The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1871-09-07
8 2 E H 9 Fl
HON. JAMES A. GARFIELD,
Delivered at Mozart Hall, Cincinnati,
August q, 1871.

! bus ] find only q single, brief References
made in either Of them to state topics
: Twenty resolutions were passed n
national affairs, and one sentence only
in regard 10 Ohio. And yet IL will moi
be denied that the state government
touches the citizen and his interests
twenty times where the national gov.
) ernment touches him once. For the
peace of our streets, aud the health Ol
our cities; for the administration Oi
justice in nearly al that relates to the
security Of person and property, and
the punishment Of crime; for the ed
ucatiOn Of our children, and the care
Of our unfortunate aud dependent cit
liens; for the assessment and cOllee-
ton Of much the largest portion OF
our direct taxes, and for the proper
expenditure of the same-fOr ali these,
and much more, we depend upon state
policy, and the honesty and wisdom
Of our general assembly, and not upon
the government at Washington. On
these themes all the recent develop
ments of social science are being made
in other countries. Yet the dOings and
sayings Of congress and the national
administration form the staple of all
our political discussions. ] hope the
time may come when i'm the election Of
| agOyernnr a and other state officers, and
the members Of a new legislature for
Ohio, political parties will let presi-
dents and congresses alone, and de-
vote their discussions more exclusive
/ ly 10 the great and manifold interests
of our state. Nowhere can there be
found a more triumphant vindieatiOn
of the wisdom of that system of gov
ernment which is administered by the
people and for the people than i'm a
well regulated state of our union.
Consider, for example, the admin
istTatiOn of Justice i'm our townships
and counties, where Offenses against
persons and property are tried before
judges of the peoples own choosing,
and before jurors who are neighbOrs
Of the parties, and who can admins
ter justice far better than is possible
at distant and remote points, Where
both court and jury are strangers.
Consider, also, our plan OF manag-
ing the finance of Ohio. Last year,
under Ourstate laws, taxes were levied
to the amount of nearly twenty-four
millions of dollars. Less than five
milliOnsOf the tWenty-fOur found their
way 70 the state treasury at Column
bus. Less than four millions indeed I
were used for central purposes. Nine !
teen of the tWenty-fOur millions were |
levied under the direction Of town |
ship, city and county officers, and ex-
pended at home, under the direction |
of the very men who specially con-
sented that the tax should be levied. !
Twelve and half millions were rais-
ed and expended in the townships.
For the improvement Of our laws
and the advancement of the state i'm
all that contributes to the security and
prosperity of its people, the best efforts
of its most thoughtful people should
be invoked.
/ have said that neither of the re-
cent political conventions had made
more than a single reference to state
affairs. I rejoice that i'm that refer
ence they agree on
A NEW CONSTITUTION FOR OHIO.
Though no reasons were given, and
no remarks were made on the subject,
yet both conventions have recon-
mended the calling of convention to
revise the cOnOtitiOn of Ohio. Since
then, however, Judge Ranney has
challenged the wisdom of this action,
and has asked the republican COM
mittee to show cause why new con-
ventiOn should be called. This is a
proper demand, though he might have
addressed the question with equal
prOpriety to the democratic commit
tee. Not assuming 10 speak for 9TH
ers, / Will give some of the reasons
why / am in favor of calling a con-
ventiOn.
The wisdom Of that provision of oar
constitution which submits the ques-
ton OF new convention to the peo-
ple each twentieth year was ably vim
dieated in 1851 by Judge Ranney, a
member OF the constituent cOnVen-
ton from Trumbull county. Follow
ing the docrine OF Jefferson that it is
Inconsistent with the spirit Of Ameri-
can institutions for one generation TO
bind another without its consent, he
insisted that at least once in each gem
Grafton the fundamental law of Ohio
should be recOmmitted TO the iudg-
ment Of the people, without the prev
iOus permission Of tW0-thirds of the
legislature.
He held that though the legislature
might, at any time, submit TO the peO- /
pie proposals for special amendments, I
on for 8 general revision; still such
proposals would usually come from |
one political party, and would not, !
therefore, be likely to receive the fair |
and unprejudiced Judgment of the
whole people; and that il was reason
able TO assume that twenty years of
growth i'm population, wealth and in
telligence, would develop new wants
and new dangers TO such an extent
that the people themselves ought to
take the Initiative in revising their
fundamental law, and providing new
safeguards for the future.
There has never been in our history
and possibly may never be, a period
of 20 years filled with such mOmentOus
events as the twenty years since Judge
Ranney offered these wise suggestions.
During that period great and worthy
progress has indeed been made in
many directions but many new and
grave dangers 10 public liberty have
also arisen-dangers which were not
fOreseen in 1851.
The tremendous growth of corpora
tions and the power they are welding
ohCL 6N1NNo tAAAA kloAeANlNC nlAAlN0 W a.
then almost unknown. The dangers
which may threaten us from this
source are not adequately provided
against in our constitution.
At the present rate Of growth and
consolidation, it will not be long be-
fore the greatest of states may be less
powerful than some of the CORPORA !
tions it has created. The day may
come when some single corporation,
managed by people outside Of Ohio,
may oe more potent within her bound
aries thah the general assembly itself |
DO the people OF Ohio think it wise to
postpone action on this question for |
twenty years longer2 Let il be re- |
Iheinoered that i'm the even balance of !
political parties in Ohio our constitu- !
ton IS practically not amendahIe in
the ordinary method.
Ihere IS another danger which.
against which, the people can moi for
fend themselves a day too soon.
The last twenty years have Witness
ed the most alarming progress i'm tba
various devices by which 6ribarv aII
corruption have found their wSy IN
/ the polls and into Legislative bodiss
4 Every citizen of Ohio NAV he instl,,
proud of the fact that hitherto neitbcr
the ballot box nor the general assem-
bly, nor the courts Of our state have
been tainted with this pallutiOn. But
who dare affirm that its westward
progress will not reach US before 1891 q?
While there is yet time let US build
the dikes and prepare to keep out the
rising flood. In the new constitution
of Illinois, adopted last year, bribery
at the polls and in the legislature is
rendered almost impossible. NOfOrm
Of constitutional enactment can puri-
fy the hearts of villains, but believe
the provisions of that constitution
have made it exceedingly unsafe for
man 10 practice his rascality in the
general assembly of Illinois. 1t is
said that the new provisions drove the
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