The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-02-14
COLUMBUS CORREsP0NDENCE.
COLUMBUS. o., Feb. Z, 1871.

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stance has occurred which fully develops
that the action of s'His Exctliency' in
that matter was purely partisan Three \
days after the death of Col Young. OF
the House, referred to in my last letter,
the Governor ordered an election to fill
the vacancy and IN a few days new
member will occupy his seat.
The bill Of TIE Senate, passed last
winter, to re enact the law which gave I
students, no matter in what connty they |
resided. the right to vote ut the election |
precinct in which the college is situated |
If they prefer to do SO instead OF at
their legal residence, and u right which |
! is refused to any other class OF persons
has failed to pass the House on ac-
count of absence of some of the Repub
lican members. This absence from po-
sition, and what would seem to be neg |
lect of duty, has resulted in good to the
State against class legislation and legal
lied fraud on our election laws.
The bill before the Senate amending
the liquor law SO as to exempt from It's
responsibilities practicn5 physicians,
surgeons and druggists, who prescribeI
spirituous CT fermented liquors, has re
ceived considerable attention, and indl-
i cations are that it will fail to pass.
A bill has passed the Senate, and no
doubt will become a law. which allows
all legatees and heirs in contested will
cases to testify. This has already been
the practice in some of the courts OF this
State, while in other parts of the State
courts refuse to allow them to testify -
This bill viii make the practice uniform.
A bill has also passed. 10 allow Judges OF
, the Common Pleas Court to act in case
: of absence or disability OF the Probate
: Judge. The want of this law has been
severely felt in some parts cf the State
The House has spent three days (with
, ont coming to vote) on the question OF
ksllowing the State Board OF Equaliza-
tion to reduce the aggregate of all the
appraised value of real estate now being
appraised by the Board There is a
/, strong opposition to it in both Houses,
vet with a full vote it will no doubt pass,
The reduction is opposed on the ground
that it will have TO be made good on the
u increase of taxation on persona! prop
Il erty. Any one who has compared the
valuation of personal property of 1850
with that of 1870 will readily see that
while it has increased greatly, the in
crease has not been equal 70 the present
sppraisement OF real estate and for tht
If past three years it has hat, downward
,e tendency. The taking off from the val
% uation of real property must, as an inev
: liable result, add upon personal property
u bat when we lind that real property vii
D he Increased nearly double under tht
+ present appraisemen,,t to collect che sans
m amount OF taxes on the grand aggregate
!. of the valuation of personal an6Ieal es
% tate will not make the taxation on per
sonal property as high as it has been TO
e. the past six years; or, in other words
,e personal property under the assessmen
of 1871 not having increased over it
valuation of 1870 but will probably hay
y decreased land the increase on real prop
N erty being almost doubled the per cent
age on personal property will be mucl
id less than it was last year even with th
% reduction now proposed There is an
= another reason that perhaps has som
force in it; real property never can con
a. ceal ITSELF / do not say that persona
property docs, hut it may be concealed
The land grabbing resolutions which.
referred to in former letter have finall
been disposed of by the Senate recedin
from its amendment to them as the
ho came from the House. The substane
in of them now is: that Congress is col
ka demned for its action, while the Pres
< dent is praised for doing what Congres
is condemned for. The Democrats r,
~. fused to vote for them on account of eI
he dorsing the President They were pas
10. ed by the Republicans. In this actio
an they blow hot aud cold at the same tim
< A Law has passed allowing executol
or administrators to sell land under tt
ba direction of the court at private sale,pr'
IL vided it shall not be sold below the a.
IN praised value; similar statute has bee
in. inlforce for some time relative TO the sa
ty of land by guardians and has been un
30. yersally approved.
les Tuesday the resolutions offered
lbe Senator Boesel, in favor of a reductie
30 of the tariff to revenue basis and d
nouncing protection, came up for co
sideration in the Senate. Pending tt
'se discussion of these resolutions q subs
sly tute was offered, the substance of whi'
ak is to indorse the action of Congress al
er- at the same time condemn. the policy
nm. the present tariff system. The readil
= of these resolutions reminds me of
" circus-rider riding two horses that h
ost not been trained to leap at tile sar
Jn- time. The Republicans had majon
ties present; it Is perhaps needless to say +
seo substitute was adopted.
= There is Misrepresentation in t
90 Eastern part of Monroe County in
ion gard to an act passed last winter entitl
ess ssan act to extend the time for the CO..
ont pletion of unfinished railroads" L
bon prevailing opinion being thai this |;
:, prevents the Pennsylvania Central FRI
al constructing a road from Bellair to N
,art rietta; now every one knows when
its work was suspended on this road, a
on who will give the law a careful readir
AZ. will fnd that it is "proyided howey
su'' chat the provisions of this. act shall !
see apply to any railroad company that b
be- completed and operated any portion
our its road under its original or amend
charter, and has for ten years previe
to the passageof this. act abandoned
suspended work upon the remaining p,
ton. ton Of its line of road" This proyisi
or was inserted in the law for the expr
per purpose of preventing. it from apply
:. on the line from Bellair to Marietta q
'no also the Hillsboro road. 1t is thereto
Vor- plain that any company that desires N
aud take hold and construct a road over
rent line without any legal opposition fr
rom this statute. A
bus, An Immense Deficiency Bill.
The boast of the Republican memb