The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-03-14
TELLING OF
ECONOMIES"
Effected In Some OF The
State DGptS.
Either Ignorance Or DGIibGr.
ate Deception
Illustration Furnished In The
Banking Dept.
As Well As With Liquor Ii.
CGnSe Commission
For Whose Support No Tax
Is Imposed
For Whose Support No Tax
Is Imposed

Columbus, o., March 10-Continu-
ing a course that is either ignorant
or deliberately deceptive, Governor
Willis Is going about the state telling
of the economies he has effected in
the state departments, thereby reliev-
ing the burden upon the taxpayers.
Here is an instance Of the duplicity
or the denseness he portrays in his
speeches.:
He says that he has rendered the
salaries in the state banking depart
ment $4,000. AS a matter of fact,
most of the reduction is in the fees
paid to liquidators of failed banks and
not in salaries. There are no longer
any unsound banks in the state. I'm
der Governors Harmon and Cox, act
ing under the new constitution placing
all banks under state regulation, a
score of private concerns, rotten to the
core, were closed up. One of them
was owned by Republican congress-
man and another by Republican
member of the general assembly. The
liquidators were paid out of the as
sets of these banks.
The state banking department does
not cost the taxpayers of Ohio a pen
ny in the way Of levy. 1t is support
ed entirely by contributions from
state banks, which are assessed a
small per centage upon their capital
stock to pay the expenses of inspec-
tion and regulation. Bankers for
years have protested that the state is
taking double the amount of the cost
of the department from them and
turning the surplus into the state
treasury as fictitious earnings. They
have asked for the privilege of estab-
fishing a continuous fund out of
which these expenses are to be paid
instead of making an annual eXorbit-
ant payment. When 1t runs low an
assessment can be made to replenish
IT. " thlp UNJUST tAubllOH tuut
Gov. Willis calls a saving. The same
claim has been heretofore made and
1t wasn't any more justified then than
it is now by the present chief eXecu-
tive. What is said about the banking
fund is also true of the state liquor
license fund In the latter case each
saloon licensee is taxed $105 year
for the purpose of supporting the state
department and to pay the salaries OF
tachees, Tho records show that up,
wards of 100000 in excess of the ac,
tual cost of the department is col
lected and turned in as savings" AT
their recent state convention the IL
censees demanded of Governor Willis
that he spend some of this money tC
root out the blind pigs" and blind
tigers" which are flourishing every
where while his political henchmer
in the department are drawing fat
salaries and doing nothing. The tax
payers are not called upon for even
the tenth OF mill for this department
and the claims of great savings are
as stated at the outset, either based
upon ignorance or duplicity,
Selection of Newton ID. Baker, form
er Cleveland mayor, as secretary Of
war. will prove to be wise act That
President Wilson gave most careful
thought to the choice is evidenced
that it was not made until within {
very few days of the time of expira
tion of a temporary tenure. Tha
more than the idea of political hene
I'll entered in the selection is bes
evidenced by the fact that Mr.. Baker
himself, knew nothing of the presi
dents desire until he was offered th'
war portfolio.
Mayor Baker is we'll worthy of the
place. He is a young man, sterling