The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-07-26
Hayes is no Reformer.

SulcuSA AauoSie Ah SANA 1870 S'sssS~
in Congress or as Governor Of Ohio;
but there was one important meas
ure that was carried through by the
last Ohio Legislature which gives
special significance to his admins
tration, and which will enable
the people to form a toler~
ubly clear idea what kind of
reform we may expect should he
be successful in getting elected
President.
During the first two terms of Gen:
Hayes as Governor Of Ohio, and du-
ring that Of his successor General
Noyes, system Of Wholesale swim
ding by county Rings reached enor-
nous proportions. This fleeing Of
the people was accomplished by
means of constructive fees exacted
by county officers; and the extent to
which these abuses were carried may
be inferred from the fact that the re-
port of the State Auditor in 1874
showed that the compensation Of
county officials amounted to about
five times the total expenses of the
Legislative, Judicial and Executive
Departments Of the State. The ex-
tortions of these officials reached ,ev-
cry class of the community; even the
estates of widows and orphans were
robbed to satisfy the insatiats greed
of the county Rings, and by means
of excessive fees, Probate Judges in
some of the counties were enabled to
swell their compensation to amounts
more than double the salaries of the
Judges Of the Supreme Court.
When Gov. Allen came into office
he Immediately gave his attention
to the rectiRcation Of. these abuses.
In his message of December l, 1874,
he called the special attention Of the
Legislature to the subject, and the
people of Ohio, finding that they at
last had a champion in the Executive
chair, poured in their petitions to the
number Of fifty thousand, demanding
immediate relief from the exactions
Of the county Rings. Not satisfied
with presenting the matter officially
TO the Legislature, Gov. Allen made
the most urgent personal appeals to
his supporters in both Houses, and
though his efforts met with persist
ent opposition from members and
tools of these Rings, belonging to
both political parties, he finally sue
ceeded in carrying his point, and a
law was passed making a reduction
Of 1886, 900 annually in the compen-
sation OF county officials. Oh
i Well, in 1875 Hayes was elected,
and Republican Legislature came
into power. AT once the rings raj
lied IN fnll force ana a Dill was pre-
pared to repeal the reform law wh'ch
GOV. Allen had iorceo through tue
preceding Legislature by his uptir-
| personal iapors. a strong lopDy was
organized at inc CAPITOL ana. thongl
new county omcers haa n the mean
> time been elected under the act nx-
ing reduced salaries, they succeeded
IN repeating tue law Wn'cn sn ne Dem
: ocratlc Legislature mad passed, tue
new Dill oelhg mace re'roace'Ve III
It's operation, 50 as 70 comple'ly neu'
t trallze Inc ehects Oh Inc law WINCH
was repealed'
"na' was GOV hayes aolhs "l'i.e
g 'hese ieecnes "efe prosecuting ; suc',
scnemes 70 oeifaua TUG pepper Ina
am'aoie gehsle"an was oo'ns nom
g ing ~ All 1ne lnea "no "c,e en
t gaseo ~ 'ne se''l0s ~ s'u' "."s'
wefe polis'e.aus " 'unu'u''. WV
u hayeS 10 NV ''' pAI " naA' s"'
q "l.s =, s,eu 0e1''o.,'e .''sAue' ~,
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