Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-04-18
Ohio Legislature.
Friday, April II, 1868.
SENATE.

Friday, April IL, 1868.
SENATE.
MORNING SESSION.
The PRESIDENT called the Senate to
order at ten o'clock.
Prayer by Rev. III. M. Robertson.
The journal for the last two days was
read and approved.
SECOND READING.
Eight Senate bills were read the second |
time and referred to appropriate commit
tees.
THIRD READING.
Senate bill by Mr.. DANGLER-Deflning |
the duties and powers of the board of city |
improvement, relating exclusively to the |
city of Cleveland. was read the third time,
and passed-yeas 30, nays l.
This bill increases the duties and respon-
sibilities of the board of city improve
ments, and gives them the supervision, care
and control of the lighting, cleaning. i'm
proving, and repairing of all streets, lanes,
alleys, parks, public grounds, public
wharves or landings of the city, market
houses and spaces, bridges, sewers, culverts
and ship channels; and no improvement or
repairs therein shall be ordered or directed
by the city council, except on the report
and recommendation of the board of city
improvements.
House bill, by Mr.. WALLING-To pro-
vide for the establishment of bureau of
statistics in the office of the Secretary of
State, and to repeal certain act therein
named, was read the third time, and was
discussed at length by Mr.. Brooks, who
was In favor OF continuing the office of
Commissioner of Statistics, and by Messrs.
Dowdney and Stambaugh, who argued
that, under section of article 10, of the
State Constitution providing that "there
Il IN
States office, bureau of statistics, under
such regulations as may be prescribed by
law" the statistical bureau should apper-
tain to the office of Secretary of State.
Mr.. GODFREY coincided in the latter
view, and spoke of the unsatisfactory ma
| present Commissioner of Statistics.
Mr.. HALL was in favor ofcontinuing the
Office of Commissioner of Statistics.
Mr.. MAY was in favor of the bill, and
| thought the separate office OF CommiS-
sioner of Statistics unnecessary. He showed
how the statistical tables could be made up
| from official reports.
The vote was taken on the passage OF the
bill. and resulted:
YEAs-Messrs. Berry, Campbell, Carter,
Dickey, Dowdney, Emmitt, Evans, Cod
| frey, Hutcheson, Jamison, Kenney, Law
renee, Linn, May, Onderdonk, Rex, Scrib-
ner, Stambaugh, Winner-19.
IN
Corey, Dangler, Everett, Griswold, Hall,
Kessler, Kramer, Potts, Simmons, Terrence,
WoodwOrth-14.
So the bill was passed and is now law.
1t requires the Secretary of State to prepare
from official reports, and other reliable
sources, accurate and Ineligible tables of
| statistics of Ohio, and report the same to
| tine next General Assembly. 1t also makes
1t the duty OF any State, county or other
officer, without compensation, to answer
| fully and promptly such questions as may
be propounded to him by the Secretary OF
State for the purpose aforesaid. 1t abolishes
the office of Commissioner of Statistics, and
clerk for the purpose of completing his
statistical report, at a salary not exceeding
$500 year.
HOUSE AMENDMENTS CONQUERED IN.
The House amendments to Mr.. Rex's
| Senate bill amending several acts to pre-
serve the purity of elections so as to define
| with more precision the qualification as to
residence to be required of voter, especi
ally in the case OF students at academies
and colleges were concurred in by the Sem
ate-yeas 10, nays IA.
PENITENTIARY BILL.
Mr.. HUTCHINSON, from the committee
on the Penitentiarv, reported back Senate
| bill to amend sections seven, fifteen and
ern the Ohio Penitentiary, passed April l,
| 1867, and to repeal section four of the act
making provisions for carrying into effect
the acts for the punishment of crimes, pass
February 26, 1885, with the recommends
| tion of the majority of the committee that
the bill pass without amendment.
Mr.. HUTCHINSON said that the bill
under consideration was framed upon the
experience and observation of the Directors
| of the Ohio Penitentiary. He thought they
were gentlemen of such intelligence and
integrity, that entitled them to confidence.
He said there was no reason for fixing
minimum or maximum for prison labor
more than anything else in the way of
labor produce. The danger ofcombination
among contractors or bidders was greater
where the Legislature fixes the price of
convict labor than if left open. He had
read the opinion of the Directors on the
subject at the Clerks desk.
The merits of the bill were then further
discussed by Messrs. Hall, Dowdney, Dan
gler, Everett and Yeoman, the principal
point in controversy being the feature of
the bill abolishing the present minimum
rate of seventy cents per day for the hire of
convict labor, and leaving the price at
which such labor may be hired to the dis
cretion of the Directors.
On motion of Mr.. YEOMAN, the Senate,
at quarter to one O'Clock, took a recess
till three 2. NJ.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The PRESIDENT pro tenn. called the
Senate to order at o'clock.
THE PENITENTIARY BILL.
The question pending when the Senate
took recess being on ordering the en-
grossment of the Senate bill reported this
forenoon by Mr.. HUTCHINSON, from the
committee on the Penitentiary,
Mr.. BERRY moved the indefinite post
ponement of the bill.
Mr.. BROOKS did not like to see the bill
disposed of so summarily.
Mr.. GRISWOLD should vote for the
postponement of the bill, though he would
prefer that the bill should pass with the
minimum rate for the hire of convict labor
fixed at sixty cents.
Mr.. MAY was in favor of letting the
present system OF hiring convict labor re-
main unchanged. The system was work.
ing well, and he was for trying it for
| while longer.
MIR. EMMITT said that as there was no
competition for such labor as the convicts
performed, he was in favor of fixing some
limit to the price az which it should be let
| out, and was therefore opposed to the bill.
Mr.. HUTCHESON caused to be read at
| the Clerks desk extracts from the last re-
port of the Directors of the Penitentiary
on the subject under discussion.
Mr.. DANGLER, while he respected the
opinion of the Directors of the Peniten-
tiary, could not set up that opinion in op-
position to the combined wisdom of this
| institution. He was in favor of graduated
scale of prices for convict labor, depending
on the capabilities of the convict. A bet
ter system than we had now might be de-
vised, but he was il favor of the postpone
ment of the bill.
Mr.. HALL adduced facts to show that
the increased revenue from convict labor
| in the Penitentiary was due mainly to the
| reduced expenses of maintaining that in
stitution, and not to the minimum rate of
seventy cents for the hire of convict labor.
Mr.. POTTS regarded the opinion of the