Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-01-29
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
-..--.--.- .- OF 1000. ..t
GEN RUTHERFORD B. HAYES,
coYERSoR OF ONO,
Delivered before the Ohio Legis-
lature, Monday. Jan. Is, 1888.

lTGlttLCLtft ~ Lftc slcfttt 1AOuoc u
reseptatiges, and FsilO'O- CitiseAs:;
iu,T The duty. deyolsed on the Governor
by the Constitution of communicating
! by message to the General Assembly
4 the condition of the State, and Of rec
ommending such measures as he deems
expedient, has been performed at the
present session by my predecessor,
Governor Cox, in a manner so thorough
land. comprehensive that do not fell
called upon TO enter upon discussion
of questions touching the administra-
ton of the State Government.
can think of no better reward for
the faithful performance of the duties
of the Office which l am about 10 as
sumo, than that which, believe, my
immediate predecessor is entitled to
enjoy,-the knowledge that in the
opinion of his fellow citizens of al
parties, he has, by his culture, his
ability and his integrity, honored the
Office of Governor of Ohio, and that
he now leaves it with a conscienc5s sat
isfed with the discharge of duty.
1 congratulate the members of the
General Assembly that many of the
questions which have hitherto largely
engaged the attention of the isN-mak-
ing power. and divided the people of
the State, have, in the progress OF
events, either been settled, or in the
general judgment of the people, been
transferred for investigation and de
cision to the National Government
The State debt, taxation, the currency
and internal improvements, for many
years furnished the prominent topics
Of discussion and controversy in Ohio.
In the year 1915 the State debt reach
ed its highest point. 1t amounted TO
20.0lS,5l5 G7, and, in the same year
the total taxable property Of the State
was Sl36, l42, ,666. With a disorded
currency, with business Frustrated,
with labor often unsufficiently reward
ed, the burden of this debt was severe
lly felt. and question in regard to it
naturally entered into the partisan
struggles of the time. Now the State
debt Is Sll, OBJ, ,94I sc; the taxable
property of the State amounts to ST.
13S,T54,T99; and there IS no substantial
difference Of opinion among the peo-
pie as to the proper mode Of dealing
with this subject. .
State taxation was formerly the oc-
casion of violent party contests. Now
men of all parties concur in the opin-
ion that as a general rule every citizen
ought to be taxed in proportion to the
actual value of his property, without
regard to the form in which he prefers
to invest II; and differences as to the
measures by which the principle is
/ practically applied, rarely enter into
political struggles in OHIO.
Party conflicts and debates as to State
laws IN relation TO banking and the
currency, constitute large part of the
lpolitical history of the State. But the
events of.the last few years have con-
vineed those who are in favor of pa
per currency, that in the present con-
dition of the country it can best be
furnished by the National Government,
either by means of National banks or
in the form of legal tender treasury
notes. State Legislatures are therefore
relieved from the consideration of this
difficult and perplexing subject.
| Internal improvements made by
State authority, so essential. to growth
|
the State, no longer require much con-
sideration by the General Assembly
Works of a magnitude too great to be
undertaken by individual enterprise,
will hereafter be, for the most part,
accomplished by the Government of
the Nation.
The part which patriotism required
Ohio to take in the war to suppress the
Rebellion, demanded important and
frequent acts of legislation. Fortu-
nately the transactions of the State
growing out of the war have been, or
probably can be, closed under existing
laws, with very little, if any, addition
al legislation.
If not mistaken as to the result of
this brief reference to a few of the
principal subjects Of the legislation of
the past, the present General Assembly
has probably better opportunity than
any of its prede cessors to avoid the evil
of too much legislation. Excessive leg
islation has become great evil, and !
submit to the judgment of the General
Assembly the wisdom of avoiding it.
One importantquestion of principle,
as old as our State Government, still
remaines unsettled. All are familiar
with the conflicts to which the policy
ofmaking distinctions between citizens
in civil ana political rights has given
rise in Ohio. The first effort Of those
who opposed this policy was to secure
to all citizens equality of civil rights.
The result of the struggle that ensued
is thus given by an eminent and hon
ored citizen Of our State.
1.-THE laws which created disabilities
on the part of negroes in respect TO
civil rights, were repealed in the year
lS49, after an obstinate contest quite
memorable in the history of the State.
fTheir repeal was looked upon with
great disfayor by large portion of the
people, aa a dangerous innovation up-
on q jus. and well settled policy, and a
vote in that direction consigned many
members of the Legislature to the re-
pose of quiet life. But l am not a.
ware that any evil results justified
these apprehensicns, or that any effort
was made to impose the disabilities.
On the contrary, the new policy, If