Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-01-13
The Governors Message.


] The Governor out starts with two
very good recommendations, though
he can hardly claim patent as the in
of expenses of the State and local gov
ernments, and less meddlesome in
terfe, ence with the we'll settled body
OF statute law.
He then gives the result of Constitu-
tiOnai Amendments submitted last
! election.
Then brief summary of the finan-
cial condition of the State. The most
notable fact in this Is the large increase
in debts of cities which aggregated,
Sept. ], 1854, SIS, ,89O, liz SO; and same
date 1875, $50, 250,7 IL. Debts of in
ctrpOrated villages increased about
Sc, 600. Special debts of school dis
tricts increased $217, ,32S 78. ALI other
debts have decreased. The total
amount of State and local indebted
ness, rei,nbursable, Ia put-State, ST.
949, $40 II; local, S25, ,957 ,5SS q; irredu-
chile debt, s4, III, ,66S 81; grand total of
State, local and trust funds, S38, ,OS5,-
176 81.
The Governor pays a graceful tribute
to Isaac Welsh, late Treasurer of State.
He recommends a revision of penal
ties for petty offenders, so as to weed
out an overplus of State prison con-
victs, and leave them to be punished
at home. He indorses Gov. Noye's
views on the subject of inequality in
sentences to the penitentiary, resulting
from inequalities in the temperament
ofjudgmenIs. He says men are serv-
ing 80 years for precisely the same
crimes for which other men are serving
8 years.
The Central Ohio Hospital for the
Insane he thinks may be ready for
patients by the middle of November
next. Total cost to November Is, 1875,
$I,OO1 ,276 05. Add additional necessa-
ry to complete the building, estimated,
and total cost will be 81 1882 800.
The Governor says the Executive
should have greater range in his power
for removal of incompetent or immoral
appointees in our institutions. He
says: "I think the Governor should
have power to suspend members of
boards, and all other appOintces lex
cept judiciar of the Executive, for
cause which he may deem sufficient
(nOt political being required to re-
port his action and his reason therefor
to the Senate, Immediately, If in ses-
sion, and if not in session, within ten
days after the commencement of the
General Assembly, for its approval;
the suspension to be an absolute remO-
val if cOncurred in by the Senate"
He reviews the decision of the Su-
preme Court In the Howe Reform
Farm superintendent case, and re-
cOmmends legislation making statute
ry affirmation of the principle that the
expiration of regular term of office
creates a vacancy which the Executive
may fill when it occurs, if the Legisla-
ture be not in session, subject to the
approval of the Senate at its next ses-
sion.
The mining, railroad, and military
interests of the State receive concise at
tention, and then the Governor plum
ges into "the Centennial Year of our
National existence" (Why, Cover
nor! How is that? 'Nutionats) Then
we have Nation over and over again,
five times in eight lines, with an array
of capital Ms that will fiji the Cincin-
natl Commercial with rapture, so to-
sl eak. The Governor suggests also
whether it would not be iii and
proper recognition OF the Declaration
o: Independence to have State cele-
bration under State auspices, at the
Capital, on the 4th day of July, 1876.
The Governor confides in the wis
dom Of the General Assembly to find
some legislation against vagrancy that
shall be effective, bat makes no recon-
mendatiOn.
With a recurrence 10 the recOmmen-
dation of retrenchment, the Governor
closes his sensible and practical Mes
sage. There is little or nothing in the
Message but what may be approved by
all, without respect TO party. The re-
commentators are mainly such as
have been insisted upon by all parties,
and put into all party platforms, from
time inmemorial-economy, retrench-
ment, and the like. The Message is
one that we can heartily commend. 1t
is a great and unaffected pleasure to be
able TO accompany the retirement of
Gov. Allen with the best of wishes for
his happiness and prosperity in the fu-
ture.-O. s. Journal.