Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-01-05
In the early history of the State.

transporting the products of the
State to market, public debts were
probably unavoidable. But the time,
| believe, has come when not only
the State, but all of its subordinate
divisions, 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. Ex-
periencehas proved that the power
to contract debt is as liable to abuse
by local boards as it is by the Cen
eral Assembly. If it is important
to the people that the State should
be free from debt, it is also import
ant that its municipal divisions
should not have power to Cypress
them with the burden of local in
debtedness.
FIXED SALARIES.
1t would promote an economical
administration of the laws if all
officers, State, County, and Munich
pal, including the members of the
Legislature were paid fixed salaries.
Under existing laws, part of the
public officers are paid by fees, and
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 example, many county officers,
receive greater compensation than
the Judges of the Supreme Court of
the State. The salaries paid to the
Judges ought to be increased; the
amount paid to many other public
officers ought to be reduced. To do
Justice, system of fixed salaries,
without fee or perquisites, should
be adopted. The people of Ohio
will, without question, sustain an
increase in the salaries of Judges
and of other officers who are now
inadequately paid. But it can prob
ably best be done as part of a sys-
tenn which would prevent the pay
ment to public officers of enormous
sums by means of fees and perqui-
sites. To remove all ground of
complaint, on account of in justice
to present incumbents, the new sys-
TEN should apply only to those elect
ed after its adoption.
RATES OF TAXATION.
In addition to considerations al
ready presented in favor of revis-
lion of the rates of taxation which
local officers and boards are author
lied to levy, another controlling rea-
son is not to be omitted. By the
recent revaluation of real estate the
total basis of taxation for the State
at large will probably be increased
almost forty per cent, and in many
of the cities the increase will be
nearly one hundred per cent. This
renders it imperatively necessary to
revise the present rates, so as to pre-
vent the collection and expenditure
of sums much greater than the pub
lie good demands.
THE PENITENTIARY.
| Under prudent and efficient man
agement, the earnings of the Peni-
tentiary continue to exceed the ex-
penditure, and, at the same time,
gratifying progress has been made
in improving the condition and treat
ment of the prisoners. The hateful
and degrading uniform of past years
is disappearing; increased means of
education, secular and religious, are
afforded, and the officers of the in
stitution exhibit an earnest desire 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
discipline, it is not to be denied that
much more yet remains unaccom-
plished.
Assuming that the time has not
arrived to attempt radical change
of our prison discipline, the follow
ing practical suggestions, consistent
with the present system, are offered
for your consideration: A convict is
now allowed deduction from the
period of his sentence as a reward
for good behavior; the power to ex-
tend the period of the sentence as a
punishment for bad conduct would
also, under proper regulations, ex-
ercise wholesome influence in the
discipline OF the prison.
CLASSIFICATION.
The Importance. of classification
among convicts is now universally
admitted. For economical or other
reasons the establishment of an in
termediate prison will perhaps be
deemed inexESdient at this time.
1t is believed, however, that by en-
ploying convict labor the additional
buildings and improvements requir-
ed for satisfactory classification,
can be erected on the ground adj
Joining the old prison, recently pur-
chased and now inclosed, at a small
expense compared with the cost of a
new prison. This plan, it is hoped,
will receive your careful considera-
ton.
DISCHARGED CoNvIcTs.
1t is also recommended that the
Board of State Charities be empow-
cred to aid discharged convicts to
obtain honest employment. An an
nual appropriation of small sum
for this purpose, in the course of a
few years, would probably save a
large number, who, without such
help, would again return to crimi-
nal course of life.
COUNTY JAILs.
The most defective part of our
present prison system is probably
our county jails. 1t is supposed
about 5000 persons pass through
our county jails each year. They
are generally persons charged with
crimes and awaiting trial. But lu
natics and petty offenders in consid-
erable numbers, are also confined in