The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-09

suit of which is that when money is
borrowed, on railroad stock pledged as
collateral security, a transfer Is made on
the books to the banker or broker, who
has only a remote interest in the ulti-
mate value of the stock. Spectators
and schemers then borrow or hire the
proxies, on stock so held in pledge, and
BY voting the same, sometimes enter in
to transactions to the extent of millions
Of dollars, involving the validity of
railroad securities, and affecting the
financial interests of many innocent per
sons. 4 controlling influence is thus Of
ten exercised by men having no pecuni-
airy interest at stake, TO the discredit of
the whole railroad system, and to the
prejudice of the public welfare.
1t would be we'll for the General As
sembly to compel Ohio corporations, un-
der heavy penalties for refusing to obey
the Law, to keep their transfer books, or
duplicates thereof, at some office or place
within the limits of the State, and the
books should be closed for transfers at
least ten days before the annual meeting
of stockholders
In this connection, it may not be inn
proper to say that the subject of cheap
transportation is one which is engross-
ing the attention of the whole country.
A committee of Congress now has the
matter under consideration, and it is
hoped just and satisfactory solution of
this troublesome question will be reach
ed. If Congress should fail to afford re-
lief, it may become the duty of State
Legislatures to consider what can and
what ought to be done.
CRIMINAL LAW.
Another years experience in the mat
ter of hearing and deciding applications
for pardon has confirmed me in the
opinion that the law should be so modi-
fed as to leave less discretion with the
Courts in passing sentence for criminal
ofenses. 1t often happens that two
prisoners work side by side in the peni-
tentiary, both sent there for precisely
the same crime one for one year and the
other for ten. In such case, it is impos-
sible to convince the convict incarcera-
ted for the longer time that he has been
fairly dealt with. And so long as he is
stung with a sense of this injustice, he
is not likely to reform. There is moth
ing approaching uniformity in the
length of sentences pronounced by diff
ferent Judges for similar offeneses.
l earnestly recommend that the Grim
inal law be SO changed as to secure more
exact justice; 81 amended as to leave re-
suits affecting the lives and liberties of
men less dependent upon the judgment
the temperament or the caprice of those
who administer the law.
STATE ORDNANCE
1t may not be universally known that
under an act of Congress, approved
April %, 1908, two hundred thousand
dollars are annually appropriated for
the purpose of arming and equipping
the militia of the United States, this
sum being divided among the States and
Territories according to their represen-
tation in Congress. The yearly quota
in Ohio under this rule is S11, 500. But
during the late war large sums of mon
ey were charged against some of the
States for arms and other ordnance stores
issued to said States by the War De-
partment. By reference to the report of
the Adjutant General, which win be laid
before you, it will be seen that Ohio
stood charged on the 1st of Decem mber,
1868, with S184, 733 % in excess of her
quota. The amount at this time appear
ing to be due, after deducting the cred
its allowed since December /, 1868, is
about 1927, ,00o As the arms and other
ordnance stores now inpossession of the
State are inconsiderable in quantity
and of little value, it is undoubtedly
trne that we stand charged with stores
issued to troops and used during the
war, and which have been accounted for
to the United States Government by
commanding officers in the field. It
may be that errors occurred in keeping
the accounts, but certain it is that Ohio
ought not to be charged with this large
amount of money. Indeed General A.
B. Dyer, Chief of Ordnance, says:
Large sums of money were charged
against some of the States for arms, &c.
furnished by this Department during
the war, and other States, equally pop
ulous, had no charges made against
them during the same period; and it
seems to me highly probable that err
rors occurred in keeping the accounts
with the States, which do great injustice
to some of them, but which this Bureau
has no authority to correct. The prin-
cipal, if not all, of the issues which
were made to the States during the war,
were made to them for the maintenance
of the Government and the preserva-
tion of the Union, and should have been
charged as arms and other stores issued
to volunteers, to the United States, and
not to the States"
If the apparent Indebtedness here re-
ferred to is not Cancelled, as the Adju-
tant General says, it will be eleven years
before any arms can be received by this
State
1t would be well to authorize some
agent or State officer to investigate and
secure a correction of the mistakes here
tofore made. Or if Congressional ac-
ton is necessary, as the Chief of Ord
nance seems to think, then the General
should instruct our Senators
and request our Representatives in Con-
gress to secure, if possible, the required
legislation.
WAR CLAIMS AGAINST THE UNITED
STATES.
The following statement will show the |
history and condition of war claims pre-
'ented by the State of Ohio against the
General Government: