Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-09-06
Whole No. 1866.

unsafe for man to practice his rascaI-
ity in the General Assembly Of Illi-
nois. 1t is said that the new provis-
ionsdrove the lobby from Springfield
last winter. Let as shut the door
before IL reaches Columbus.
The State needs greater safeguards
on the subject Of taxation, and 4 read
justment of its revenue system. tits
estimated that the aggregate taxation
OF the American people for national,
State and local purposes amounts each
year to more than one-third Of the
principal Of our national debt. This
taxation, distributed per capita,
amounts TO nearly twenty dollars to
each inhabitant-a higher rate than
any modern nation has ever before
maintained in times Of peace. The
burden Of the national taxes has been
rapidly and constantly diminishing
during the last five years, but the
taxes Of cities under State laws have
been enormously increased. Com
pairing our taxes under the laws Of
Ohio in 1858 with those for 1870, and
emitting the special war taxes Of the
former year, find that the levies for
State purposes have increased about
4Oper cent, not an exorbitant increase
considering the general rise in prices
and the condition Of the currency.
But during that period levies for coun-
ty and other local purposes have in
creased nearly 275 per cent. Inseyen
years our local taxation has risen from
81 millions to 18f millions. Governor
Hayes recently called the attention Of
the General Assembly to the growing
evil which is no doubt the result Of
that general spirit of prodigality and
extravagance that has everywhere
prevailed since the war. The limita-
ton of local debt and taxation is now
left to the General Assembly. It
should be placed in the fundamental
law, above the reach of party influ-
ence, where the pressure of local
schemes Of taxation and expenditure
can not come. No one can read the
article Of the new constitution Of Illi-
nois on revenue and taxation with
out congratulating the people OF that
State on their fortunate escape from
the evils which now affiiet u.s.
In many particulars the theory Of
representive government has been
| improved during the last twenty years.
It will not be denied that the suffrage
should be so regulated that the vote OF
every eleetor, as far as possible, shall
have its due weight in the choice Of
public servants. No citizen should
feel that mis- vote is useless, and every
political community should the re-
straining influence Of the minority
party. But how is 1t in our State ?
Western Reserve send to the General
Assembly seven Senators and seven
teen ACKNOWLEDGMENT one
fifth of the whole body. These Off
GERS are elected by the votes of 81, 600
Republicans. The20, 200 Democratic
voters on the Reserve have not one
man Of their choice in either branch
of the Legislature. Insuch elections
they are virtually disfranehised. On
the other hand there Is belt Of thir-
teen counties, commencing with
Wayne county on the southern line Of
the Reserve and extending to and
including Adams county on the Ohio
river, which sends to the General As
sembly six Senators and fifteen Repre-
sentatives. These are elected by 40
900 Democrats, and 80, 900 Republican
voters in that belt OF territory have
virtually no voice of their representa-
tives-are utterly powerless st the
polls. Both the Republicans OF this
belt, and the Democrats Of the Reserve
should be heard in regard to the gov
eminent Of the townships, counties,
judicial and representative districts
where they live, and have no doubt
both parties would be better satisfied
if this power were granted. The in-
equality and injustice complained Of
can be in great measure removed by
adopting some plan for the represen-
tstiOn of minorities. The experiment
has been tried successfully, and would
doubtless promote the public good in
the election of representatives, judges,
-eounty commissioners, township trus-
| tees, school directors, and all officers
who can be elected in groups.
I have suggested these classes Of
amendments only as examples Of
many that might be made. They are
not partisan in character, and are ad-
dressed to thoughtful men Of both
parties.
The average of our American con-
stitutions at the present time is less
than seventeen years, and hope that
Ohio will not wait till her eonstitu-
ton is forty years old before she at
tempts to make It more fully in har-
mony with the spirit and wantsofOur
time. r-.t
The work of the convention need
not be complicated with the passions
and antagonisms Of the Presidential
election, for the new constitution
could hardly be ready for the judg-
ment of the people before the spring
of 1878.
And now, follow citizens, I am
compelled to follow the fashion Of
the time, and consider the relations
of the two parties to national affairs.