The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-01-17

more rigid economy than has hereto
fore characterized them. At any rate
I am satisfied that = close invesiiga-
ton on your part will discover the
fact that in the future much can be
sayed to the public treasury without
in any way, detracting from the best
interests of those persons committed
to their charge.
In reference to the prison system Of
the State, L would cali your attention
to an important suggestion made by
the Board Of State Charities in its re-
cent annual report. The report rec.
ommends that another state prison be
Immediately erected, with the capaci-
ty for not exceeding six hundred pr is-
Oners. This prison to be q reformato-
ry, in which the younger prisoners.
and those not confirmed in the habit
of crime, are to be treated with view
to their reformation. 1t is also rec
commended that district work houses,
where every convicted criminal shall
be compelled to work and earn his
living, should be added to the prison
system.
These suggestions are worthy of Sc
rious consideration; and il carried out
will test what has long been with mo
a deep conviction. 1 hope that you
will furnish the necessary legislation
to make them practical. OF course,
this will require considerable appro-
priation, hut, in my opinion, there 10
nothing. which money 10 likely to be
called Ier. tnat is more deserving.
The improvement of the navigation
of the Ohio river is properly the bus
mess Of the general government; new
ertheless it is q matter in which the
citizens Of our State are deeply inter-
ested, and, as 1t has been your habit to
give some attention to it. you tshOpld,
during your present session, give It
such consideration as its importance
may demand.
1t is certainly . cause for eengratu-
lation that anlicable relations BET ween
the recently distracted portions Of our
country seem to be now entirely re-
|! stored. The people of this State can
not bs indiffei ent to whatever will
tend to preserves these relations and
promote commercial intercourse with
the Southern States. 1t is believed
that the Cincinnati Souther Railway,
| which bids fair to soon be completed, i,
will prove an efficient agent in both
these respects. 1t should, therefore,
receive your hearty encouragement,
spirit which it represents. but also for
the reason that 1t will assist, by ,bAnds
| OF steel, to unite more closely The ties
| Of sympathy which now hold togeth-
| er the North and the South. 'sh ~"
The registration 10 VIZ as passed by
| the last Legislature, upon . fair trial,
proved to be not only ,inconyenient
| and troublesome, but extremely ex.
pensive. 1t should, therefore, either
be repealed or SO amended as to make
it more acceptabIe.t0 the people. .zIo
=. There are at least three public griev-
| ances which should receive from you
the same preliminary treatment. re-
fer 10 our unequal, unjust and, there.
fore unproduclive, sy stem of taxation ;
our cluInsy, exceedingly, ,dilatory and
generally -OdiOus system, OF courts, or
Judiciary and our confused, extraYa-
giant and badly managed system OF
municipal, or city 'OrFl town govern
men,. cannot enlarge upon the sim-
pOrtance of these subjects now, fur
thee than to say that. should you be
able to find and provide remedies
which will give US fair taxes, speedy
justice, and economylin city govern
ment you will undoubtedly perform q
work for your State which will COM
mand and receive the cordial appro.
baton ofall honest and good citizens.
lyfiAsia step antecellent lo any legisla-
ton that may be neodedsl, would reg
ommend that you, eitber by, scVlnInis-
sion or by joint, coiiihfittee, cause q
thorough Investigation into each Of
these subjocrs ;,u qnriIg the cOn,mis.
sion or committee TO- take Testimony,
both ORAL and documentary. SO, as TO
obtain tull and au hentic knowledge
OF the facts aud after duty consider
ing any and all plans that may be sug-
gested to report by bill OF Otheewise
such amendments TO existing laws as
will cure existing evils.
This plan will furnish " hat the Leg
isIa:ure has not yet had before it. viz {:
Il kAnrouyh kno,cledgc Of the facts, aud
this knowledge, it seems to me, is all
important before any legislation
should be attic mpted on subjects OF VIZ
tai cOnse quence, 81 ''~t''' ''''i -
Lam especially soIieitous that some
thing ehaii be done IN this tiireciiun to
provide against the evils Of our pres
eht system Of municipal government.
| Or cities are becoming more and
more every day great centers OF social,
commercial aud political induenee,and
| az suV ~ WV ~ POW ca Au0
importancr, the problem Of their pro.
| per government challenges the grav.
est consideration OF the nlnst 1eniigh
encd statesnanship.r And not the
least difficult feature of this problem
| is: how te reach the best results
! without endang cripg tho right OF se1f-
government2f This, L believe, should
be faithfully guarded, for no other
benefit however guarded, for no, other
| benefit however valuable, could pos
sibly compensate for any material loss
OF this right. Uar.' -aR sisa> art.
In concluding these brief sugxes-
tiOns. l wish to urge upon you the i'm
portance OF making your session a
short one. Go to work in earnest,
give close and constant attention TO
the patters with which you are in
trusted, work faithfully for the heat
intefests of your s. ate and country,
pass such laws as are necessary, and
avoid all superfuous legislation. Let
all you do be characterized by wisdom
and prudence. And when you have
accomplished your work, you can go
home to your constituents who will
honor you for your faithfulpess and
reward you for tho manner in which
you have maintained their best inter-
ests. ..-., -....-t .,....,..
And now 1 have only to add that. 1
desire to express my sincere thanks TO
the people OF the State for the distin-
guished honor they have conferred
upon me in calling me to that high
and important office, the responsible
duties of which this day assume
Believing as do in your patriotism
and assured, as I am, that ] shall have
the hearty cooperation, of your body
in all my efforts to promote good gov
ernment, and trusting 10 the guidance
of an oil; wise and tbeneficent Pfovi-
dence, l enter upon my work. mot
without hope that our mutual labors
may result beneficially to the people
we respectively represent. '' -.