Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-01-11

assessment was double the value of the
property.
In respect to these evils it is undoubt-
ly easier to find fault than to provide a
remedy. No single measure viii re-
move them. Probably no system of
measures which the General Assembly
can adopt viii of themselves accomplish
what is desired. A complete reform Is
! impossible, unless the city, county and
other officers are disposed and thorough
4 ly competent to do the work of cutting
of every unnecessary expenditure.
Much, however, can be accomplished
1 by wise legislation. Let the General
Assembly firmly adhere to the policy of
| the Constitution, and refuse to enact
| special laws granting powers to tax or
make assessments. Let such powers be
exercised only in pursuance Of gener-
al laws. Local authorities should be
empowered to levy no higher taxa
ton than is absolutely required for
practical efficiency under ordinary Cir
cumstances. In extraordinary eases
general laws should provide for the sub
mission of the proposed tax or assess
ment to the people to be affected by it,
under such regulations that it cannot be
levied unless at least two-thirds of the
taxpayers approve the measure. 4
One of the most valuable articles Of
the present State Constitution Is that
which prohibits the State, save in few
exceptional cases, from creating any
debt, and which provides for the pay
ment at an early day of the debt already
contracted. I am convinced that it
would be wise to extend the same poll
ey to the creation to public debts by
county, city and other local authorities.
The rule, pay as you 60, leads to econ
omy in public as well as in private af-
fairs, while the power to contract debts
opens the door to Wastefulness, extrava-
gance and corruption.
In the early history of the State, when
capital was scarce and expensive, public
works were required for transporting the
products of the State to market, public
debts were probably unavoidable. But
the time, believe, has come when not
only State, but all of its subordinate de
visions, ought to be forbidden to incur
/ debt. The same rule on this subject
ought to be applied to local Authorities
which the Constitution applies TO the
State Legislature. Experience has prov
ed that the power to contract debt is as
liable to abuse by local boards as it is
by the General Assembly. # it is i'm
p0rtant to the people that the State
should be free from debt, it is also inn
portant that its municipal divisions
should not have power to oppress them
with the burden of local Indebtedness.
It would promote an economical adj
ministration of the laws if all officers,
State, County, and Municipal, including
the members of the Legislature, were
paid fixed salaries.
Under existing laws, part of the pub
lie officers are paid by fees, and a part
by fixed annual salaries or by a per diem
allowance. The result is great inequali-
.ty and injustice. Many of those who
are paid by fees receive a compensation
out of all proportion to the services rem
dered. Others are paid salaries wholly
inadequate. For example, many coun-
try officers, and some city officers, receive
greater compensation than the Judges
of the Supreme Court of the State. The
salaries paid to the Judges ought to be
increased; to the amount paid to many
other public officers ought to be reduced.
To do justice, a system of fixed salaries,
without fees or perquisites, should be
adopted. The people of Ohio will, with
out question, sustain an increase of the
salaries of Judges and other officers who
are now inadequately paid. But it can
probably best be done as apart of sys-
tenn which would prevent the payment
to public officers Of enormous sums by
means of fees and perXuisites, To re-
move all ground of complaint, on ac-
count of injustice to prevent incumb-
ents, the new system should apply on
ly to those elected after its adoption.
In addition to considerations already
presented in favor of a provision of the
rates of taxation which local officers
and boards are authorized to levy, an
other controlling reason is not to be
omitted. BY the recent revolution of
real estate the total basis of taxation for
the State at large will probably be in
creased almost forty per cent, and in
many Of the cities the increase will be
nearly one hundred per cent. This rem
ders it impeTatively necessary to revise
the present rates, so as to prevent the
collection and expenditure of gums much
greater than the public good demands.
Uuder prudent and efficient manage
ment the earnings of the PenitentiaFy
continue to exceed its expenses, and, at
the same time, gratifying progress has
been made in improving the condition
and treatment Of the prisoners. The
hateful and degrading uniform of past
years is disappearing; incaeased means
of education, SeTcular and religious, are
afforded, and the officers Of the institu-
ton exhibit an earnest desire to employ
every instrumentality authorized by eX-
isting laws to restore its inmates to sOcie-
ty 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 discipline,
it is not to be denied that much more yet
remains unaccomplished. r.
Assuming that the time has not arriv-
ed to attempt radical change of our
prison discipline, the following practical
suggestions, consistent with the present
system, are offered for your considers
ton: A convict is now allowed dedue-
ton from the period of his sentence as
a reward for good behavior; the power
to extend the period of the sentence as
a punishment for bad conduct would al
so, under proper regulations, exercise a
wholesome influence in the discipline of
the prison.
The Importance of classification among
eonvicts is now universally admitted
For economical or other reasons the es-
tablishment of an intermediate prison
will perhaps be deemed 1nexpedieht at
this time. 1t is believed, however, that
hy empIOing convict labor the addition
al building and improvements required
for satisfactory classification can be
erected on the ground adjoining the old
prison, recently purchased and now en-
closed, at a small expense compared
with the cost of new prison. This
plan, it is hoped, will receive your care
ful consideration.
It is also recommended that the Board
of State Charities be empowered to aid
discharged cOnvicts to obtain honest en-
ployment. An annual appropriation Of
3 small sum for this purpose, in the
course of a few years, would probably
save q large number, who, without such
help, would again retnrn to a criminal
course of life.
T The most defective part of our present
prison system is probably our county
jaiIs. 1t is supposed about 5000 persons |
pass through our country jails each
year. They are generally persons eharg-
ed with crimes and awaiting trial, But
lunatics and petty offenders, in consider
able numbers, are also confined in these
places. The young and the old, the
innocent and the guilty hardened of
tenders and beginners in crime, are
commonly mingled together in the jails,
under few restraints, without useful Oe-
cupation, and with abundant leisure and
temptation to learn wickedness. The |
jails have been fifty termed nurseries Of
crime. Plans of jails, not too expensive, |
have been furnished by the Board of
State Charities, which provide for the !
absolute separation of the prisoners. It
is recommended that the law shall re-