Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-08-13

constituted by the Supreme Judges of
our United States Court.
THE ECONOMY OF THE NEW CoNsTITU-
TlON,
Gentlemen, on the subject OF the
economy of this Constitution, l have
not time to enlarge, though l have fig
ures on the subject. | see in the CHRoN-
ICLE this week an article which goes
very considerably into detail and which
/ would be glad to have circulated and
read. [ content myself by saying i
have given good deal of attention to
this subject. One of the leading objects
of the members of the Convention, ifl
they know themselves, was to accom-
plish economy in the administration of
this government in the future, and to
stop this terrible extravaganza going
rampant over the State; and my belief
is that if we will be true to ourselves
and elect legislators as we have gener-
ally done who will faithfully admins
ter this Constitution-and that is nec-
eSsary with any Constitution-there
will bea saving of at least one million
dollars per year in the administration
of this government of Ohio, mainly in
the administration of our local affairs
in the expense for county officers and
in the adoption of the system of bien-
nial elections.
Another objection that is made is
that the Constitution provides for turn
ing out the present common pleas
judges. And that objection is made by
these great economists Why, gen.
tlemen, the proposed Constitution pro-
vides new judiciary system. That
was conceded on all hands to be absO-
llutely necessary. That was the princi-
pal reason the Convention was called.
We have got the district court here
which is condemned by every lawyer
in the State and by every person tnat
ever had anything to do in court, and
by everybody else that ever gave the
matter moments thought--in Other
words, universally condemned. That
is abolished by the new Constitution
The result OF it is six of our common
pleas judges become unnecessary. The
number is reduced from fifty to forty
four. Well now, these economists OBJ
, ject that we stop the common pleas
Judges. Why, unless we did that you
see at once we would have these judges
as pensioners on our. hands some three
or four years at $1,000 year. 1 dom
think that would be very good ecOno
my or very good sense. The Conven
! tion saw that, and therefore they, as &
matter of necessity, the whole system
being changed, were compelled to takt
that course in justice to the people.
THE VETO POWER.
That is another thing, by the way,
,, voted against, because thought it un
, necessary. But one word in addition
! to what was said by my friend. Thi
/, veto power does not do anything NOR,
! than postpone legislation at the most
. If bill is vetoed by the Governor ant
! cannot receive a three-fifths vote, tht
! result is simply the whole matter is re
ferred to the people, and they in tn,
election of the next Legislature, if the!
want the vetoed law adopted can max,
provision for it. And, gentlemen, on
, of the great evils we have suffered from
= !, has been we have had too much legis
n lation.
SPECIAL LEGISLATION PROHIBITED.
f In that connection Iwant to call at
tention to most valuable provision il
+ regard to municipal corporations
matter you have great interest in. ANT
preliminary to what desire to say OF
: the subject, will say your own city o
: Bellaire was selected out of all the cite
of the State as standard by which t,
fix and define the restrictions whicl
: should be imposed on legislation in re
q q lation to municipal corporations.
y There is provision in the article Oh
: municipal corporations limiting tn
:, classification of cities and incorporate,
= villages to six. The object is to pre-
,. went special legislation, and the objec
:, of preventing special legislation is tina
that is what occupies most of the tim
!. of the Legislature. That is what make
!. these large law books. The trainers c
: the present Constitution attempted t
e stop it but virtually failed. The Leg
y islatures have lodged out; the lobbie
= have gone in there to contrive ways t
= do it. / could give you very amusin
> illustrations of that. There is one {
our statutes, Il have not the statute
ie before me and speak from memory
/, = which provides that all cities of the SCI
. ond class having a population of 7,64
70 and no more, according to the Feders
- senses of 1870, as published in the la.
~ ~ volume Ohio statistics, shall have
= right to levy tax for the purpose {
,. building an engine house, &c. Nov
= = that meant rat the city of Delawal
- - shall have rig u. TO do that thing; bt
= it wfs unconstitutional to pass such
i law for Delaware. The city of Del;
ware, however, came piling down thel
to Columbus and after a week or so
y lobbying got the Legislature to pa:
,t the bill.
u Another was that all cities of tt
:, =, first class, and having population
u over 10000 and having an avenr
, named Eggleston Avenue shall have
- right to levy tax to builda sewer.
y course that meant Cincinnati shall
a. it. And the lobbies came up there al
81 probably fed our friends on Oyste
~ and talked the matter round and to
= le the people from some other part of Il
- State that when they wanted som
~ ~ thing they would give it to them; al
le the members rode down to Cincinna
81 81 on the free passes given them by Il
OF railroads and were feaSted and tOaste
is there, and when they got back the