Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-10-07
THE OHIO DEMOCRATIC
LEGISLATURES
A Review of its Extravaganza
and Corruption.
Correspondence N. Y. Tribune.


Correspondence N. Y. Tribune.
The last Legislature in Ohio, de-
spite the defense of it which has been
made by Mr.. Pendleton, was an un-
precedentedly extravagant and cor
rnpt one. The standard of official
morality in Ohio is much higher than
in some States in the East, and vo-
ters have not become so used to in
competency or corruption as to aban-
don even partly the theory of CON-
plete responsibility to constituencies.
One sees this high standard striking
ly exhibited in conversations with
young politicians, who have supreme
contempt for Butlerism, whether con-
sidering its methods or its results.
This legislative question is one
that ought to be understood outside
the State, both as chapter of politi-
cal morality and influencing to a
great degree the election in the State
this fall. For the members who
were inculpated during the session
and voted for the Objectionable meas
ures are most of them running again,
and where they are not their party
is held responsible; and such is the
sense of official accountability among
the electors, especially the farmers,
that their members local tickets will
suffer heavily, and these tickets will
carry with them heavy losses on the
State ticket.
The Republicans point with pride
to the declaration of Gov. Allen, and
subsequently of a Democratic Inves-
tigating Committee, that Republi-
can rule in the State for the previous
twenty years had been without blem-
ish. The criticised legislation and
conduct of the Democratic Legisla
ture is briefly divided into these
heads: The Potter bill, the Wood
County bribery, the increase of olli-
ces, the mismanagement of State in
stitutions, and the Geghan bill.
The Wood County bribery scandal
was the result of report by an in
vestigating committee charging that
several Democratic members had
each been given 800 for their sup
port OF bill to change the county
seat of Wood County from Bowling
Green to Perrysburg. The Legisla-
ture not only refused to censure the
accused members, as recommended
by the committee, but whitewashe'l
them outright with special resolu-
ton. The increase of officers by the
Legislature was thirty eight, invOlv-
ing an annual expense of about as
many thousand dollars, and this in
the face of the fact that the Demo
cratic party went into the last legis-
Iatiye canvass ON the issue of re
enchinent and reform.
The mismanagement of the State
institutions was as follows: (1) The
Commissioners for the erection of the
Central Lunatic Asylum at Colum-
bus, a splendid building, were re-
moved, they having served most eifi-
GENTLY without pay, and other Com
missioners, and architects, and
clerks, ETC., were appointed, thereby
adding $4,000 to the yearly ex-
penses of the State; (2) the removal
of Father Griswold from the Orphan
Asylum at Xenia, and the appoint
ment of DR.. Jenner; and then, when
there was alleged to be strong evi-
dence against him of immortality, al
lowing him to resign without censure
or punishment; (3) the taking of
the management of the Deaf and
Dumb Asylum, the Asylum for I'm
beetle Children, and the Blind Asy-
lum at Columbus out of the hands of
the principals, and the installation
there of stewards to manage the in
stitutions on a money basis. In the
debate on this measure it was stated
as reason for the change that the
Democratic storekeepers OF Column
bus demanded the patronage of those
institutions, and this is now given
them by the stewards. The stew
ards. it is asserted, are ignorant ward
politicians, and even a man of such
eminence as DIR. Lord, Of the Blind
ASYLUM, can not even have charge of
the carriage allowed him as Princi-
pal without application to the stew
ard. These stewards are discourte-
Gus in their treatment of the efficient
and trained superintendents and EN-
ployes of these asylums, and are also
a very expensive set of officers. (4)
The scandal in the Northern Luna
tic Asylum, at Newburg, near Cleve-
land, of similar nature to that Of DIR.
Jenncr, following soon after the re-
moval of the former management
and the substitution Of Democratic
managers.