Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-01-04

missioner, not single passenger has lost life
by the fault of the railroads in the state, du-
ring the year. But the number OF persons
''other than passengers" and i. oi ,empioyes ,e 0
hundred and hfty-seven persons are reporteu
to have been killed, and it's without doubt
that many deaths have occurred whicn nave
not been reported. Many of these fatal accl.
dents happened in the streets OF towns and
cities, and at street and road crossings. lis
perfectly practicable to protect citizens from
these dangers, by enforcing proper regulations
as to the speed of trains, and as to the occu-
pancy and crossing OF streets and roads. Your
special attention is called to this subject.
One of the most difficult and interesting
practical problems which now engages the
thoughts Of the American people; Is now TO
maintain economy, efficiency, anu purity In
the administration of local anairs, and esPeci-
ally in the government Of towns and cities,
without departure from principles and meth
DDS which are deemed essential 70 free popu-
lar government Many of the most important
the local authorities. They are directly
charged with the expenditure Of large sums OF
money, with the protection of life and proper.
ty, and with the administration of civil and
Criminal Justice. These duties. in one way or
| another, touch nearly and constantly the in
terests and feelings Of every citizen. Upon
| their faithful performance depends the pros
perity, happiness and safety Of the community.
1t is true, that as yet Ohio is happily, In a
great measure, free from the operation Of
causes which in the commercial metropolis Of
corruption in the government of that city. But
| those causes do not belong alone to the great
cities of the East. They are already at WORK
in our midst, and they are steadily and rapidly
together free from their influence, and no po-
litical party is solely responsible for them.
We have laws prohibiting almost every con-
| ceivable official neglect and abuse; and penal
| ties arc affixed to the violation of those laws
which cannot be regarded as inadequate. The
difficulty is to secure their enforcement Those
| whose duty it is to detect and prosecute, are
often interested in maintaining good relations
| with the wrong doors. The contractors for
public work and supplies not nnfrequently have
. community Of interest with those who are
the agents OF the public, to let and superintend
the performance Of contracts. Where these
abuses exist, there is apt to be large circle of
apparently disinterested citizens who labor to
conceal the facts, and to suppress lnvestiga-
| tion. What the public welfare demands is a
practical measure which will provide for a
| thorough and impartial investigation in every
Such an investigation to be effective must be
made by an authority Independent, If possible,
| of all local influences. When abuses are dis
covered, the prosecution and punishment Of
offenders ought to follow. But even if prose-
cutions fail, in cases Of full exposure, public
opinion almost always accomplishes the OBJ
ject desired. A thorough Investigation Of Of
fetal corruption and criminality leads with
great certainty to the needed reform. Publici-
ty is greater corrector of official abuses. Let
it, therefore, be made the duty Of the Governor,
on satisfactory information tnaC the PUBIC
good requires an investigation of the affairs of
any plblic office or the conduct Of any public
officer, whether State or local, to appoint one
or more citizens who shall have ample powers
to make such investigation. If, by the investi-
cation, violations of law are discovered, the
Governor should be authorized, in his discre-
tion, to notify the Attorney General, whose
duty it should be, on such notice, to prosecute
| the Offenders. The Constitution makes it the
duty of the Governor to ''see that the laws are
faithfully executed" Some such measure as
the one here recommended, is necessary to give
force and effect to this constitutional provision.
In compliance with the Constitution, the last
General Assembly submitted to the people the
question of holding a Convention, "to revise,
alter or amend" the Constitution; and at the
October election. alarge majority of the voters
| of the State decided in favor of q Convention.
1t is the duty of the General Assembly, at its
present session, to provide, by law for the cleo
tion Of delegates and the assembling of the
Convention.
The vote on the question of calling the Con-
| vention which formed the present Constitution
was taken at the October election, 1919. At the
next session of the General Assembly, an act
was passed which provided for the election OF
delegates to the Convention, the first Monday
of April, 1850. and the Convention was con-
vened on the first Monday Of May following.
In conclusion, wish to make my grateful &C
lknowledgments to the people of Ohio for the
honorable trusts they have cOnf1ded to me, and
to express the hope that the harmony, pros
perity and happiness which they now enjoy in
such full measure, may, under Providence, be
perpetual. T. b. HAYES.