The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-01-18

evils, which will address itself favo,ably {
the people Of the state, and thereby secur
their earnest support for its Enforcement.
II would be Of little practical benefit fo
your legislation on this subject to be in ad
vance Of public sentiment, but il shoul
fully meet the demands OF that sentiment.
STATE RtpoRM SCHOOL.
I have much satisfaction in communi
eating to you the official Report Of the pas
years operations Of the State Reform School
Many material improvements in regard 4
economy, general management, and discip
line have been introduced into its admin
istration. The enterprise should no longe
be regarded as an experiment. Brief as /
its history, IL has established its claim upel
the public confidence. Its success has re al
lied all the reasonable expectations of IT
early advocates. The practical examples o
reformation, which 1t has furnished, Civ
the most gratifying assurance OF its perma
nent usefulness. Its administration is ex
celleni. | commend the institution 10 YOU
fostering care.
STATE yINANCEs.
refer you to the Report of the Auditor TO
a detailed exhibit of the financial condition
OF the state, aud earnestly recommend to you
NfP'O'h' ANN HlhHi WHlIHp WIN Tue
renee Of the Fund Commissioners, he sub
nuts Tor the payment Ot our entire public
debt by means of taxation, without the re.
newal Of any Of the existing loans. Tn,
reasons presented by the Auditor in favor o
the immediate adoption Of this policy are
III nay judgment, unanswerable. The hole
amount OF our reducble debt, foreign, do
inestIc, and temporary, ia Sl4,25U, ,233 SO
which sum but little exceeds one aud a hall
ref crn'um or the taxable value OF the state,
amounting to 500, 100000, in round num-
bers. With such resources at her command
1t 'loeS not seem reasonable that Ohio should
look to loans to meet her accruing liablll.
ties-so incOnSldetable when compared with
her reSOurces-unless the Increased tax oveI
The present levy which will DC required "a
meet those liabilities within n reasonable
time. would impose an uun :cessarily heavy
burden upon the people. Such ! dc mol
link would result from the adoption Of the
proposed plan.
The levy for the year 1861 Tor the payment
" the interest and the gradual r~.iu"''or NJ
he public debt Is one aud four .enthS Ot q
NIL on the dollar. The same levy contin.
led, would result in the re luctIon Of the
,ubliC debt III January 1871, 10 the sum OF
/ $40 ,392 ~. The amount to be raised
n the meantime to meet the acctuing Intef-
.st and principal of the debt by taSation--
III the other sources Of the Sinking Fund
,rIng nearly rShauSted-wo'.' ID be 50, 16U,.
93 81, making the sums PAID TO January
S7l, and TO be paid thereafter on the prIn.
ipal Of the debt, s2l ,i3O. t65 IL.
Instead OF adheriug 10 thIS mode Of paying
he public debt, the Auditor proposes an
'ddillon oi slx.tenihs Of n mill on the dollar
. the present lew. making the entire levy
wO mills on the dollar, which will provide
sufficient sum TO meet the accruing inter-
st, and those portions of the principal OF
he debt maturing PRIOR to, aud on the first
aY oi January, l>7i, lsavng then only
i,0OO,0 of the deb, unpaid. Under this
'san the amount of puneipal pad from
anuary !. 1901.
See synopsis Of Message in last weeks issue ]
THIS is ,s5G, 1891 O4 less than would
ave to BE- paid undrr the present system
'rIJr 10, anG on the first day of January,
>iI. To this favorable showing Of the re.
alas Of the proposed plan of paying the
Inblic debt, il should be added that while
lir INCREASED taxation necessary 10 consum.
nate the ptln will amount to less than
wenty five cents year, 10 each Inhlbttant
I The state, alter the year 1870, the people
'.ll he relieved of three. fllhS OF tins levy,
S the remaining twO.iiiths will yield a Suf-
clcni sum to Meet the interest, aud pro.
idr tor the payment, at its maturity, OF the
cmllninE four mIil;Ons of the public debt.
The appTaisement of real estate, sub lrct
D taxation, made III 1859, as corrected aud
quailzed 10y the State Board 0i Equalization
iSt Winter, was carried 10 the grand duplI.
ate OF the state Of lsGO. The quantity ui
and not IN cities and villages, MS entered
ppn the duplicate Of 1850, is 25,5iI,7Oj
crrs.
The taxes leyld by local authorities amount
- I,JI3,963 II, making a total Of So,
i I,oib 81 LEVIED on the duplicate Of 1880
REDUCTIONS or LOCAL TAXATION.
| rom these exhibits, it will be seen that
he taxes levied for local and municipal
purposes tar exceed, IN amount, those levied
" state purposes. | cannot doubt thai
with proper vigilance and economy, The
ocd. taxes might he considerably lesSened
The property holderS Of our cities most par.
lcularly feel these burdens, aud with srea
Hsace ask loI some prescribed limit to loca
aNa'ion. Ample authority is gwen by The
ynnstitution 70 the Legislature TO restrict
lie leyies Of municipal governments.
'''E'AI N1lA sbHl dhlCHNlDH " kHlS lIU-
lorlant subject, and trust that you may he
ibIe 20 provide some relief for the people,
rom the oppressive local taxes with " hich
hey are now UuIdened.
ANLNDMEsr TO THE TREASURY LAW.
invite your attention TO the suggestions
II the Treasurer Of State, relating 20 the
description OF funds 10 be received IN pay.
nent OF the public dues. Tn, law eslab-
IShIng the independent treasury, while pro.
ldins for the gradual prohibition of pay
nrntS IN paper money by the State aud
,ouny TreaSurers, an,i restricting the pay
Nenis TO gold and SILVER after the fourth day
II July, 1865, does not prescribe, nor does
my other law prescribe, the kind Of funds
o he received by those omcers. THIS is
nanfestly defect IN the law, aud incon
Stent with its framework and purpose
The responsibility ought not to be imposed
lpon the Treasnrers, to prescribe the kind
VI funds to be received in payment Of the
public dues. This should be done by the
irurral Assembly. Ny own opinion is,
hat the public interests woull be promoted
~ restricting such payments 10 specie. and
he notes of the specie paying banks OF this
state, AMI respectfully recommend that the
.aw be amended accordingly.
BANKS AMI BANKING.
The subjects OF banking and currency, all
dress themselves with equal force and di.
rectness to the people Of the state. What
ever theories we may entertain on these
sub bjects; whatever ingenious and beautiful
visions of a people without banks, and gold
aud silver their only currency, the practical
realities are before us:--We have banks; W,
have paper money. As matter OF fact
banking is but one Of the divisions Of iabo
into which commerce is subdivlded, ant
among every commeTclal people the busl
ness proper OF the Banker is ind snensabl,
as that OF the Shipper. Transporter, or Con
slgner, IN ,ransac,ing the business Of th,
country. The practical question which AL
dresses itself to the Legislator, is not. wheth
er the state may or may not dispense wit
the use Of all banks, but what is the hes
system or plan OF banking for the people 70
whose interests he is called upon to act, an,
how, and to what extent should it be ap
plledl
And so also OF the currency Of tie state
SO long as the people OF Ohio are in busi
ness connection with the people of othe