The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-11-08
Picked Up in Capital
of the Buckeye State
Auditor ponaheY's Report.

TnlS conclusion is based on the an
nual report Of State Auditor A v. Don
ahey, just made public. which reveals
a condition of public finances In Ohio
called nothing short of appalling.
Three points take prominence in the =
report:
Cities are staggering under such
load of debt that they spent in In
terest and to pay off Indebtedness in
the past fiscal year an amount greater
than the total sum they raised by taxa
tion for municipal purposes.
Donahey blames public officials and
says that many cities have violated
practically every fiscal law on the
statute books Of the state"
The auditor urges Ohio voters to re-
ject all bond issues until conditions
become normal and unless they he
clearly to meet q real emergency in
volving the health and safety Of the
people,"
But away and above everything elso
in the statement stands ont the direct
pronouncement by the auditor Of state
that the Smith law unofficially is dead.
He reads its funeral sermon in this
language:
Every year for flve years have as
solemn duty warned the general as
semb'y that if public debt creation Is
not more rigidly restricted. the Smith
per cent law is doomed. Since as
suming my present duties in January.
1913, practically $2e0,O00,0O0 Of new
debt has been added to that already
, existing at the beginning Of that year.
and as a result the Smith law Is
dead-not officially dead, but never
, theless dead. A study Of the following
table will prove this assertion to be
only too true"
The table referred to shows that,
: despite the Smith law, there are only
five counties in Ohio with average tax
rates under per cent, the people In
every instance having voted bond is
sues to go over the per cent limit.
There is one alternative, Donahey
suggested in discussing his report
: other than loosening the limitations Of
the Smith law by legislative act. The
auditor always has upheld the Smith
: law and he stands true to it at its
, death" While he says specifically
now that so far as operation Is con-
cerned, it is dead, he still does not ad-
vocate its burial by the legislature by
enactments removing its limitations.
: Instead, the measure he would ap"
prove as a remedy would be-:
Limit also the creation of debt and
then let government live within its,
means-or starve."
Firebues to Be Punished.
The next pro-German caught in con-
. nection with an attempt to burn food
repository, grain elevator or grocery
storage place in Ohio will be turned
over to the military authorities at
:, Camp Sherman.
: 1t is understood this decision has
been privately reached in the office or
. the state fire marshal. the determine
4 ton being that IL it is In any way pos
!. sible, the next offender, instead Of be-
ing tried for arson, will be placed un-
n der such charges as will bring him
= face to face with the chance OF pay
: ing the extreme penalty for treason.
|. The fire marshal's Office is in dead
n ly earnest, for the thing it feels 1t is
a facing in unsuspecting communities
throughout Ohio it regards as deadly
n menace.
a There has been general talk OF the
a fire marshal linking recent bad fires
r that destroyed stored foodstuffs with
it German intrigue, but reluctance in
J. some few instances on the part OF pro-
prietors to comply with orders for in
d creased fire prevention and the neces-
, sity for day and night guarding indi'
cate there is not yet sufficient realiza-
N ton of the widespread nature of the
n danger.
r. 1t should not be without signif'
r. canoe to the public that in the two
l. months just past, August and Septem'
10 Der, State Fire Marshal T. Alfred
A. Fleming's department made more ar
II. rests than had been made in any en-
tire year in the previous history Of the
u. department with the exception OF two
~ years ago, the year Of the Youngstown
10 riots.
p A number of men arrested and con
ia victed have been Germans.
Plant LiIacs Now.
as One of the shrubs that should bt
IN planted at this time is the lilac. The
Is reason is that shrubbery starts grow
r. ing very early in the spring anc
is should the planting in spring be de
a layed, a weak growth will result, thu
III making it prey for borers.
When planting in the fall, bear Il
ce mind that the soil must be in gooC
" shape, not too wet or too dry. Th'
to soil should be firmly worked about tn
es roots. After cold weather commences
ct protect the surface by mulching will
manure.
Ohio Boys In Trenches.
On Ohio boys were in the trenches Oct
k 30. With the temperature beloV
n freezing and the air full of icy snow
e. flakes, Col Williams marched his 8
or 900 men over the hills at Chillicothe t
al a row of trenches started by othe
regiments, and they soon dug anothe
he trench. As they warmed up they doffe
ho first their overcoats, then their sweat
H. ers, and before the sun was far abov
the horizon they were working in thei
IS. shirt sleeves. Mess was brought ou
to, in big wagons at noon, and after
all hasty meal the soldiers picked
shovels and picks again.