The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-12-03

importancei of providing for thor
ough and comprehensive geological
survey of the State. Many years ago
partial survey was prosecuted under
many difficulties and embarrassments,
which was fruitful of many valuable
results. 1t is beyond doubt, that such
a work as it is now practical to'carryl
ont, will. by making known the min
ing, manufacturing and agricultural
resources of the State, lead to their
development to an extent which will,
within a few years, amply reimburse
the State for its cost. ieaoa 10 sgu
EXECUTIVE REPORTS. 8 a.r#.
The annual report Of the: pardons
granted and the commutation of the
sentences Of convicts required by law !;
a statement in detail of the expendi-
lures of the Governors Contingent
fund the semi-annual report af the
Commissioners of the Sinking Fund
for May; copies Of proclamations is
sued during the last year, and an ac-
acknowledgement Of the presentation to
the State of the portraits of the former
Governors Of Ohio, are transmitted
herewith. '21ho- .-a-Ls.lsl adH 70 ga
ABUSES OF THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.
The most important subject of leg
islation which, in my judgment, re-
quires the attention of. the General
Assembly at its present session, relates
to the prevention Of frauds upon the
elective franchise. Intelligent men of
all parties are persuaded that at the
recent important State and National
elections great abuses of the right of
suffrage were practiced. am not
prepared to admit that the reports
commonly circulated and believed in
regard te such abuses, would, SO far as
the elections in Ohio are concerned,
be fully sustained by a thorough in
vestigation of the facts. But it is not
doubted that even in. elections in our
own State, frauds were perpetrated to
such an extent that all good citizens
earnestly desire that effective meas
ures may be- adopted by You to pre-
vent their repetition. No elaborate
attempt to portray the consequences OF
this evil isrequired. If it isoto be al
lowed to increase, the confidence OF
the people in the purity of elections
will be lost, and the exercise of. the
right Of suffrage will be neglected.
To corrupt the ballot-box is to destroy
our free institutions. Let all good
citizens, therefore, unite in enacting
and enforcing laws which will secure
honest elections. 9g zeiT55.t tal.e4.H
REPRESENTATION or MINoRIrIEs IN
1'o'.i3' ELECTION BOARDS. fti'i .1i&
Isubmit to your judgment the pro.
priety Of such amendments to the
election laws as win provide, first, fol
the representation of minorities in the
Boards of the Judges and Clerks o1
the elections; and second, for the reg.
istratioy of all lawful voters in each
township, ward and election precinct
prior to the election. sFeN tsa15Is
That the boards Of election ought tc
be SO constituted that minorities al
Pwell as majorities viii have a fair rep
resentation in them, is 30 plainly Jus
that in some parts Of the State. ever
in times of the highest political ex
citement, such representation has beer
obtained, in The absence Of law, by ar
frangement between the committees o
the rival political parties. It is no
probable that any mode Of selecting
Judges ana clerks of elections can b,
adopted which viii, in every case, &C
complish this object. But in all case
where the strength of the minority il
half, or nearly half, as great as that o
the majority, the desired representa-
ton of the minority may be insured
with sufficient certainty by severa
different plans. For example, it ma.
1'be provided that at the election of tn,
three judges who are to decide al
| questions at the polls, each efector ma,
be allowed to vote for two candidate
only, and that the three candidate
having the highest number of vote
shall be declared elected, and in lik
4 manner that at the election Of the wv,
clerks Of elections each elector ma,
vote for one candidate only, and tina
the two candidates receiving the high
est number Of votes shall be declare,
|, elected. -', | ''' .'-'..
I do not lay particular stress upol
, the particular plan here suggested
but your attention is invited to tn
i. Importance Of fair representation o
the minority in all boards of elections
not doubling that your wisdom vii
be able, to devise suitable measure +
accomplish it. -. .,
, All parts Of the State Of Ohio ar
now SO closely connected with eac
other, and with other States, by line
of railway, that great and CONSTANT
!, increasing facilities are afforded 70
f the preparation of the class Of ffaud
: on the elective franchise, commonl
r known as "colonizing," In the citieI
, men called "repeaters," 1t is said, ar
: paid wages according to the numbe
: of unlawful votes they succeed ]
a casting at the same election. The n