The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-01-14

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the Confederacy. Certainly no power
less ample than that of the Federal Gov
ernment, is competent to the effectus
exclusion of such notes from circulation
as money; and no present indication
suggests any probability that that pow
er will be exercised for that purpose
While opinion upon this point thu
approaches unanimity, the public judge
ment ia this State, remains divided up
on the question whether the franchise o
banking should be limited to defined
number of institutions, or extended t,
all who are willing to give the required
securities and guarantees against abuse
I have, upon former occasion, express
ed my preference for the most libera
extension of the franchise, with sucf
restrictions upon its exercise as will
efectually protect the community
against mere paper money currency.
The act to incorporate the Bank oi
Ohio and other Banks, passed April ii
1856, and submitted to the people in
conformity with the provisions of the
Constitution, on the second Tuesday Of
October last, not Eavipg been approved
by a majority of all the electors voting
at that election, has failed to become o
law. More recently, the Supreme Court
of the State has unanimously decided
that the act to authorize free banking,
passed March 81, 1851, but supposed
by some to have been abrogated by the
new Constitution, remains in full force,
unaffected by any provision of that in
strument. I submit to your better judg-
ment whether sound policy does not sug-
gest the expediency of observing the
practical operation of this act, and of so
amending it from time to time as may
be necessary to protect and secure the
interests of the community, without in.
voking the decision of the people upon
new banking law.
Considerable practical difficulty has
arisen in carrying into execution the
provisions of the act of April 1, 1856,
for the taxation of property employed
in banking. To determine the precise
rate to be levied upon the property aud
means included in the first statement,
required by the act, in order to produce
the SUN which would be produced by
the general rate if levied upon the Sec
ond, and to levy that precise rate when
prove not unfrequently, to be
and embarrassing operations
The requirement, also that the gross
amount of property and means, en-
braced in the first statement shall be en-
tered upon the duplicate for taxation
and taxed by different aud usually
much less rate than that levied upon the
property of individuals, is calculated to
produce an Impression in the public
mind that property employed in bank
ing is not charged by the act with its
fair proportion of the public burdens.
Such an impression, in my judgment,
eau not fail to prove injurious It is
the true interest of banking institutions,
As well as of the people, that all legis.
ation concerning them should avoid
even the appearance of special favor.
The most absolute impartiality in the
distribution of burdens is demanded by
every consideration of policy as we'll as
If justice. I, therefore, respectfully
suggest such amendments of the law as
will require all property employed in
banking to be embraced in one schedule
md entered upon the duplicate for tax
ltion at the same rate as is imposed on
,ther property.
The constitution authorizes the es-
in the Secretary of States
Office of a Rureau of Statistics. Some
provision for the collection of statistical
is already made. The Town
ship Assessors are required to make rs-
urns of the quantity of wheat and corn
Produced in their several townships each
year. The District Assessors are re-
,uired to report, under certain classi.
ication, once in six years, the number
# acres of taxable land in the differcn.
Various acts require the col |
ection of other statistical information,
more or less specific, in relation to pro-
luction, education, population and crime.
Jnder these acts, although from want of |
ystem and of adequate means of en-
orcement, they are often very imperfect
y executed, q large amount of useful |
is collected. It is scatter
d, however, through many disconnect-
d reports, and consequently fails to yield
he full advantage which might be de-
ived from it. To combine this and |
ollcct other similar information, and to |
resent the whole, SO arranged as to ex-
libit the mutual relation of facts and |
lasses of facts, together with their gen.
raj bearing upon the public welfare, is
he proper function of Bureau of Sta
istics I can perceive no insurmounta-
lie obstacle to the collection of all or |
learly all the information required
hrough agencies already existing, with
ut incurring much new expense. For |
he present, little more would be neces- |
airy than to provide for the appointment |
f thoroughly qualified person to su-
the whole work, prepare and
,rescribe all necessary forms, and to re-
eive, classify and report the returns.
cannot doubt that snch a provision |
or the collection and publication of the
he Statistics of the State Agricultural,
Social and Educational,
vould repay ten-fold its cost in bene-
its.
Under the auspicies of former iegisla-
ion Geological Survey of the State
7as commenced and prosecuted for some |
ime, with valuable results. I respect
ally submit to your consideration wheth
r the time has not arrived for the re-
of that work, and whether
here should not be combined with it
uch an Agricultural examination as
Rill fully ascertain and disclose the
productive capacity of the different soils
which compose the surface of the State
nd the physical laws and influences by
which that productive capacity is deter
mined.
In accordance with the provisions of