The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-01-12

mental neglect in inspection n TOT
outstanding TO be denied.
II is a great thing to provide com
pensation for the widow and children
Of those who are lost in the course of
employment but il is a greater thing
10 protect the life Of the worker so
that he may be spared It is desirable
TO help the permanently disabled
worker through our compensation
law, but more desirable to protect him
against injury in the flst instance.
Strengthen Budget System.
In connection with the subject mat
ter Of prudent expense, we should
consider the importance Of strength
ening our budget system. 1t is being
adopted by other states. IL has made
it possible for the affairs Of our gov
eminent to be placed on a business
basis. II opened the way for specific
appropriations and il will not only
effect a saving in money, but com
pact budget carries with it a definite |
administrative plan, and the members |
Of the assembly serving in their rep |
resentative capacity are entitled GER |
tainly to some understanding as TO |
what is to be done, and what the cost |
will be.
Our people have not only endorsed !
the work of prison reform, begun in
the state, but regarded it with prid
and enthusiasm. The hope is Z
pressed that the assembly will
der such assistance to the project
will make it possible to regain the los
ground Adequate appropriations
should be made to begin the work Of
construction on the prison farm at
i London. 1t is unnecessary to elabor
ate on the great good that will come
TO society from this project. We have
tangible results as a confirmation of
the theory upon which it was origin
ally based. Just why prison facilities
are no longer availed of in making
brick for the highways is not appar-
ent. Brief time should reveal whether
impediments actually exist II they
do they should be removed.
Change Liquor Law.
The liquor license law should be
changed so as TO set forward the date
Of issuing licenses from November TO
May or June, preferably. The grants
come too near the election, and there
is the two-fold danger Of intimida-
tion being practiced on deserving
licensees, and political service influ-
encing undeservinP licenses. The arm
Of government which forgets in the
excitement of a campaign the propri-
eties that should rule, can hardly be
regarded as a safe agency to enforce
regulation, and respect for law after
ward.
The Cass road law, passed by the
, Eighty-frst General Assembly, pos
sessing as it does, some virtues, is
still full of frailties. 1t required very
b liberal legal Interpretation to give il
: an administrative start. / understand
that the department of justice has, by
amendments drafted removed both
: incongruity, and unwise provision. ]
recommend the most careful attention
to this very important subject be-
cause the improvement of the high
= ways is very definite contribution
Y to progress.
: The grateful voice Of the state
s ought to be raised in recognition Of
o the service rendered by our soldier,
t. on the border. 1t has been NOR
It trying, probably, in some respect
= than the excitement and adventure o
! actual hostilities, and yet our boy
J. have demeaned themselves so as L
+ give spur to our pride and win tn
n appreciation of the federal govern
d ment.
e You can do no more in promoting
V the general welfare than by CAREFUL,
e conserving the state institutions o
learning, and giving them ampl
= facilities, within prudent bounds
l. however, to meet accumulating re
: sponsibilities.
h The auditor of state, Mr.. Donahey
4 after four years of singularly efficien
i service, marked by intelligent analyst
, of conditions, and a courageous in
/ sistence on the enactment of law, pre-
8 sents number of suggestions RENE
q dial in character. / commend them /
# your very earnest attention.
l. Amend Corrupt Practice Act.
: Let me lay particular emphasis o.
l. the necessity of safeguarding tn
y suffrage thought of the state iron
d the dangers of corrupt influences
J. The sums of money expended for so
= called political purposes are assuming
J. such magnitude as to cause seemingl,
4, well-founded alarm, if not to justif
S the belief that the legitimate purpos
e of campaigning is being exceeded. Un
l. fettered by law, this tendency nigh
4 result in the waters of our free in
e stitutions being poisoned at their yer
y base. Reduced to simple terms, tn
y object of campaign is to inform tn
voters on every subject that legiti
is mately and germanely joins to Tn
e issues and the candidates. Any ste
e, beyond this, and any project oppose
/ to it in motive, cannot but be regarde
'e as dangerous. Human frailties shoul
l. not be played upon by vast treasure
l. of money advanced by men or move
p ments whose huge disbursements ca
d hardly be looked Gpon as of patriot
8, inspiration. 1t is not necessary t
= eXpend large amounts of money 70
l. the promotion of worthy cause, an
5 inversely, any cause or candidac,
l. having behind it unprecedented finan
p cial support is likely to be regarde,
l. with suspicion. 1t may, through legis
n lation, be necessary to restrain ire
e sponsible organizations whose exist
n ence and activities are born of hid
l. den design, conceived by some interes
II afraid to operate in the open. rec
Il