Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-01-19
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
BY GOVERNOR HAYES.

d2O. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. VI lAAC
of the state government was given
and such measures were recommend
ed as the public good seemed to me Il
require. 1t will, therefore, not be ex
pected that on this occasion l should
again discuss subjects pertaining tC
the usual routine of legislation.
The most important questions con
cerning state affairs which in the or
dinaTy course of events will engage
the attention of the people of Ohio
during the term of Office upon which
l now enter. are those which relate K
the action of a constitutional conven
ton authorized to be called by vote
of the people at the October election
in 1871. The present organic law pro
vides for the submitting to the elect
ors of the state once in twenty years
the question of holding "a Conven
ton to revise, alter or amend the Con
stitution.u 1t is no disparagement o
the work of the last Constitutions
Convention to say that experience has
already demonstrated the wisdom o
this provision. 1t would be strange
indeed, if the last eighteen years haC
developed no defect in the Constitu
ton of 1851.
1t is perhaps not improper at thi:
time to call attention to some of the
amendments of the existing funda
mental law which the next Constitu.
tional Convention will probably b(
required to consider.
The provision of the present Con-
stitution which prohibits the general
assembly from authorizing "any coun'
ty, city, town or township, by vote o.
its citizens or otherwise" from giving
aid to any company corporation or as
sociation," =" was designated to remedy
an evil of the gravest magnitude
Unlimited power to authorize cOun'
ties, cities and towns to subscribe tC
the stock of railroad companies, had
burdened the people of the state with
Indebtedness and taxation to an eX'
tent which threatened bankruptcy
Experience has shown that the clauses
of the Constitution on this subject are
so sweeping that they are almost
equivalent to a prohibition of the con-
struction of railroads, except where
those who control the existing rail
road lines furnish the means. In
many localities the people are thus
deprived of the only instrumentality
for intercourse with other parts of the
state and country, which is now re-
garded as valuable. By reason of il
important sources of wealth in large
sections of the state remain undevel-
oped. 1t is believed that amend
ments can be framed under which
effective local aid can be furnished
for the building ofrailroads, and which
at the same time, shall be so guarded
and limited as to prevent dangerous
abuse of the power.
For many years political influence
and political services have been essen
tial qualifications for employment IL
the civil service, whether state or ma
tional. AS a general rule such EN-
ployments are regarded as termina
ting with the defeat of the politica
party under which they began. Al
political parties have adopted thi
rule. In many offices the highes
qualifications are only attained by ex
perience. Such are the positions o
! the Warden of the Penitentiary am
/ his subordinates,a and the Superintned
ents of asyllms, and reformatoriei
and their assistants. But the rule i
applied to these as well as to othe
offices and employments. a chang
in the political character of the exc
! cutiye and legislative branches of the
government is followed by a chang
| Of the officers and employees in all o
! the departments and institutions o
the state. Efficiency and fidelity t
duty, do not prolong Unemployment
unftness and neglect of duty do no
always shorten it. The evils of thi
system in state affairs are perhaps o
small moment compared with thost
which prevail under the same system
| in the transaction of the business o
| the national government. But at NJ
distant day they are likely to become
serious even in the administration o
state affairs. The number of persons
employed in the various offices anC
( institutions of the state must increast
under the most economical manage
ment in equal ratio with the growti
/ of our population and business.
A radical reform in the civil servici
of the general government has beer
proposed. The plan is to make quail
| ficatiOns and not political service ant
influence the chief test in determining
appointments, ,andto give
in the civil service the same perma
nency of place which is enjoyed b!
officers of the army and navy. TIL,
| introduction of this reform will be at
tended with some difficulties. But il
revising our state constitution, if thi
object is kept constantly in view ,ther
is little reason to doubt that it can b
successfully accomplished.
Our judicial system is, plainly in
adequate to the wants of the people o
the state. Extensive alterations O
existing provisions must be made
The suggestions / desire to present il
this connection are as to the manne
of selecting judges, their terms o
office, and their salaries. 1t is foTtu
nately true that the judges of ou
courts have heretofore been, for tn
most part, lawyers of learning, abilit.
and integrity. But it must be remem
Ebered that the tremendous events an,
the wonderful progress Of the last fev
years are working radical changes il
the condition of our society. HitheT
to population has been sparse, proper
ty not unequally distributed, and tn
bad elements which so frequently con
troll large cities, have been almost un
known in our State. But, with a dens
population crowding into towns AM
cities, with vast wealth accumulatinI
in the hands of a few persons, or cor
porations, it is to be eapprehended tina
the time is coming when judges elect
ed by popular vote, for short officia
terms, and poorly paid, will not pos
sess the independence required to pro
tect individual rights. Under tn
National Constitution judges ar
nominated by the Executive and con
firmed by the Senate, and hold offic
during good behavior. 1t is worth,
of consideration whether a return t
the system established by the father
is not the dictate of the highest pru
dence. 1 believe that a system unde
which judges areso appointed, for lonj
terms, and with adequate salaries, af
ford to the citizen the amplest possible
security that impartial justice will b.
administered by an independent judi
ciary.
1 forbear to consider further at thi
time the interesting questions whicl
will arise in the revision and amend
ment of the Constitution. ConvinC
ed of the soundness of the max
i'm that ''that government is bes
which governs least" would resis
the tendency common to all system
to enlarge the functions of the gov