The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-01-12


seeFE. stafe.ee eeufsty, and Municipal,
inclnding the members of the Legis-
iatiare, were paid fixed salaries.
4 Under existing laws, a part of the
public officers are paid by fees, and a
part by fixed annual salaries or By a
per diem allowance. The result is
great inequality and injustice. Many
of those who are paid by fees receive a
compensation out of all proportion to
/ 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. Hhes Salaries paid
/ to the Judges ought to be Increased :;
the amount paid TO many other pub.
lie 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,
without question, sustain an increase
of the salaries of Judges and of other
officers who are now inadequately
paid. But it can probably best be
done as part of a system which
would prevent the payment to public
ohicers of enormous sums by means
Iofpcrquisites. To remove al ground
| of complaint, on account Of Injustice
Ito present incumbents, the new sys-
tenn should apply only to those elect
ed after its adoption. =
RATES OF TAXATION.
In additions to considerations al
ready presented in favor of revision
of the rates of taxation which local
officers and boards are authorized to
levy, another controlling reason is
not to be omitted. By the recent re-
valuation of real estate the total basis
of taxation for the State at large will
probably be increased almost forty
| percent, and i'll many of the cities the
increase will be nearly one hundred
per cent. This renders il impeLative-
| iy necessary TO revise tho present
| rates, so as TO prevent the collection
and expenditure of sums much great
er than the public good demands.
tsfE1ss dHE EfENITENTIARy. -
+ Under. prudenfg and efficient man.
pagement the earnings of The Peniten-
| tiary continue to, exceed its expenses,
and, at the same time, gratifying pro-
gress. has been made. in improving
the condition and treatment OF the
prisoners. The hateful and degrad-.
q ing Uniform of past years is -disap-
pearing; increased means of educa-
ptiou, secular and religious. are aHordl-
ed, and the officers of the institution
exhibit an earnest desire to employ
every instrumentality authorized by
existing laws to restore its inmates to
society improved in habits, capacity
and ellaraeten. FL II m
While much less 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 unaccom-1
plished.
Assuming that the time had not ar
rived to attempt radical change of
our prison discipline, the following
practical suggestions, consistent with
the present system, are offered for
your consideration A convict is
now allowed a deduction from the
period of his sentence as q reward for
good behavior; the power to extend
the period of a sentence as punish
ment for bad conduct would also, ull-
der proper regulations, exercise o.
wholesome influence in the discipline
of the prison.
CLASSIFICATION.
The Importance of classification:
among aeenYicfs is lnoWti universally
admitted! For economical or other
reasons the, ,estabIishmeptgof an inter-
mediate prison wifi perhaps be deem-,g
edrinexpedienba batFthis time.s Itis be-s
|'iieyed, how eyer, THAT by employing
convict labor the additional buildings
and improvements required for sat-
isfactory classification, can be erected
on the ground adjoining the old pris-
on, recently purchased and now en-
closed, at q small expense compared
with the cost of new prison. This
plan, it is hoped, will receive your
careful consideration.
DISCHARGED coNvIcTs.
1t is also recommended that the
Board of State Charities be empow-.
cred to aid discharged convicts
to obtain honest employment. An
annual appropriation of small sum
for this purpose, in the course of a
few years, would probably save
large number, who, without such
help, would again return to criminal
course of life. *
| COUNTY JAILS.
The most defective part of the pres
|ene prison Stem is probably our
County Jails. It. isf1supposed about
5000 persons pass through our county
jails each, year. Theys.are generally.
persons charged with crimes and
awaiting trial. But lunatics and petty
offenders, ins considerable Numbers,
are also confined. in these places. The
young and the old, the Innocent and
the guilty, hardened offenders and
beginners inE actiIne, are commonly
mingled together in the jails, under
few restraints, without Useful occupa-
ton, and with abundant leisure, and
temptatioMiIt to learn wickedness.
The jails have been fitly termed nur-
series of crime. Plansof jaiIs, not too
expensive, have been furnished by
the ssBoaId( of flSt8te Charities, which
provide for theabsolnte separation of
the prisoners. 1t is recommended
that the law shall require all jails to
be SO constructed as to entirely pre-
vent this promiscuous and dangerous
intercourse.
Your attention is particularly CALL
cd to the accommodation of the
Board of State Charities, that the
proper authorities of all the cities of
the state shehfd be required to- make
fuff- reports, annually, to the Legis-
slature, through the Governor, of the
statistics of vice and crime, and of the
work Of the Police Department. in
such cities. And also TO the sugges-
itiola that Prosecuting Attorneys
| Should not be allowed to enter 9solle
ps'oseQui in any case of an Indictment
| for crime punishable by imprison-
meht in tho Penitentiary or BY death,
| NJ fhnnf fhfs 1Eritten arnraraIsnf the