Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-04-21
Editorial Notes from the State Capital.

in their anxiety to return TO their
farms and home business, and there
is every day more or less clamor fo1
aGjOurning soon. If we close up in
even two weeks from this, at least five
hundred bills will fail to reach a third
reading, andof this number several are
important. The municipal code which
has passed the Senate has yet to be
acted upon in the House, andI judge
from the movements of some of the
Cleveland Democratic politicians, that
efforts will be made to amend the
Senate bill so as to accommodate a
special locality. 1t is the tinkering OF
laws for the benefit of private or par
ticular ends that retards, confuses,
eomplicates, and, it is not exaggera-
ting the fact to say, vitiates legislation
TO the public detriment.
ASYLUMS.
The Senate has adopted a resolution
authorizing the rebuilding of the Gen.
tral lunatie asylum on the old site of
the building burned last November
The Senate also favors the building
Of new asylum for the blind, on the
grounds where the present asylum is
located. The House will probably
agree.
THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
Is a dead drag, and if it is located this
session it will be driven through
under whip and spur" in the last
hours.
FREE TRADE IN MONEY.
A-bm to authorize "free trade'' in
interest on money was discussed in
the House on Thursday, but a vote
was not reached, and the bill was
made a special order for Wednesday,
21st inst. 1t is not likely to pass.
TEN PER CENT.
Is not likely to be r~esuseitated for
another effort this session. For some
reason it seems even more unpopular
than ''free trade" 1t Is my opinion
that the usury laws will not be
changed by this legislature. The
people, however, will do pretty much
AS they please in lending and borrow
ing, especially in lending. No one
thinks of getting a loan now short Of
9 to u per cent, and the bankers and
brokers prefer TO keep the interest law
Just as it is, rather than that a string
ent ten per cent. act should be passed,
involving heavy forfcitures in use of
excessive usury. As long as the gov
eminent pays sever and three-tenths
per cent. Interest on bonds exempt
from taxation, money will not be
plenty at six per cent. Ohio would in
80 days have two or three millions of
dollars of capital poured in here for
investment if a ten per cent. law was
passed. But the popular prejudice is
strongly against such a law, and legis-
lators are much inclined to obey and
leave the consequences on the peoples
own heads. 1t is probably in .conso-
nance with the generally accepted
theory OF republican or democratic
government, for a representative to
obey the popular prejudice, but there
may be times when a representative
can not but feel s~elf-accused of moral
eowardice in not boldly doing that
which his own Judgment would lead
him to do, in spite of popular protest.
Very few there are, it is TO be feared,
who are willing to face a frowning
constituency or die fora principle. 1t
is sometimes amusing to see how very
much more sOlicitOus men are to ascer-
tain how n certain matter will be re-
ceived by the people, rather than to
know whether they are on the right
OF the wrong side of the question. AS
/ heard one poor fellow say: 81 be-
lieve that bill il right and ought to
pass, but if / vote for it my people
would never vote for me for another
ONCE in Gods world" This he re-
garded rs quite good enough excuse
for voting contrary to his better judg-
ment.
SENSATION
Was created in the House, which it is
said even extended to the venerable
Senate, q few days since, by the report
that an interesting case Of varioloid,
or modified smallpox, was amongst
us.n II turned oft that Speaker
THoRNHILL had contracted the dis
ease during a late visit to his son, who
had been TO New York and brought
the disease home with him. Mr..
THORNHILL is now confined at the
Neil House, and the members are
specializing as to the probabilities of
the ''infernal thing" spreading. Vac
cinatiOn is popular, and DIS. BROOKS
and SIssLER have ~vaccinated at least
half of the members of the House, and
in q few days, il the ''thing takes" a
good healthy griPonthe victims, there
will be a couple ofgross of as miserable,
cross-grained "cussssu around here as
can be found in the State. If the
smallpox should appear to have a
fondness for Legislators, 1 am disposed
to think the General Assembly will
hardly wait upon the order of its
going, but go instanter. 1t would be
a grim old joke for this sublime body
to be forced TO adjourn by reason Of
apprehension of a loathsome disease
imported by the great mogul of the
House. Our Democratic friends will
have enough else to answer for with
out being responsible for introducing
and distributing the smallpox over
the State
THE COMMISSIONERS BILL.
The Senate has passed the LEETE
bill, previously passed by the House,
authorizing county commissioners to
purchase land for the use Of court
houses, jails and county infirmaries,
and to erect buildings thereon. The
Senate amended the bill 30 as to
large their power over bridges. II the
House agrees to this amendment, the
bill will then become a law. 1 have
hardly a doubt of its final passage. If