Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-01-15
: GOVERNORS MESSAGE
TO THE FIFTY-sECoND
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF OHIO,


.Felloso Citizens of the .Seaote,
and Of the House of Representatives:
I welcome you, with great pleasure, te
the first session of the General Assembly
in the New State House.
In simplicity of Design, in Harnonz OF
Proportions, and in massive solidity OF
structure, it stands, and may it long stand
q monument and symbol of the deal
Faith, the well ordered Institutions, and
the enduring Greatness of the People whose
House it is.
The year which has just closed, has been
marked by the steady advance of the great
State, whose interests, for the present, have
been confded to our care, in all the ele-
ments of wealth, honor and power.
- The returns of Agriculture, though less
abundant than in some more favored years,
have yet been sufficient to supply abund-
antly our wants at home, and to furnish a
large surplus for expectation. The pro-
ducts of Manufacturing Industry have been
steadily and greatly augmented, The
transactions of Commerce have multiplied
in number and increased in Importance
Vast mineral treasures, hitherto compare
lively inaccessible, have been brought by
the extension of Railroads, within the easy
reach of enterprise, and made tributary to
the general progress.
While the deyelopement and enlarge
ment of our material resources have been
ensured by these and similar agencies, 9TH
er instrumentalities have been actively en,-
ployed in the promotion of the moral and
intellectual welfare of the people. Public
order and private rights have been main
tanned by our enlightened and impartial
administration of justice. Institutions of
Education have diffused among the masses
the power of knowledge; Institutions of
Benerolence have ministered TO the chill
dren of sorrow the wise and noble charity
of the State; Institutions of Religion, sus-
tanned by the voluntary contributions of
ready sympathies of the people, and made
efficient by the selfdenying labors ofteach-
ers and ministers, have lent their powerful
support to public virtue and order, while
they have enforced the obligations Of pri-
vate duty, andcherished the aspirations of
individual faith.
Nor are these the only benefits which
demand our grateful acknowledgements
Peace is the opportunity of progress, and,
peace, unbroken, has prevailed throughout
our borders. The pestilence, which, in
former years, invaded and desolated so ma
ny homes, has not been permitted to ap-
proach US. Health, in unusual measure,
has cheered our homes and animated our
labors.
From this pleasing survey, it is my du-
ty 10 proceed to more detailed exposition
of the condition of the State.
The primary interests Of Ohio, connect
themselves closely with the ownership and
cultivation of the soil.
The whole area of the State, according
to the computions of the Federal authori-
Lies, contains 39,964 square miles, or 25,-
SCI, 800 acres. A little more than half
century ago not an acre Of this area had
been cleared for cultivation or even reduced
to private ownership.
The Federal Government asserted an
exclusive proprietary title in the whole, ex-
cept that portion included in the Connecti-
cut Reservation. The hardy pioneers who
pushed forward into the wilderness, were
compelled to buy of the government or its
grantees the very soil which they subdued.
The whole burthen of contributions for the
support of the State and its institutions,
was east upon the land thus purchased
The land of the Government was wholly
exempt; and the contributions of the Gov
eminent by grants of land IN aid of public
Improvements were insignificant in compar-
ison with the enhanced value of the un-
granted lands.
Notwithstanding these serious disadvan-
tages the process of purchase and settle
ment has gone steadily forward until more
than twelve millions of acres, occupied for
agricultural purposes, and nearly thirteen
millions more, elassed as uncultivated, have
become private property, and contribute to
the public revenue.
When, in 1902, Ohio became a State in
the American Union, every other Of the
seventeen members of the confederacy was
more popuious and better cultivated, and
six had larger areas. Now, although tie
number ofthe States has increased to thir-
ty-one, of which nineteen are larger than
Ohio, not one surpasses her in the extent
and variety of her agricultural products.
A general outline of the gradual conver-
sion Of public into private ownership, will
reward attention.
Prior to 1908, the returns of lands held
by individual proprietors are meagre and
unsatisfactory. In 1910, the number OF
acres thus owned was 9,953, ,l01. In
1920 this quantity had increased to 49,
319,O43 acres: in 1880, estimating the
quantity for two counties from which there
were no returns, to 16,199,6s2 acres; In
1910, estimating for one county, to 49,
740,2e1 acres; in 1850, to 21,9Sl,3
acres; and in 1855, to 25,220,063 acres
These quantities are exclusive to Town and
City lots. Nearly all the land in the
State, it will be observed, has thus become
private property, and is subject TO taxation.
The facts disclosed by these returns,
suggest question of the correctness of the
Federal estimate of the area of the State.
The difference between the returns of lands
for 1855, and the entire area as computed
at Washington, is, only 256,ss7 acres. 1t
can hardly be doubted that larger guam
tity than this is included within the limits
ofthe fifteen hundred cities and towns emu
merated in the Equalization Report for
1858, and in the exemptions from taxation
allowed by law. There remained, more
over ON tho 2Qth of Luna lact aooordiror fc