The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-09-30
DEMOCRATIC RULE IN OHIO
A Review of the Record of Two Years
EXTRAVAGANCE, FRAUD AND IN
CREASED TAXES.
Extracts from the Speech of Lieut.. Gov.
Hart, at Auburn, Sept. 10th.

sIonf DO you want any more of it?
speak what you all know in saying tina
its administration has been lamentabl
failure. Instead of reform it has inau
gurated abuses; instead of purity it ha
introduced corruption instead of econo
my it has been guilty of extravaganza
do not propose to deal in generalities
but will call attention directly to specii,
and undisputed facts.
There is no State in the Union which
has had more reason to be proud of it,
public benevolent, penal, and reformator!
institutions than Ohio. These consist o
asylums for the insane at Newburg, Co
lumbus, Toledo, Dayton, and Athens. Ar
| asylum for imbeciles, one for the blind
and one for the Deaf and Dumb at Co
lumbus, a Penitentiary at Columbus, {
Reform School for Boys near Lancaster
an Industrial School for Girls at White
Sulpur Springs, near Delaware, and g
Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home al
Xenia. These institutions under Repub
lican rule had been managed with signal
ability. In economy and general eff
cheney, they were unequalled in the
United States. No taint of corruption
| had ever been cast on their management
By the united testimony of all parties
| they have been endorsed and approved.
examined and reported in their favor
and Gov. Allen in public speech had
said in substance, that the Republican
administration of Ohio was without a
stain. These public institutions, as you
know, were, and are managed by Boards
| of Directors or Trustees appointed by the
Governor. The appoin tments are gener-
ally SO arranged that only one director
or trustees goes out of Office each year.
1t will be seen that in the ordinary
course of things it would take from three
to five years to change the dictatorship
of any one of these establishments. Gov.
Aliens term of office was only for two
years, and as result, unless some extra
ordinary measures were resorted to, no
substantial political change could be
effected during his official life. The
Democracy were unwilling to wait for
these slow changes to take place. The
only mode of obtaining immediate con-
troll of the public institutions was to re-
peal the laws under which they existed
and were organized and operated. This
was revolutionary proceeding, but by
doing it they would legislate out of office
every director, trustee and officer in any
manner connected with these State char
tiles; and then under new laws they
could appoint men of their own party,
and in this manner obtain entire posses
sion and control. 1t was in vain that the
friends of these charities protested
against it; in vain that they argued that
it was essential to the welfare of the in
mates that men of eminence and expert
ence should be permitted to remain in
charge; that to put in new and inexperi-
enced men would impair their useful
ness and efficiency. All appeals on be-
lo1f &c A. !,
insane, the imbeciles, the orphans and
the unfortunate or criminal children of
the State were without avail. The tales
of the insane are never listened to, and
who would hear the complaints of little
children whose fathers were sleeping in
soldiers graves2
In Democratic caucus with closed
doors it was solemnly resolved that all
these laws should be repealed, and an
entire change effected. Then the work
of destruction began. The first attack
was made on the Ohio Penitentiary. A
bill was introduced and carried through
the General Assembly which repealed
the law under which it operated, and leg
islated out of Office, the Directors, War
den, Deputy Warden, clerks and all other
officers connected with the Prison. New
Directors, officers and guards were ap-
pointed. Few, if any of these, had ever
had any experience in prison manage
ment, and some of them have since
proven to be utterly and miserably in
competent This raid upon the Peni-
tentiary was followed by similar meas
ures in regard to all the lunatic asylums,
the Blind Asylum, and the Soldiers and
Sailors Orphans Home. This Soldiers
and Sailors Orphans Home was first or
ganized by the Grand army of the Re-
II - 4L i
ing to protect and care for the children
contributions raised money enough to
buy tract of land and begin the erec-
tion of buildings. The State afterward
took charge of the matter. Dr. Griswold,
who had himself been a surgeon in the
army man of warm and sympathetic
heart, had been in charge of the Home
from the beginning. Here, under his
charge, were gathered about six hundred
children of dead soldiers. They all knew
and loved him, and he in turn cared for
them with parental tenderness. A
matron, some twenty or thirty cottage
managers, ten or twelve teachers were
employed to aid him in his work. Among
all the benevolent enterprises of the
State none were more deserving, and none
enlisted more strongly the sympathies
people 1t was wicked and cruel
thing to touch this institution. Some of
the Democratic members revolted at the
idea and at first refused to vote. But the
crack of the caucus lash drove them into
line A bill was introduced to repeal the
law under which it was organized, and to
reorganize it under Democratic auspices
1t passed the House and came to the
Senate. When on its final passage there.
Mr.. Rukenbrod, the large hearted Sena
tor from Columbiana, finding it was sure
to pass, and desiring to secure the rights
and health of the children as far as possi-
BILE, offered an amendment to the bill so
as to provide that in the purchase of
meats and food for the children the Su-
perintendent, who was required to. let
the contract to the lowest bidder, should
have the power, and it should be his
duty to to reject whatever was diseased
or unwholesome Every Democratic
Senator voted against the amendment
and it was rejected, and without any such
provision or protection the bill became
a law I instance this, as showing the
spirit in which the work was done. The
sole object was to get possession, regard
less of the lights or interests of the un-
fortunate people for whose benefit the
institutions were established. As re-
suit, the trustees and officers, including
DR.. Griswold, were turned out and their
places filled by Democratic politicians
The effect of this disorganizing process
is well known. Never was legislation
accomplished from meaner and more un-
worthy motives; never was it attended
with more disastrous consequences. To
prove this I give you two illustrations.
The Ohio Penitentiary, under the ad-
ministration OF Republicans, was "a we'll