Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-01-20
Inaugural Address of Governor
Hayes.

Inaugural Address of Governor
Hayes.
FeHor- Citizens Of the General As
sembLy:
Questions of National concern, ir
the existing condition of public af
fairs, may well be left to those Off
GERS to whom the people, in confOrmi
ty with the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, have confided the impor-
tant duties and responsibilities of the
various departments of the General
Government.
During the term for which you
have been elected, the Constitution OF
the State devolves on yon the task OF
dealing with many subjects very in
teresting to the people of Ohio. The
duty of communicating to you the
condition of the State. and OF recon-
mending measures deemed expedi
ent, was performed at the opening OF
your present session by the distin-
guished citizen who has preceded me
in the executive office. In complying
with the usage which requires me to
appear before you on this occasion
1 am, therefore, relieved from the ne'
cessity of entering upon any extens-
i've examination of the subjects which
will claim your attention. There
are, however, a few topics on which
brief suggestions may perhaps be
protitably submitted.
The attention Of the Legislature
has been earnestly invoked to the
rapid increase Of municipal and other
local expenditures, and the conse-
quent augmentation of local taxation
and local indebtedness. This in
crease is found mainly in the cities
and large towns. 1t is certainly a
great evil. How to govern cities
well, consistently with the principles
and methods of popular government
is one Of the most important anu dif.
ficult problems of our time. Profli-
gate expenditure is the fruitful cause
OF municipal government. If q
means can be found which will keeE
municipal expenses from largely ex
ceeding the public necessities, its
adoption will go far towards securing
honesty and efficiency in city affairs
In cities, large debts and bad govern
ment 60 together. Cities which have
the llghtest taxes and smallest debts
are apt, also, to have the purest and
most satisfactory governments.
The following statement, showing
the increase of municipal taxation
and Indebtedness in the cities ant
large towns of Ohio, ought to arres
attention:
In 1871, in thirty-one of the prin
cipal cities and towns of the State
the average rate of taxation wa:
twcnty-three and one tenth mills OF
the dollar. The total amount o
taxes levied for all purposes was
$S.9SS,6O4. The total indebtedness:
was $7,lS7,0S2.
In 1875, in the same cities aI1t
towns. the average rate of taxation
was twenty-eight and three-tenth
mills on the dollar. The tota
amount of taxes levied for all pur
poses was $12,361, ,934. The tota
Indebtedness was $20,S00,491.
The salient points in this state
ment are, that in four years the rat
of municipal taxation has increased
almost twenty-five per cent, the to
tai amount of municipal taxes ha
increased over thirty seven per cent.
municipal Indebtedness has iacreas
ed about one hundred and ninety pc
cent, or more than thirteen and
half millions of dollars. If TIN
great increase of burdens affected di
rectly the whole people of the State
they would give their agents in tn
legislative and executive department
of the State Government no peac
until effective measures to prevent it
continuance were adopted. But i
fact the whole people of the Stat
are deeply interested in this subject
The burdens borne by the cities an
towns must be shared, in part q
least, by all who transact busines
with them. The town and tn
neighboring country have a commo
interest, and, in many respects; mus
be regarded as one community.
1t has been said that the discrt
tion committed to the local author
ties, however limited and guarded
must be necessarily large; that in n
spect to the imposition of the larges
proportion of the burden impose
upon the citizen, they constitute til
real legislature; and that for tn