Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-01-06


and corruption.
In the early history Of the State,
when capital was scarce and eZpen-
i've. public works were required for
TRANSPORTING the products of the State
to market, public debts were probably
unavoidable. But the time, 1 believe
has come when not only the State, but
all of its subordinate divisions, ought /
10 be forbidden to incur debt. The |
same rule on this subject ought to be 4
applied to local authorities which the |
applies to the State Leg
islafure. Experience has proved that |
the power to contract debt is as liable |
to abuse by local boards as it is by the |
General Assembly If il is important |
to the people that the State should be |
free from debt, it is also important
that its municipal divisions should not
have 5s0wer to oppress them with the
burdenOf local indebtedness.
FIXED SALARIES.
tt would promote an economical ad-
uoinistratfon of the laws If all officers,
state, County, and Municipal, inclu-
ding the Members Of the Legislature,
were paid fixed salaries
Under existing laws, q part of the
public officers are paid by fees, and a
part bv fixed annual salaries or by q
per diem allowance The result Is
great inequality and Injustice Many
Of those who are paid % fees receive q
eafnBeusation cat Of al proportion g
the services rendered. Others are paid
salaries wholly inadequate- For eX-
ample, many County officers and some
City officers, receive greater compen-
sation than the Judges ofthe Supreme
Court OF the state. The salaries paid
to the Judges ought TO be increased
the am,sunt paid to many other public
officers ought to be reduced. To. do
Justice. q system OF f xed salaries with
cut fees or perquisites. should be
adopted. The people Of Ohio Wills
without question sustain an increase
of the salaries of ] udges and of other
officers who are now fnadequateIy
paid. But it can probably best be
done as part of asystem which would
prevent the payment 10 public officers
of enormous sums by means Of fres
and perquisites. To remove all ground
of complaint, on account Of injustice to
present incumbents, the new system
should apply only TO those elected al
ter its adoption.
In addition TO considerations already
presented in favor OF the rates of taxa
/ tion which local officers and boards
are authorized to levy, another con-
trolling reason is not to be omitted,
/ BY the recent reValuatiOn of real estate
/ the total basis of taxation for the stare
at large viii probably be increased al
/ most forty per cent, and in many OF
! the cities the increase viii pc near1!g y
4 one hundred per CENT -lEa1is 1er q y ~, -
1 iuperafiyelW necessary ko710N1s0 tne
/ T1resaT4f ,-,rT7ss so as to prevent the col
/ feetf6Tl and expenditure of sums much
I greater than the public good demands.
/ THn PEN1TENTIARY.
! Under pradent and efficient manage
ment the earnings of the Penitentirry
continue to exceed its expenses, and,
at the same time, gratifying progress
has been made in improving the cOndi-
ton and treatment of the prisoners.
The hateful and degrading uniform of
past years is disappearing increased
means Of education, secular and reli-
gious, are afforded, and the officers of
the institution exhibit an earnest desir
/ to employ every instrumentality au-
thorized by existing laws to restore its
inmates to society improved in habits,
! capacity and character.
While much has been done in our
/ State during the last twenty-five years
for the improvement of prison discip-
line, it is not to be denied that much
| more vet remains unaccomplished.
Assuming that the time has not ar
rived to attempt a radical change OF
our prison discipline, the following
/ practical suggestions, consistent with
the present system, are offered Tor
your consideration: A convict is now
allowed deduction from the period
behavior; the power to extend the
period of the sentence for bad conduct
would also, under proper regulations,
exercise a wholesome influence in the
discipline of the prison.
The Importance of classification
among convicts is now universally ad-
mitted. For economical or other rea-
sons the establishment of an interme-
| diate prison Will perhaps be deemed
inexpedient at this time. 1t is believ-
ed, however that by employing con-
Wet labor the additional buildings
and improvements req quired for a sat
EisfactOry classification, can De ereeteo
on the ground adjoining the old pris-
on, recently purchased and now enclo-
Ksed, at a small expense compared with
the cost of new prison. This plan, II
is hoped, will receive your careful con-
sideration, -,
II Board of State Charities be emp
ed to aid discharged conY1cbs 20 oDs
tain honest emp lal g z 81 & ~ Ia =
f s1pro prfation of a small sum for this
( pl1rp0sp. in tie course of a few years,
/ would probably save a large number,
who, without such help, would again
return to a criminal course of life.
COUNTY JAILs.
The most defective part of our pres
ent prison system is probably our
| County Jails, 1t is supposed about
! {, 900 persons pass through our County
Jails each year. They are generally y
| persons charged with crimes aRd
awaiting trial. But lunatIcs and petty
Offenders, in considerable numbers are
also confined in these places. The
/ young and old the innocent and gull
4 ty, hardened offenders and beginners
IN crime, are commonly mingled to-
/ gether in the iails, under few restraints,
/ without useful occup patton, and with
i "a to
learn Wickedness. The jails have been
htly termed nurseries of crime. Plans
of iails, not too expensive, have
been furnished by the Board of State
Charities, which provide for the abso-
lutte separation of the prisoners. 1t is
recommended that the law shall re-
Equire all jails to be so constructed as to
entirely. prevent this prOmiscuous and
dangerous intercourse
Your attention is particularly called
to the recommendations of the Board OF
State Charities, that the proper author
tiles of all the cities of the State should
be required to make full reports, an
nually, to the Legislature, through the
Il Governor, of the statistics of vice and
crime, and of the work of the Police
Department in such cities. And also
to the suggestion that Prosecuting At
torneys should not be allowed to en-
ter DOlle prOsequi in any case of an
Indictment for crime punishable by
imprisonment IN the ReO1t9DtlarV OF
by death without the written appro-
val of the ATTORNEY General first
given upon a written report to him o1
the facts.
The Importance ofthis is sufficiently
shown by the fact that in 1869 the num-
Der Of cases in which noIle proseQui
was entered exceeded fifteen hundred,
REFORM soHooI FOR GIRLS.
The Girls Reformatory at White
Sulphur Springs contains forty-nine
inmates, and it is now demonstrated
that the number is likely to increase
as rapidly as the welfare of the insttu-
ton wiz allow. Whatever doubts
may have been reasonably entertain
ed, as to the necessity for such an in
stitution, prior to its establishment,
the report of the Directors and Super
| intendent, and thorough ihvestiga-
ton of the facts, will, it is believed,
satisfy you that the institution is a
very important one, and ought to be
literally supported.
SOLDIERS ORPHANS HeME.
The report of the Superintendent
and Trustees of the Soldiers Orphans
Home will engage your earnest atten-
tiOn. The QutV of nF0Vi0inu for the