Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-01-10

4
This is one view Of the case. Let ms Tool,
at the other. Many intelligent citizens urge
that Public Works by n proper system o
management, and graduation OF tolls, can bc
made not only self sustaining, but a source Of
revenue to the State. There aro many, and
weighty reasons why this should be thorough
ly tested, before we abandon these costly
ami Important works. Large investments
have been made on the line of these works
as is claimed under an implied pledge on the
part of the State. that they should be kept In
/ permanent ambition for use. An abandon.
ment of she canals, or their sale without d
sufficient guaranty for their maintenance
would be ruinous to the parties Interested
10 would dcpreciate tho value Of property to
an amount exceeding the cost Of the canals
In 1923, Congress granted nearly half mil.
lion of acres of land, between Dayton and the
mouth of the Auglaize river for canal con.
struction. This was upon the condition eX-
pressed in the deed OF conveyance, "that said
canals, when completed, shall forever remain
public highways for the use of the Govern
mcnt of the U. s., free from tolls or other
charge whatever. fer any property of the U.
5. or persons in their service passing through
the same" These lands were accepted by
the State of Ohio with this condition. They
have been sold, and the proceeds have been
applied to the purposes ofihe grant If these
canals are sold, or pass out of the hands OF
the State, how is this promise to be fulfilled
to the General Government
On most Of the canals, and especially on
the Muskngum improvement, there are out
standing leases ofwater power by the State,
for ninety-nine years, renewable forever, and
in some instances there are contracts In lieu
of former grants, in perpctuity. These con-
tracts impose obligations on the State that
] l..1 Al. i'll,
be protected If the State dispose Of her inter
est in these worksl
1t is urged that ifthe Canals are sold they
will ultimately be controlle by the Railroad
Corporations o the State, the effect of which
will be to so diminish transportation on the
canals as to result in their virtual abandon
ment; the effect of which, in turn, would be to
create such monopoly in the railroads as to
materially increase the tariff of transporta-
ton, and conflict with the well established pol
icy of every commercial State to multiply
rather than to lessen the avenues of trade
Even if the support OF canals shall impose a
small tax, it isworthy ofconsderat on whoth
cr the incidental benefits of the counties not
upon or adjacent thereto, by reason of lesser
rates Of transportation, might not more than
compensate for the tax.
There are thirty-siX counties in Ohio, on or
contiguous to our Public Works, leaving fifty
two counties dependent mainly upon rivers,
lake or railroads for their avenues to market
The canal counties are mainly those that were
without natural outlets to a market. tits in
structive tepote their present position in re-
gard to population and wealth BY the CEN
sus of 1850, the thirty six canal counties have
population of ,lS3, ,2S6; while the hfty two
other counties have population of ,I9O, 1877.
The thirty six canal counties have an aggre
gate of s t59, ,253 ,492 on he tax list. The iif
ty-two other counties have an aggregate Of
S420, ,2G3, 7G7.
AS large portion orthis valnc in the canal
counties has arisen from the existence of the
canals, so their destruction wnuld seriously
deprecinte the same, and the basis Of taxation
being correspondingly lcssened, the burden
OF the public debt and the Ginary expenses
OF the government would thus he proportion
ally increased upon the remaining property OF
the State. Whether a sale can be made on
such terms as will secure to the people the
fun use of these public works is question
Which addresses itself to the C careiul consider
alton of the General Ass mbly.
The report of the Board If Public Works,
and the Auditor of State contain many facts
connected with this subject that will ] aid in
yeur Investigations. So large an interest. in
volving so important questions OF public pol.
icy, and such vast pecuniary results should
not be disposed of without the maturcst con-
After giving the subject my ear
nest attention, | am constrained to repeat
my former recommendation, and suggest the
passage of a joint resolution authorizing the
commission of three gentlemen OF large ex-
pcrience and capacity, whose special duty 1t
shall be to make detailed examination OF the
entire subject, and report to the Governor at
the earliest practicable period, such changes
and notifications in our canal laws, as in their
judgment may be desirable, to lessen the ex-
pcnscs, or to Augment the income so as at
least, to make the canals self sustaining.
invite your special attention to the report
of the Adiutant General. The subject of our
State militia should not fill place in an Ex
ecutive Message merely because the Consti-
tuition cnjons upon the General Assembly the
necessary legislation to render it effective. 1t
demands more considerate attention. The
Report referred to presents a clear and prac
tical outline of the system established by law
and regulations, the burdens under which it
struggles, and the necessity of legislative ac-
tiOn in its behalf
The organized militia ofIhe State numbers
at present a little less than twelve hundred
men. These are uniformed, armed and equip
ped, and are for the most pat in a. Commend.
able state Of discipline. The unorganizef
militia, subject to be drafted Tor military du-
ty in the event of insurrection or invasion,
in 1859, to 900 men; and the
entire dsposable force of tho State, at the
present time, is about 2S5, 900 able bodied
men
The Constitution reqnires the enrolment of
all white citizens, residents of this State, be
ing Is years Of age and under i5 years Of
age, in the militia. The law Of March 27,
1857, provided for such enroll llment; but SO
much of it as relates to that subject has been
| recommend the revival ofthc re-
pealed sections.
The present militia system. | am advised,
has received the favorable notice Of officers of
the army, and military men of other States;
but no system can work successfully unaided
by the State. The experiment, wherever
tried, has failed
The citizen soldier is necessarily sub
iected to a continual expense. By exist
ing laws the State shares no part of the
burden in maintaining our present mill
tia system. The bill which passed one
branch Of the General Assembly at its
last session, proposing an allowance, to
each well deciplined company, OF GER
tain annual sum for the care and keeping
Of the public arms, is in the right dircc-
lion, But | submit, with great Difference,
whether the basis of that bill should not
be enlarged, both rs regards the sum to
be appropriated to each company, anc the
number of the uniformed militia to be
aided, Certain it i. that two thousand |
of a militia-the estimate upon which the
ann, in th,t lnn - h,,ol :, , nnn, bor