The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-01-16
In reorpanizinp the Soldiers, and Sailors

In recognizing the Soldiers and Sailors
Orphans Home, at Xenia, during the last
session, your attention was doubtless d.
rected to want of discrimination as to the
proper benefciaries of the institution,
which worked injustice to many children
who ought to have shared its provisions. The
former law placed on an equality the chill.
dren of deceased, INDECENT and permanently
disabled soldiers and sailors, and the pracri.
cal construction given to it enabled the
coun y in which the institution is sitdated,
and few other counties, to monopolise its
benefits to the full capacity of the institu-
ton to the exclusion of deserving children
In other counties. The amendment prob
too restrictive, and should be promptly
changed. The children OF those who died
in the service, or of wounds received or
disease contracted in the service, should
undoubtedly be preferred, but If these do
not fill the Institution then the chi .dren Of
those who have died from other causes, or
who are permanently disabled, and even of
those who have neither died nor been dis.
abled, If destitute, may well be admitted,
provided they do not displace the other
class. In all cases destitution should be
made test of admission, and this charity
should be SO organized and so admins cred
The Governor also recommends legislation
against grave robbery, and for the benefit
Of medical colleges. a'3i
There is law existing on our statute
books allowing to medical colleges and SO.
cieties the use of bodies, he says, of ura-
claimed dead for anatomical study, pre-
vious to burial. But IL will be seen that
the conditions for the surrender of such
bodies are so limited and hedged in by pro-
visos as will render compliance with it
utterly nugatory. The wisdom of your
body will doubtless discover some additional
legislation by which an adequate amount
of such medical subjects may be supplied
from recognized and well defined sources,
and thus completely debar the odious tro6ic
now outraging public sentiment, and afford
tranquility and protection alike to the vir-
tuous poor and rich. 4fl ts.
l deem it important to call your atten-
ton to the necessity of providing by law
for the protection of forests and timber.
The statistics for 1877 show that in 1870
there were 9,749, 1888 acres of timber land in
the State; that in 1877 there were 5,117,.
$40 acres of timber land in the State. II
these statistics are correct, there was, within
seven years, a destruction of over four and
half million acres of forest The day is
not far distant when, If the present annual
rate of destruction is continued, the beau
tiful and valuable for. SITS of our State will
soon disappear. .--sfg .,,.s...,5,.,,.
The times demand the strictest economy
and reduction of expenses in the admins.
tration of the government. The present
and the low wages of labor, diminishing
the ability of the people to pay taxes, re.
quire that the salaries and fees of public
officers should be propor. iona ely reduced,
and not continued at the old war rates.
According to the report of the Auditor OF
State fer the year 1874, the fees and salaries
of county officers amounted to 81 ,593, ,759. 81,
being more than four times the aggregate
sum paid to, and salaries received by, the
Legislature, judiciary, State officers, and
department clerks. An act was passed
March %, 1875, reducing this compensation
S2S5,000 annually. The next General As.
sembly, on the Sth Of April, 1876, repealed
this law, ur der the plea that it would work
unfairly, and substituted a new act in its
place, claiming that it would also reduce
the compensation of county officials; but
tie returns in the Auditors report of 1877
show the pay of those officers to be ovel
81, ,628 900, being an increase Of $4,000 in
excess of what they received b,f.re the
passage of the law of 1875, thus adding tt
the burihens of the people of the Stat,
s360,000 annually.
An appropriation is recommended for tn,
payment of claim of Mr.. j. Tomlinson
civil engineer in the Canadian service, fol
expenses incurred by him in January, 1877
in attending the Coroner's jury which
passed upon the Ashtabuls railroad dis
aster; and the Governor concludes by con
gratula ing the State. and Commission tina
was appointed to revise and consolidate tn,
General Statutes, on the results already &C
comDlished