The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-01-11
WHOLE NUMBER 6t4.

sures which the debt contracted for ,heir
construction is apt to provoke whiIe Il suo.
gests caution and prudence In dealing with
interests so important as arc involved 10 their
DISPOSAL. .. l.
hive heretofore expressed the opinion
that they should not be retained under Stato
management, II sale can be effected N a
reasonable price, and under such restrictions
and guarantees as will secure to the ueouls
the benefit OF transportation originally cor.
templated. Tint opinion remqins unchaDg.
ed. With economical management, in pfi.
Vate hHnds, the canals can probably be made
sufficiently productive to warrant the invest.
ment of considerable sum in their purchase.
The reduction Of the debt by the same
amount, and relief from tax alton for interest.
recommend the sale to the people at lsree.
while the suggested restrictions and guarsn-
ties will prevent any loss or inconvenience
to the people of the canal counties. ,-
The State stocks in turnpikes and rail.
roads should not be included in anv sale. nm.
less the interest on the price will equal the
revenue now derived from them. RECON-.
mend that authority be given to the Govern.
or to appoint an agent with ample powers,
TO ascertain the condition of oil con,panies
h Ne
ductiveness OF these investments would, I
have no doubt. be greatly enhanced by such
On investigation.
Should you regard a sale of the Canals az
lnexpedient, and in any clss 80 long as they
remain under State management, the pro.
priety OF strict compliance in their admins.
tration with the directions Of the Constitu.
ton will not be questioned. The separation
of them into several divisions, and the ar.
signment of each division to the coutrol OF
single member of the Board of Public
Works, independent, in most important re-.
spects, of the Board itself, seems to me not
only inexpedient, but of more thai dc:h::G;;.
consttptonaIity. recommend, therefore.
such notifications of the act of the Last
General Assembly on this subject as will
secure to the whole Board the control of the
Public Works, which the Constitution com,
mts to its superintendence. also recon.
mend the restoration of that provision of the
act Of 1854, by which the Governor, by the
advice and consent OF the Senate, is suthor.
ICED to appoint collectors and inspectors.
and renew the recommendation addressed
to your predecessors, for more stringent pro.
visions regulating the settlement of accounts
for repair and other expenses on the canals.
Under the law, as it now stands there is too
much room for abuse, to the serious preiu.
dice of the public interests.
During the year 1858, as was fully ex.
ploined to your predecess ors, the sum of 49,
333 dollars was advanced by the Treasurer
OF State, upon my advice, concurring with
that of the other Executive OficeYs, for re,
pairs OF the Hooking Canal, greatly Injured
and seriously endangered by recent floods.
The emergency did not permit delay, aud az
the Legislature had made no provisions for
| extraordinary contingencies, an occasion
seemed to have arisen in which public of1.
GERS ought to take the responsibility of pro.
viding the means necessary to protect the
State from great loss, snd the citizens de-.
pendent on the canal for trans nsportation from
great injury. The responsibility was ia ken;
the means were provided by an advance from
the Treasury, unquestionably the most eco.
nomical mode; larger amount than the
sum advanced was saved to the Treasury in
tolls, and the benefits of the navigation were
secured to the people OF the locality. am
still of the opinion that the money was pru.
IDENTIFY and properly advanced. A public
officer who, in times of oyerruling emergen.
cies, will not take responsibilities clearly
necessary to the public good, as little de-.
serves confidence as he who rashly~ assumes
them on ordinary occasions and without ne
cessty. 1t will be for you to determine
whether the action of the Treasurer shall
receiv, the Legislative sanction which the
last General Assembly failed to give.
1t gives me great pleasure to say, that In
the Department of Public Instruction, con-
stant progress and regular improvem ent have
been conspicuous.
Its burdens, however, now press som mewhat
heavily upon the resources of the people.
| Prior to the adoption of the present G IN.
! stituto1, the fund annually raised by gene.
raj toxation, and distributed to the counties,
was comparatively small. For several years
the sum for distribution was fixed at 200. 900
dollars; less than one fourth Of which was
derived from the general taxation. After q
time this annual sum was reduced, for a
number of years, to $50 900 dollars but
finally incre 1sed TO 300 900 dollars. During
this period in the history Of our schools
somewhat larger sums than that derived
from the State were annually raised by local
tax ,tion; but the aggregate from all sources,
State and local, did not reach one third oil
the totals under the existing system.
The tax for schools and school libraries
now constitutes somewhat more than three
eighths of the entire leves for State par-
poses. The State and local school taxes ia
1858, were 75l. .524 dollars, or nearly one
4 third OF the aggregate lovios for ell PurPeeoS
In 1853. the same levies amounted TO 692,
l7S dollars, and bore about the same pro-
portion to the whole. These taets VII
suggest to the Legislature and to the ioeaI
authorities the necessity OF prudence anq tns
most careful economy. :,
Few citizens, ! trust. are disposed 70
obridge the means and opportunities OF eoa'
cation now offered to the youth ot the State
They know that the power created 6y ed
ucatiop, and made ryailabie in all forms o
> labor, n all processes Of art, and in every
> snhere of useful action, is worth many time'
ts cost. They feel, however, that the cost
: il great, and care is needed, lest BY improvl'
depce and extravaganza disatfectlon may %
excited towards q system so benlncens'
: With view to the increased enclency ol
!, the system again direct the attention o. tne
Legislature to the propriety OF more eHect
i've aid to Teachers Institutes, and OF some
provision for agents to be appointed py tne
State Commissioner to fulfill those duties o.
. addressing public meetings and eonierring
pers sonally with local authorities. now IN
posed on that officer, but impossible 20 q
adequately performed without preJuaice =
\ dem ands on his time and attention sFcu
more important. :. -.
i with a view to greater economy, = ue'
1 .o.vos innniry whether some additional lin.
!, n,;ons NAV not be usefully imposed 70 the
l hxS TAwmAhtn