Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-01-07

increase, aud o. length a marked decline took
place. Within the asst few years the outlay for
repairs ond Improvements has exceeded the in-
come. The real deficiency last year after de-
ducting the extraordinary disbursements direct
ed by the Legislature, was not large; but there
is little room for hope that it will be less here.
after, while there is much ground for npprehep.
sion that II will be greater, 1t will certainly DO
greater, unless the introduton Of steam navipa.
tion or other circumstances now unforeseen. shall
enable the canals to sustain less disadvantage
the railroad competition. The cost of these
works, however, has doubtless been repaid 10
the State IN the increased value Of lands in the
counties through which they extend And this
consideration may well abate the censures which
The debt contracted fer their construction is apt
to provoke while il suggests caution aud pru-
dence IN dealing with interests so important as
are involved in their disposal.
/ have heretofore expressed tho opinion that
they should not be retained under State man
agement, II sale can be effected at a reason
able price, and under such restrictions and guar
antics as will secure to the people the benefits
Of transportation originally contemplated. -
That opinion remains unchanged. With eco
nomical management IN private hands, the ca
pals can probably be made sufficiently product.
i've TO warrant the investment of considerable
sum in their purchase. The reduction Of the
debt by the same amount aud relief from taxa
ton of interest, recommend the sale to the peo-
pie at large while the suggested restrictions
and guarantees will prevent any loss or incouve-
nience TO the inhabitants Of the canal counties.
The State stocks in turnpikes aud railroads
should not be included in any sales, unless the
interest on the price will equal the revenue now
derived from them. l recommend that authori-
ty be given to the Governor to appoint an
,,.stI H..
dition Of all the companies in which the State
holds stock The productiveness of these in
vestments would have no doubt, be greatly
enhanced by such an investigation.
Should you regard sale of the Canals as in
expedient, and, in any case so long as they re.
main under State management, the proprety Of
strict compliance, in their administration, with
the directions Of the Constitution will not be
questioned. The separation Of them into sew
eral divisions, and the assignment of each divi-
sion to the control of q single member of the
Board of Public Works, independent, in most
important respects of the Board itself seems
to me not only inexpedeDt but of more than
doubtful constitutionality. l Recommend,
therefore, such modification 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 commits
to its superintendance.
also recommend the restoration Of that
provision of the act of 1874, by which the
Governor, with the advice and consent of
the Senate, is authorized to appoint collect
ors and inspectors and renew the rec
ommendation addressed to your predeces-
sors, of more stringent provisions regnlat-
ing the settlement of accounts for repairs
and other expenses of the canals. Under
the law as it now stands, there is too mnch
room for abuse, to the serious prejudice of
the pnblic interest.
During the year 1858, rs was fully ex-
planned to your predecessors, the sum OF
$l6.333 was advanced by the Treasurer of
State, upon my advice, concuTring with
that of the other Executive Officers, for
repairs of the Hooking Canal, greatly in
jured and seriously endangered by recent
floods. The emergency did not permit de.
lay /; and as the Legislature had made no
provision for extraordinary emergencies, an
occasion seemed TO have arisen in which
public officers ought to take the response
bility Of providing the means necessary to
protect the State from great loss, and the
citizens dependent on the canal for trans.
portaton, from great injury. The respoR-
sibility was taken the means were PROV
ded for by an advancement from the Trea-
sury, unquestionably the most economical
mode larger amount than the sum ad
vanced was saved to the Treasury in tolls,
and the benefits of the navigation we're se
cured to the people of the locality. am
still of opinion that this money was pru-
IDENTIFY and properly advanced A public
officer who, in times of overrnling 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
cessity. 1t will be for yOu to determine
whether the octon of the Treasurer shall
receive the legislative sanction which the
last General Assembly omitted to give (,
til gives me great pleasure to say, that in
the department of public Instruction con-
stant, progress and regular improvement
have been conspicuous.
It's burdens, however, press somewhat
heavily upon the resources of the people.
Prior to the adoption of the present
J Constitution, the fund annually raised by
general taxation, and distributed to the
counties was comparatively small. Fol-
several years the sum for distribution was
fixed at 5000 900 less than one-fourth o
which was derived from general taxation
After time this sum was reduced for {
number of years, TO $3.50, 900 bat fually
increased to 100000 During this perioC
in the history of our schools, somewha
larger sums than that derived from tb,
. State were annually raised by local taxa
tion but the aggregates from all sources
State and local, did not reach One-lhird o
f the totals too existing system.
The tax for School and School Librarie
! now constitutes somewhat more than three
eighls of the entire leves for State purpose
and nearly One-fourth of those for loca
purposes. The State ana local school tax
es in 1858 were 2,78l, ,s24, or nearly one
third of the aggregate levies for all purpo
: ses. In 1859 the same Ievies amounted Il
f $2,792,l7 and bore about the same pro
portion to the whole These facts will sUg
gest to the Legislature and to the local all
; thorities the necessity Of prudence and tn
most careful economy.
Nm oit;1ane I t.,,sf ora 1icpnpaI 4