The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-06-25

tinuance is left at the discretion of the
General Assembly.
ARTICLE EVIII-PUBLICDEBT ASDPUB.
Lie WORKS
THIS article has been amended by
adding to the seventh 9th section q
provision forbidding Ghe use Of any
part OF the sinking fund except in
payment of the State debt. In place
of the present Board, consisting OF
1 three members, one superintendent
of Public Works" is to be elected
every four years as long as may be
necessary. The sixth (6th) section of
this Article cuts of the use Of public
money or credit, not only in any
joint stock company, corporation or
association, but also in the construc-
ton or purchase by a county, town
ship, city or village, of any railroad
or canal, even though the same be
wholly owned Oy such municipality.
A clause entitled "PrOp0sitiOn num-
Der two-Railroad aid," is submitted
in the Schedule separate from other
parts OF the Constitution, which, if
adopted, will modify section six (6)
by permitting the General Assembly
to pass laws authorizing public aid to
I com mpanles in the construction OF rail-
roads within this State, subject to
many conditions and restrictions, of
which the following are perhaps the
most important, to wit: Such aid
cannot be given by counties, but only
by townships, cities or incorporated
villages, on q vote of not less than
tvo-thirds, and, in specific instances,
thee-fourihs of the electors. Debts
created for such purposes shall never,
at any one time, exceed five per cent.
of the taxable property of the town
skip, city or village, nor bear great
er interest than seven per cent; and
taxes levied on account of such aid or
debts shall not exceed one per cent.
of such taxable property in any year.
The part of the work on which the
aid is to be expended must be def
niteIy located before the election, and
security given for its completion be-
fore the aid is granted.
ARTICLE MILITIA.
The word "white" is stricken out
of this Article so that all able-bodied
citizens shall be liable to military du.
ty. A limited exemption to those
who have conscientious scruples is al
lowed upon payment of an equiva-
lent into the school fund. All Off
GERS above the rank of captain, ex.
cept the staff of general officers and
colonies, are hereafter to be appoint
ed by the Governor; but major and
brigadier generals must be appointed
with the advice and consent of the
Senate. -rrr
ARTICLE X.-CoUNTIES AND TOWN
SHIPS.
Every county and township is de-
clared to be a body corporate, thus fix
ing their hitherto indeterminate stat
US in this respect. Their organization,
powers and liabilities are to be pre-
scribed by the General Assembly.
County officers are to be elected in No
vember and for term not exceeding
four years-a change to conform to
the biennial election system. County
Auditors, Treasurers, and Prosecuting
Attorneys are to be paid by fixed SAL
aries, and not by fees. Township Off
GERS are to be elected at such time as
the Legislature may prescribe, and
hold office not exceeding three years.
Power is also given to counties and
townships to levy local taxes and as
sessments for roads, bitches and wa
ter-courses, as well as police purposes.
ARTICLE XI.-MUNICIPAL, CORPORA
TIONS.
The new Constitution preserves all
the limitations upon municipalities
contained in the existing Constitution
aud adds Others, as follows:
l. The General Assembly is requir-
ed to provide for classifying munich
pal corporations in not exceeding six
classes, and to define the powers of
each by general laws applicable only
to municipalities of the same class;
and thus prevent the subUerfuges by
which special legislation has been had
for particular towns and villages un-
der the present Constitution.
2. No property can be assessed
more than ten per cent. of its taxable
value in any one year, nor more than
fifty per cent. of its highest taxable
value in any ten years. But this pro-
vision is MT applicable to any city the
debt of which already equals ten per
cent. of its tax duplicate, until the
next valuation OF real estate Tor tax
g.. The debt of municipal corpora
ton shall never be increased beyond
five per cent. of its tax duplicate, .un-
less the increase and its object be au-
thorized by three-fourths ofthe electors
of such corporation and the debt
shall in no event exceed ten per cent.
of such duplicate. In computing the
debt there is to be included sum the
interest of which at six per cent. will
yield the aggregate amount of all rents
paid by such corporation for parks or
other leased property. This limita-
tion is qualified so as not to apply to
debts necessarily incurred for military
purposes in time of war; nor to debts
incurred to complete works already
authorized and actually begun; nor to
q corporation borrowing money in an
ticipation of assessments levied but
not collected; nor to corporation the
debt of which already exceeds ten per
cent, until the first valuation of real
estate after the adoption of the Con-
stitution.
4. Money raised by taxation, assess.
ment or loan for one purpose, shall
not be diverted to another.
5. No tax or assessment shall be
levied or debt contracted by munich
pal corporation unless in pursuance
of law and for public purposes au-
thorized by law, except as may be
otherwise provided in the Constitu.
ton.
6. Municipal corporations shall not
condemn private property for any
purpose until compensation be first
made in money or secured by depos-
it of money.
ARTICLE XII.-PRIYATE CORPORA
TIONS.
None of the provisions of the pre-
sent Constitution respecting private
corporations have been touched, eX-
cept Section of Article Is, which has
been modified as follows: As the sec
tion stands in the present COnstitu-
ton, it forbids the taking effect of a
law authorizing associations with any
banking powers whatsoever until il
has been submitted to and ratified by
the people. This was thought to be
unnecessarily stringent, and was
therefore modified so as to permit the
general Assembly to authorize bank
ing associations without a vote of
the peole, except where it is proposed
that such associations may issue pa
per money. in which case the require
ment of the present Constitution is
continued.
Numerous important additions
have been made respecting private
corporations, which are in general
terms as follows:
l. The redemption of any paper
money issued in this State must be
fully secured by the deposit of bonds
of the United States and Of the State
of Ohio.
2. In the election of directors of
every private corporation each share
holder shall have as many votes as
the number of his shares multiplied
by the whole number of directors of
the corporation, and may cast them
all for one candidate or distribute
them as he may see fit-so that, if
there be thirteen directors, the hold
ers of one-thirteenth of the stock can
combine their votes on one candidate
and elect him-thus securing to stock
holders representation in the board
in exact proportion to their stock,
and preventing q majority from ex-
cluding the minority from all voice
in the board or knowledge of its pro-
ceedings and purposes.