The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-10-19
WHAT WILLIS HAS DONE

For the first time in Ohio's history
Governor Willis has turned the tide
of state overhead expenditures down
ward, as compared with a preceding
twelve months. In the first full twelve
months under Governor Willis appro-
priations, s674,OOO of expenditures
saddled on his administration by Cox
laws were paid and still a decrease
in the total (aside from highways) OF
S350,OO0 was effected.
The scandalous maladministration
Of the state banking department has
been ended. No longer are the saw
ings of the people made like the tap
ping of a honey hive" as a recent
Democratic state candidate charged
was the condition under Cox. Banks,
which might be saved, are no longer
closed arbitrarily and liqu.dated at
extravagant and needless cost.
The taxation affairs of the state are
no longer arbitrarily directed from
the governors office. Local officials
handle local assessments. Appeals
are heard. not suppressed, as under
the Infamous Warnes law. The large
unnecessary salary cost of the Warnes
law has been abolished.
The policy of starving state wards
and making impossible conditions tc
properly take care of them, in order
to make a political showing on one
hand. while the money of the state 1s
being handed out in the most lavish
way in Ohios history, has been ended
THE state of Ohio is too big to play
politics with its unfortunate wards"
says Governor Willis.
A modern Office building, adequate
for the various departments, has been
purchased for 1925, 900, instead of the
million dollars which Governor Cox
recommended to the legislature should
be spent. Under Cox, state rentals
increased over so per cent in two
years, under Willis, over $4,000 was
cut off the first year, and more as
rapidly as the Cox contracts expired.
Under Cox, the public works Of the
state cost $196,476 more than was re.
ceived by the state. Under Willis, in
his first year, the deficit was trans.
formed into surplus of $93.64220. In
other words, large drain on the state
treasury has, by careful management,
been transformed into a revenue
source.
There has been a greater enforce
ment and efficiency in the laws FOR the
benefit of labor in the state than in
its history. Governor Willis has tax.
en- personal interest in seeing that
these laws are adequately enforced.
The loan shark law, in its first
year, saved million dollars for tho
people of Ohio by compelling legal in
terest rates. Governor Willis saw to
It that this law passed. Governor Cox
strangled it after promising its sup
porters to see that it was passed.
In the agricultural department OF
he state, $38, 1916 was saved by the
Willis agricultural board for its first
year, as compared with the expendi.
.ures Of the centralized Cox agricuI.
.ural commission, on which there were
10 farmers.
$500 month has been chopped OF
he overhead (offfce) expense of the
tate highway department And, mean
while, three times as many miles Of
Dad have been built and three times
IS many miles repaired
Governor Willis found that a Cox
POLITICAL act had practically cut of
he source of revenue from which the
tate paid its 50 per pupil to the pub
ic schools of the, state. Under Gov
rnor Willis, this money was PAID
rom the general revenue receipts of
he state, so that the public schools
'ould not>be hampered. Aside from
his one item, the general revenue
ind at the end of the first year of
Governor Willis showed 1851. 600
head of the amount left by Mr.. Cox.
other words, Just this much had
cen saved.