Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-08-05

country until Republicanism is crush
ed-that the final struggle on State
rights is to be fought in 1876? Forget
the past, while Southern Democrats
are seeking to reward those who
sought and fought to destroy the gov
and have already elected
scores of feX-Confederate officers to the
Congress ofthe United States, gentle
men who will give no peace to the
so long as hope fingers that the
cause which was lost by the arbitra
ment of war, may be won by strategy
or by the ballot.
Let the South forget its folly, ignore
its mad leaders, cease prosecuting
Union men, and rewarding unrepen-
tant Confederates for their devotion to
the rebel cause-let the Democracy,
North and South, accept the logic and
lessons of the war in good faith, and
show their faith by their works; assist
in restoring confidence, and directing
the industries of the whole people to-
ward the advancement of individual
and public good, in upholding and sus-
tanning the faith and credit of the ma
tion, and in keeping forever sacred the
creed that "UniOn and liberty, now
and forever, are one and inseparable"
then, and not till then, will the is
sues of the war cease to find expression
from the hearts of loyal men.
And now, gentlemen, let me advert
for a few moments to our State. 1t is
well known to you that since 1856
Ohio has been substantially in the
hands of the Republican party, and
during all these years she prospered as
she had never proSp"ied before. And
during these years the State authOri-
ties collected and disburSed well nigh
one hundred millions of dollars, not
one dollar of which found its way into
the Golfers of the treasury or the pock-
cts of tie officers, without the warrant
of law, nor was one dollar squandered
or improperly expended. Our oppo-
nents have borne testimony to this
fact. There never was a complaint
even from our opponents of the man
ner in which the affairs of the State
were administered Yet they have
on several occasions, Onsether issues,
obtained majority in the General As
sembly, and in each instance they dis
gusted the people.
The Democrats had majority in the
Legislature of 1868 and 1869, and what
claims based upon the acts of that Leg
islature have they to be returned to
power? Their sessions were longer and
cost more than any other under the
present Constitution. 1t was this Leg
islature that passed the measure known
as the "visible admiXture law" 1t
was this same Legislature which at
tempted to disfranchise the students of
Ohio, who under the Constitution had
a right to vote, by applying test to
them not required in regard to other
voters. 1t also attempted to disfran-
chise the veterans at the Soldiers
Home, veterans who had well nigh
lost their lives in defense of the natiop
many. of them manned and sightless
heroes. 1t was this Legislature that
voted to rescind the ratification of the
Fourteenth Constitutional A.nend-
ment, by which equal rights under the
the rebel debt by the United States for
ever prohibited. This same Legisla-
ture created twenty-one new officers
Boiler Inspectors-to reward party IA
vorites, and to harasS and veX and
bleed small millers and manufacturers
iu the State. 1t also passed acts in.
creasing the rate of interest on loans
obtained by local authorities, thus in
creasing the rlue of taxation in the in.
terest of the money lender. But let Us
leave the past and give the by-gones
the go-by and come to the present.
Where is the honest Democrat who
does not blush at the mention of the
Legislature of 1915, the last Legisla.
ture of Ohio, and which was thoroughly
Democratic, and the honester the Dem.
ocrat the deeper the bushes. A Legis.
lature elected upon the pretense oil re.
trenchment and reform. But where
are the retrenchment and reform to be
found No where. Not single use.
less Office was abolished. Not a single
principle of retrenchment adopted, but
all the varied classes of expenditures
were retained and others added. Be-
fore coming into power they claimed
that at least three offices might with
profit be abolished-when in power
they filled them with Democratic parti.
zans, and we hear nothing more about
their uselessnesS. AT their first session
they created four new salaried officers
three of whom are employed to per.
form duties of class, that time out Of
mind, in the history of our State, have
been performed by public spirited citi.
| zens without pay. Iallude to the three
Commissioners to watch the progress
of the building of the new Central Asy'
lum. The fourth Office created was
that of Mine Inspector. In the second
session they created three new salaried
officers, Commissioners to revise the
laws, at an estimated expense of not
less than fifteen thousand dollars pei
annum. They also added large num-
ber of new Common Pleas Judges to
the Judicial force of the State, appoint
ed three Fish Commissioners, and ap.
propriated ten thousand dollars to pay
lexpenses, and in various ways provided
for q material increase in the amount
OF the annual expense of carrying or
the State Government.
| In 1871 and in 1872 the State levy fol
all purposes was two and nineteenth
mills, but in 1873 the levy was increased
sixteenth mills; the increase was made
necessary by the imperative demand:
for the completion of the Athens Asy
lum for LunaticS and the Blind Asylum
which were in progress of construction
and 10 rebuild the Central and North
ern Asylums which had been destroyed
by fire. Now, after these great struct
ures, the Southern Lunatic Asylum a
Athens and the Blind Asylum at Co
lumbus, had been completed, aftel
these great expenses had been taker
away-nO more demand for construc
ton money for them-the session O
1874 reduced the levy three-tenth mills
the session of 1875 reduced it one-tentf
more, still leaving the levy of S75 two
tenths greater than it was in 1871 or il
1872; and we are assured on the highest
official authority that the levy of 1877;
will fall three hundred thousand dotLdrs
short of providing for the necessary ex
penses of the State-that much short Of
the expenditures provided by law. A
strange economy this, of reducing eX'
penditures by going in debit of moi
paying according to contract. Sc much