Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-01-20
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
GOVERNOR r. B. HAYES,
pellolc- Ciitise1ls Of the General Assembly :.

left to those officers to whom the people, In
conformity with the Constitution of the United
States, have the important duties and respon-
sibilities of the various departments of the
General Government.
During the term for which you lave been
elected, the Constitution of the State devolves
on you the task of dealing with many subjects
very interesting to the people of Ohio. The
duty OF communicating 10 you the condition
OF the State, and OF recommending measures
deemed expedient, vas performed at the Open
ing of your present session by the distinguish
ed citizen who has preceded me in the Execu-
tive office. In complying with the usage
which requires me to appear before you on this
occasion, | am, therefore, relieved from the
necessity of entering upon any extensive ex-
animation of the subjects which will claim
your attention. There are, however, few
topics on which brief suggestions may, per-
haps, be proftably submitted
The attention of the Legislature has often
been earnestly invoked to the rapid increase of
municipal and other local expenditures, and
! the consequent augmentation OF local taxation
and local Indebtedness. This increase is found
mainly in the cities and large towns 1t is
certainly great evil. How to govern cities
well, consistently with the principles and
methods of popular government, is one of the
most important and difficult problems of our
time. Profigate expenditure is the fruitful
cause 'of municipal msgovernment. If
means can be found which will keep munich
pal expenses from largely exceeding the pub
lie necessities, its adoption will go far toward
securing honesty and efficiency in city affairs.
In cities large debts and bad government go
| together. Cities which have the lightest tax
es and smallest debts are apt, also, to have the
purest and most satisfactory government
The following statement, showing the in
crease of municipal taxation and Indebtedness
in the cities and large towns of Ohio ought to
arrest attention: --
In 1871, in thirty-one of the principal cities
and towns of the State, the average rate of
taxation was twenty and one-tentf mills
on the dollar. The total amount of taxes
levied for all purposes was So, GsS, ,O64. The
total Indebtedness was 81, ,0S2.
In 1870, in the same cities and towns the
average rate of taxation was twenty-eight and
three-tenths mills on the dollar The total
amount of taxes levied for all purposes was
S12, 361 1874. The total indebtedness was
$40, SOC, ,491
The salient points in this, statement are,
that in four years the rate of municipal taxa
tion has increased almost twenty five Der
cent, the total amount Of municipal taxes has
in reased over thirty per cent, and
municipal Indebtedness has increased about
one hundred and ninety per cent, or more
than thirteen and half millions of dollars If
this great increase of burdens affected directly
the whole of the State, they would give their
agents in the Legislative and Executive De-
partments of the State Government no peace
until effective measures to prevent its contin-
uance were adopted. But, in fact, the whole
people of the State are deeply interested in
this subject The burdens borne by the cities
and towns must be shared, in part at least, by
all who tranaart hnsipauc with tboy,, 'rh,,
town and the neighbor;ng country have a
common interest, and, in many respects, must
be regarded as one community.
1t mas been said that the discretion commit
ted to the local authorities, however limited
and guarded, must be necessarily large; that in
respect to the imposition of the largest pro-
portion of the burden imposed upon the citi-
zen, they constitute the real legislature and
that for the prevention of the evils we are con-
sidering. the people must exercise the greatest
care in the choice of citizens to fill the i'm
portanI local offices Experience does not
seem to justify the expectation that an ade
quate remedy can be obtained in this way.
| submit that to the subject of local indebt
edness, the General Assembly should apply
the principles of the State Constitution on the
subject of State Indebtedness.
1t is not enough to require in every grant of
special authority to incur debt, as condition
precedent, that the people interested shall ap-
prove it by their votes. 1t is well known how
easy such elections are carried, under the in
tiuence of local excitement and local rivalries
If the rule of the State Constitution which
forbids all debts except in certain specified
emergencies, is deemed too stringent to be ap-
piled to local affairs, the Legislature should at
least accompany every authority to contract
debt With an imperative requirement that
tax sufficient to pay off the indebtedness with
in brief period shall be Immediately levied,
and thus compel every citizen who votes to
increase debts to vote at the same time for an
immediate increase of taxes sufficient to dis
charge them.
The wisdom of the policy long since adopt
ed, of placing a judicious limitation on the
power of municipal authorities to levy taxes,
has been Findicated by experience. 1t must,
however, ultimately fail to accomplish its OBJ
ject, if the increase of municipal Indebtedness
is allowed to go on. To authorize town to
contract a debt, whose expenditures always
require taxation up to the limit allowed by
law, is in its necessary effect tantamount to
repeal of the limitation.
Under the provisions of the eighth article of
the constitution, alre..dy referred TO, the State
debt, notwithstanding the extraordinary ex
penditures of the war, has been reduced from
over twenty millions, the amount due in 1851,
important part of the constitutional provisions
which have been so successful in State finances,
is the section which requires the creation of
sinking fund, and the annual payment of
constantly increasing sum on the principal of
the State debt. Let requirement analogous
to this be enacted in regard to existing local
indebtedness; let judiciOus limitation of the
rate of taxation which local authorities may
levy be strictly adhered to; and allow no
srla t<lh hao
in conformity with these principles, and we
may, believe, confidently expect that within
few years the burdens of debt now resting
upon the cities and towns of the State will dis
appear, and that other wholesome and much
needed reforms in the whole administration of
vur municipal government will of necessity
follow the adoption of what may be called the
cash system in local affairs
Among the most interesting duties you will
have to perform are those which relate to the
guardianship and care of the unfortunate
classes of society, and to the punishment and
reformation of criminals. According to the
latest official reports, the State is responsible
for the support and care of about fifteen thou
sand of her dependent citizens. The State is
also bound to see that many thousands more,
who are imprisoned for longer or shorter pe-
RODS, on account of crime, have Just and wise
treatment. There is annually expended in the
performance of these duties sum exceeding
two and a half millions of dollars, The people
OF Ohio feel profound interest in what are
known as the benevolent, reformatory, and
penal institutions of the State
In order that the General Assembly might,
| from time TO time, receive full and accurate
information as TO the efficiency of the manage
ment of these institutions and of the county
and city jails, infirmaries and warehouses; it
was enacted in 1867 that Board of State
Charities be established. 1t was intended that
this board should be composed of citizens of
intelligence and henevolence, who would serve
without compensation. They were 'sto i'm
vestigate the system of the public charitable
and correctional institutions of the State, and
| to make such recommendations as they might