The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-01-14


shared, in part at least, 10y all rho trans
act business with them. The town and (!
the neIghhoring country have common
interest, and. in MANY respects, must be |
- enc community.
1t has neen said that the discretion
la the local authorities, how
ever limited and guarded, must he ne
large; that in respect TO the i'm /
position % the largest proportion of the
burden imposed upon the citizen, they /
the real legislature; and that
for the prevention of the evils We are
the people must exerri>e
the greatest care in the choice uf citizens
TO fill the important local offices. Ex-
perienre does not seem Ia justify the ex-
pec,a,ion that an adequate remedy can
he obtained in this way.
submit; that 10 the subject Of local
Indebtedness, the General Assembly
should apply the principles of the State
Constitution ON the suhject of State in
drbtedness.
1t is not enough TO require in every
grant of special authority Ia incur debt.
as a condition precedent, that the people
interested shall arproveIt II by their votes.
1t is we'll known how easily such cleo
tions are carried, under the influence of
local excitement and local rivalries. If
the rnle of the State Constitution which
forbids all debts except in certain speci-
fed emergencies, is deemed too stringent
to be applied to local affairs, the Legis-
lature should at least accompany every
authority to contract debt with an in
perative requirement that a tax sufficient
to paw off the Indebtedness within a
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 discharge them.
The wisdom of the policy long since
adopted of placing a judicious limita-
tinn on the power of municipal author
tiles to levy taxes, has been vindicated
by experience. 1t must, however, ulti
ms tely fail to accomplish its object, if
the increase of municipal indebtness is
to contract n debt, whose expenditures
already require taxation mp TO the limit
allowed by law, is in its necessary effect
tantamount TO a repeal of the Limitation.
Under the provision of the eighth ar
ticle of the Constitution, already refer
red to, the State debt, notwithstanding
war has been reduced from over twenty
millions, the amount due in 1851, until
ii is now only abont seven millions. An
important part OF the Constitutional pro-
visions which have been so successful in
State finances. is the section which re-
quires the creation of a sinking fund.
and the annual payment of a constantly
increasing sum on the principal of the
State debt. Let a requirement analog-
Gus to this he enacted in regard TO exist
ing local Indebtedness; let jndiciou~
| limitation of the rate of taxation which
local authorities may levy be strictly
adhered to, and allow no further in debt
edness to be authorized except in con-
formity with these principles, and we
may, | believe, confidently expect that
within a few years the burdens of debt
now resting upon the cities and towns OF
the State will disappear, and that other
wholesome and much needed reforms in
the whole administration of our Mnni
cipal Government will of necessity fol-
low the adoption of what may be called
the cash system in local affairs.
Among the most interesting daties You
will have to perform are those which re-
late to the guardianship and care of the
unfortunate classes of society, and to
the punishment and reformation oi
criminals. According to the latest off
cial reports, the State is responsible for
the support and care Of abOnt fifteen
thousand of her dependent citizens. The
State is also bound to see that many
thousands more, who are imprisoned fol-
longer or shorter periods. on account oi
crime, have just and wise treatment
There is annually expended in the per.
fOrmance of these duties sum exceed
ing two and a half millions of dollars
The people of Ohio feel profound in
terest in what are known as the henavo
lent, reformatory ard penal institution,
of the State.
In order that the General Assemhl,
might. from time to time, receive fnl
and accurate information as to the eff
cheney of the management OF these in
<titutinns, and of the county and city
iaiIs, intirmaries and work -houses, j
was enacted in 1867 that Board q
State Charities be established 1t wa
intended that this Board should he com
posed of citizens of intelligence an,
benevolence, who would serve withou
compensation. They were 10 "investigai
the system Of the public charitable ant
correctional institutions of the State
and to make such recommendations a
they might deem necessary" They wer
also required to make annually a ful
and complete report of their doings t.
the Legislature. In pursuance of thi
law Board was organized, which, at
trihing expense to the State, did mucl
: valuable work. By reason of their in
vestigations and reports, important i'm
provement were introduced into tn
infrmaries and jails Of the State, an
the general efficiency of our penal an,
reformatory system was increased. j
1872 the General Assembly, without du
consideration, it is believed, repeale,
the act creating the Board. ] respect
fully recommend that the Board of Stat
Charities be re -esta bliShed.
1t is believed that an investigation ii
the interest of economy will discove
that several offices, somewhat expensiv
to the State, may, without de