Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-01-14
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF
Gov. r. B. HayGs=

| Governor Hayes and other State
officers elected last fall, were inau-
gurated last Monday. The follow
ing is the address of Governor
Hayes:
Gentlemen Of tie Senate and House
Of Representatives:
In the annual message transmit
ted to the General Assembly few
days ago,~a brief exposition of the
condition of the State Government
was given, and such measures were
recommended rs the public good
seemed to me to require. 1t will,
therefore, not be expected that on
this occasion l should again discuss
subjects pertaining to the usual rou
tine of legislation,
The most important questions
concerning State affairs which, in
the ordinary course of events, will
engage the attention of the people
of Ohio, during the term of Office
upon which / now enter, are those
which relate to the action of q Con-
stitutional Convention authorized to
be called by vote Of the people at
the October election in 1871. The
present organic law provides for
submitting to the electors of the
State once in twenty years the ques-
ton of holding "a convention to
revise, alter or amend the Constitu
tion.' 1t is no disparagement of
the work of the last Constitutional
Convention to say that experience
has already demonstrated the wis
dom of this provision. 1t would
be strange, indeed, if the last eigh-
teen years had developed no defects
in the Constitution Of 1851.
1t is perhaps not improper at this
time to cali attention to some of the
amendments of the existing funaa-
mental law which the next Constitu-
tional Convention will probably be
required to consider.
The provision Of the present Con
stitution whick prohibits the Gen
eral Assembly from authorizing
ANY county, city, town or town
ship by vote of it's citizens or other
wise," from giving aid to any "com-
pany. corporation or association
was designed to remedy an evil of
the gravest magnitude. Unlimited
power to authorize counties, cities
and towns, to subscribe to the stock
of railroad companies, had burdened
the people of the State with indebt-
edness and taxation 10 an extent
which threatened bankruptcy. Ex
perience has shown that the clauses
of the Constitution on this subject,
are SO sweeping that they are almost
equivalent to a prohibition of the
construction of railroads, except
where those who control the exist
ing railroad lines furnish the means.
In many localities the people are
thus deprived of the only instru-
mentality for intercourse with other
parts Of the State and country which
is now regarded as valuable. BY
reason of it's important sources Of
wealth in large sections of the State
remain undeveloped. 1t is believed
that amendments can be framed
under which affective local aid can
be furnished for the building of rail
roads, and which at the same time
shall be so guarded and limited as
to prevent dangerous abuse Of the
power.
For many years political in1u
ence and political services have been
essential qualifications for employ
ment in the civil service, whether
State or national. AS a general
rule, such employments are regar-
ded as terminating with the defeat
of the political party under which
they began. All political parties
have adopted this rule. In many
offices the highest qualifications are
only obtained by experience. Such
are the positions Of the Warden of
the Penitentiary and his subordi
mates, and the Superintendent of
asylums and reformatories, and
their assistants. But the rule is ap-
piled to these as we'll as to other
officers and employments. A change
in the political character of the ex
ecutive and legislative branches of
the Government is followed by a
change of the officers and employ
es in all the departments and insti-
tutions of the State. Efficiency and
fidelity to duty do not prolong the
employment; unfitness and neglect
Of duty do not always shorten it.
The evils of this system, in State
affairs, are perhaps of small mo-
ment, compared with those which
prevail under the same system in
the transaction Of the business Of
the National Government. But at
no distant day they are likely to
become serious even in the admins
tration Of State affairs. The num-
ber of persons employed in the va
rious offices and institutions Of the
State must increase, under the most
economical management, in equal
ratio with the growth Of our popu-
lation and business.
A radical reform in the civil SER
vice Of the General Government has
been proposed. The plan is to
make qualifications and not polit-
ical services and influence the chief
test in determining appointments,
and to give subordinates in the
civil service the same permanency
of place which is enjoyed by Off
GERS of the army and navy. The
- 81, L