate by the state
ment that it was merely corrective of
defects, and that Attorney General
urner had SO written it. In the house
it was shown that it provided for an
unlimited number of deputies with un-
limited expense accounts, a minimum
salary for them an unlimited expense
account for the inspector and an un.
limited sum for Office help, so that all
fees collected might be absorbed by
the department. So apparent was the
holdup for political purposes that Rep
resentative Cromley said it was an at
tempt of the Attorney General te
SNEAK something over" on the assem-
bly,, and ON the first vote the bill was
defeated. Then the party whip was
brought out, and by purely majority
party vote the bill was passed, aftel
which the emergency clause was per
mitted to be attached which again pro
vides means of taking the law be
fore the supreme court for test l
is estimated that the department will
cost in the neighborhood of two hun
dred thousand dollars, and ii can b,
made to cost more. and purely for tn,
maintenance of a political machine
This pork chops" bill was rushe'
through the assembly of an econom
administration, which has been n,ak
ing capital out of the reduction of sa
aries OF Office help on the silly recon
mendations of the blue print kid
Wow! and again help! The Smit
agricultural ripper emerged from tn
senate half law bearing provisio
that would make the salaries of tn
new board members $4,000 year. a
compared to the maximum salaries {
$4,000 paid to the commissioner