The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-01-10
, aIcnre uonr earnest aiLention.

to stCure your earnest attention.
An examination of the statistics sho vs.
that the counties traversed by the canals
although numbering about one third Of
the counties of the State, contain ma
ority of the inhabitants, and largely more
than one.half the taxable wealth of the
State, as represented on the grand tax
duplicate, and also, that these same coun'
ties during the last decade have inCreas-
ed more rapidly in population and wealth
than any other portion of the State. The
following fgues show the population Of
the canal counties, by the census of 1870,
to be one million three hundred and
thirty eight thousand eight hundred and
ninety.one 1888 S9l), population of the
balance of the State, one million three
hundred and twenty-six thousand one
hundred and eleven Il ,326,11D.
The amount of property on the grand
duplicate in those counties, as shown by
the last annual report of the Auditor of
State, was eight hundred and sixty-two
million twenty-six thousand three hum
dred and fifty-one 1882 02695l) dollars.
The amount in the balance Of the State
wasseven hundred and thirty. five million
four hundred and thirty.three thousand
six hundred and fifteen 1876, ,433,6l5)
dollars.
The amount OF taxes paid by these
counties was two million four hundred
and ninety-nine thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six dollars and twenty.six
cents ($2, 400, ,S7626). Amount of taxes
paid by the balance of the counties, two
| h,,~Jy,I o,,I gtx
thousand seven hundred and forty-four
dollars and twenty-eight cents ($2, 1885,
7442S).
1t will also be seen from an examine
tion of the statistics presented by the re-
ports of the various departments of the
State government that while the percent
age of increase Of the population of the
whole State during the last decade was
less than fourteen per cent, that the in
crease amounted to twenty-eight (28) per
cent. in the canal counties, and that the
increase of wealth has steadily kept pace
with the increase of population.
This whole subject relating to the pub
lie works is commended to your careful
consideration. The lease will expire
during the next General Assembly.
What shall be done with this vast pro-
perty, costing, in its construction, over
sixteen millions of dollars, and 80 insep-
arably connected with affairs of vast pub
lie and private concern? do not now
enter upon the consideration OF the ques'
tion, but rest in the hope and expectation
that your wisdom will be equal to its
proper and benefcient solution.
DITCHEs.
Another important subject to which
your attention is called is the question
of drainage.
Each succeeding legislature, for fifteen
years past, has attempted to provide sur
er means for the construction of ditChes;
but it seems that no law has yet been
enacted that will stand the scrutiny of
the courts.
In the northeastern part of the State
embracing fifteen of the richest agricul-
tural counties, vast tracts of unim proved
land are owned by non-residents, who
are generally men of ample means, hold.
ing these lands as an investment, and
not directly interested in the improve
ment and development of the country.
Almost every attempt by the local au-
thorities to give relief to the local inhab-
itants, many of whom still endure the
privations of pioneer life, is met by in.
functions from the courts.
The greatest number of the local in
habitants are men of small means, own
ing small farms, and are unable to con-
test with their more opulent suitors,
whose surrounding lands yearly reap the
benefit of their struggles with forest and
flood. The result is, the expense of con-
structing bitches in that part of the State
has become so great, and is beset with
80 many difficulties, that the ditch laws
have become almost a nullity on the
}. statute books.
A visit to that section of the State in
the past year with W. D.Hill, State Com
missioner of Insurance, has convinced
me that some additional legislation is
necessary on this subject.
An estimate, by competent persons, Of
the loss to the people of ten counties in
northwestern Ohio, caused by the over
flow of their cultivated lands, during the
past three years, would average over a
million dollars per annum. The actual
loss to the people Of that section of the
State in one year, if judiciously expend-
ed would provide outlets for all the sur.
plus water in that section, reclaim one
fourth of the lands from waste, and en-
courage the settlement and development
of that rich agricultural region.
The great increase of the value of prop
erty, of the production of all kinds of ce-
reals, the consequent increase of wealth
and population, the preservation of the
public health, and the increased ability
of these people to contribute to all our
mercantile, manufacturing and agricul-
tural interests, would seem to require
liberal encouragement from every coun-
ty of the State, from motives of self in
terest alone, to aid in the passage of laws
to provide for a thorough system of
drainage in this section of the State; and
if experience has shown that local aid
will not suffice, State aid should be in
vOked by the appointment of competent
engineers, and the issue of bonds, the
interest to be apportioned among the
counties benefited to such an extent as
to bring into immediate cultivation and
settlement the whole of these vast tracts
of fertile lands now almost worthless.
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
are in very prosperous condition. The
Ohio school system is admired, and is
being gradually adopted in many of the
States of the Union. Too much care and
encouragement cannot be given to this
great and essential factor of a States
prosperity. Liberal legislation to per.
feet the system Of training teachers, and
to provide for more thorough supervision
of our common schools is recommended.
The following statistics, from the forth.
coming annual report Of the State Com.
missioner Of Common Schools. will show
to what extent our people tax themselves
for the education Of the masses of our
children:
Grand total Of receipts including