The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1856-03-12
The Work Of R eform in the Ohio
Legislature.

Legislature.
Every one whose memory reaches pack
to the elections Of last fall. recolects the
rallying cry of reform. reform" with
which the Fusionists swept the State. 1t
was labor in vain to point out TO them that
the Democratic policy was reducing the
taxes as rapidly Is was expedient; they pu'
their fingers in their ears and continued 10
cry "reform, reform" The clamor accom-
p ished its object, and Fusionists have the
unlimited control of the State Government,
but where are their reformstions? Short
sessions ef the Legislature was one Of their
favorite bats. Time enough for short
session has already been consumed and not
a single measure has been adopted TO re-
duce taxation. The following extracts from
an article written by member oftheir own
party, and published in their own central
organ the Ohio State Journal under date
of February 29, I856--shows them, up in
their true colors:
"When our new Republican Legislature
wvs elected--or rather. before it was elect.
ed--we were promised reform, reuench-
ment in the matter of State expenditures
and relief from the onerous burdens impo
sed by law which not only taxed us for
all We had, but for all we had not We
were TO have short, working session Of the
/ Legislature this winter, which should
strai5hten up these matters, and set the
State Government agoine with such lu-
brication of its axles, and such throwing
overheard of its drags and dead weights as
would insure easy running at less expense
Divers and sundry we're the improvements
to be made and the reforms to be ntrodu
ced-all OF which it would be unnecessary
and perhaps improper to mention here
Now what has been done--in the name o
common sense and common honesty, wha
has been done-to meet those demands OF
the part of the people, and pledges OF
the part of their Representatives? TIL,
Legislature has been III session nearly tive
months surely they should be able t.
show some important measure of public u
tillty acted upon ana adopted
The writer then proceeds to give sy
nopsis of their proceedings, which consist
principally in meeting every day or two am
adjourned over to some subsequent day.
He says:
Last Saturday the House adjourned owe
f at noon. And | see by the official report
in the Journal that both Houses have ador
ted joint resolution to adjourn from Thurs
day, Feb. 81, to Monday, Feb. 25, at ha
: past 2 T. NJ. TO attend some kind of glor
ticatlon at Cincinnati the object of whic
, seems to be to do honor to the memory {
George Washington by cheating their cor
slnents out Of four collars a day for sci
t vices not rendered.
n "But, l beg leave 10 ask again, whi
# have they done in the way OF Iegislating
o cure the evils we heard SO much about b,
fore the election? What single measul
have they adopted to lieaten our burdens
l. What 5il! have they passed of more impo
tance than TO provide for the hanging
,e sheep killing dogs? They discussed a US,
! ry bill, true: if the salaries of both Hous,
for the time spent in discussing it we
l0 computed it would almost pay tbe diife
ence between the nlaximun and minimu
of Of the rates proposed, fer all the mon,
p that would be loaned in the State at II
a highest rate for the next two years, if the
- were no law At all on the subject. III
question whether We shall allow foreign i
oil surance companies to come into the Sta
D. has also been elaborated at great leng
w. and marvellous depth; and they discussed
proposition 10 let us know what they we
dong by appointing an oficia! reporter a
ne paying you for publishing their procee
es. ings. BY the way, made a calculation
mt this last point: The proposition was II
,is the whole expense Of the published pl
l,o ceedings should be two thousand dolI'
~ , for the session, including pay of Reror
les and a |. The question was discussed,
ir- near as | can come at it by your repor
ire some three days; the expense each dav
aar the House of Representatives alone is
less than five hundred dollars This wot
'eu make fifteen hundred dollars, leaving
per Senate out--and after ALL they hired
on. Reporters. But they got You in for p,
red fishing the reports for nothing! And l,
-, one Oft he tax payers (tenants 2 of
' great State of Ohio, return my sine
ne thanks that they did, by discussion VIII
Vn--, cost the State only fifteen hundred doIla
come to the conclusion to save the sun
seven hundred and twenty dollars, VIII
you proposed to charge for publishing
md columns a day of proceedings, ior a S
,nn sion Of ninety days!
~N %" But you must be tired Of this if
1a- have not already stopped reading and bu
it in despair. Don't stop my paper
want o see when the Legislature does sol
thing"