The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-01-19

seemed to have arisen in which public
officers ought to take the responsibility
of providing the means necessary to pro-
tect the State from great loss, and the
citizens, dependent on the canal for
transportation, from great injury. The
responsibility was taken; the means
were provided by an advance from the
Treasury, unquestionably the most econ
omical mode; a larger amount than the
sum advanced was saved to the Treas
ury in tolls, and the benefits of the nav
igation we're secured to the people of
the locality. I am still Of opinion that
this money was prudently and properly
advanced. A public officer who, in
times Of overruling emergencies, will
not take responsibilities clearly neoes,
sary to the public good, as little deserves
confidence, as he who rashly assumes
them on ordinary occasions and without
necessity. 1t will be for you to deter
mine whether the action of tho Treas
urer shall receive the legislative sane
tion which the last General Assembly
omitted to give.
1t gives me great pleasure to say,
that in the department Of Public In
struction constant progress and regular
improvement have been conspicuous.
It's burdens, however, now press
somewhat heavily upon the resources
Of the people.
Prior to the adoption of the present
Constitution, the fund annually raised
by general taxation, and distributed to
the counties, was comparatively small.
For several years the sum for distribu-
ton was fixed at S400,000 less than
one-fourth of which was derived from
general taxation. After time this an
nual sum was reduced, for a number Of
years, to S15O,OOO; but finally increased
TO 100000. During this period in the
history Of our schools, somewhat larger
sums than that derived from the State
were annually raised by local taxation;
but the aggregates from all sources,
State and local, did not reach third
of the totals under the existing sys-
tenn
The tax for Schools and School Lii
braries now constitutes somewhat more
than three-eighths of the entire levies
for State purposes, and nearly one
fourth of those for local purposes. The
State and local school taxes in 1853
were S2,781 ,S24, or nearly one-third Of
the aggregate levies for all purposes
In 1859, the same levies amounted to
.S2,792,178, and bore about the same
proportion to the whole These facts
will suggest to the Legislature and to
the local authorities the necessity Of
prudence and the most careful econo-
my.
Few citizens, trust, arc disposed to
abridge the means and opportunities Of
education, now offered to the youth of
the State They know that the power
created by education, and made availa-
bic in all forms of labor, in all pro-
cesses Of art, and in every sphere Of
useful action, is worth many times its
cost. They feel, however, that the cost
is great, and care is needed, lest by i'm
providence and extravaganza disaffec-
ton may be excited towards a system
so benefcont.
With a view to the increased eficien-
cy Of the system I again direct the at
tention of the Legislature to the pro-
priety Of more effective aid to Teachers
Institutes, and Of some provision for
agents to be appointed by the State
to fulfil those duties of
addressing public meetings and conferr-
ing personally with local authorities,
now imposed on that officer, but impos-
sible to be adequately performed with
out prejudice to demands on his time
and attention even more important.
With view to greater economy it'll
deserves inquiry whether some addi-
tional limitations may not be usefullyl
imposed on the powers now exercised
by the township Boards of Education.
The interest of the Irreducible Debit
arising from sales of School Lands is
now distributed among the counties ac-
cording to their respective interests in
such lands. In the counties it is again |
among the townships in pro |
portions determined by similar conside-
rations.
It cannot be doubted that the FEEDER
al Government, in granting these lands,
equal benefits to all parts of |
the State. The terms Of the grants, |
however, we're originally construed as
vesting the title to them in the State for
the use Of tho townships in which the
sections sixteen we're situated or for
tho use Of larger districts for which
provision was made by grants of land
not within their limits. Whether this !
construction was correct OF not, it may
not now be worth while to enquire To
has long been acted on, and may per-
haps be regarded as settled. It defeats,
however, to a certain extent, tho equal !
intent Of the grant; imposes great labor
on the State and County Auditors; per
ploxos the public accounts; aud embar
rasses somewhat the general operation
of our school system.
Upon examination Of the appOrtion-
ment among the counties of the whole |
fund thus distributed, / am satisfied that
very little, If any, cause of complaint
would arise, if the various divisions of
the Irreducible Debt into Virginia Mil
itary, United States Military, Section
Sixteen, Section Twenty Niu0, Western
Reserve and Moravian, were oousolida-
ted into one fund, and the whole inter
est distributed among the counties in