The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-01-16
NUMBER Al.

In recognizing the Soldiers and S,ilors'
Orphans Home, at Xenia, during the last
session, your attention was doubtless di-
rected to w.nt 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 he prac,i-
cal construction given to it enabled the
coun Y in which the institution is situated,
and few other counties, to monopoIze its
benefits to the full capacity of the institu-
tion to the exclusion of deserving children
in other counties. The amendment prob
ably went too far in the other direction-is
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, aud even of
those who have neither died nor been dis
abled, ii destitute, may well be admitted,
provided they do not displace the other
class. In all cases destitution shou d be
made test of admission, and this charity
should be so organized and so admins cred
as to reach all parts of the State.
The Governor ralse.reeemmendsl legislation
against grave robbery, and for the benefit
of medical colleges. Is tsil
There is law existing on our statute
books allowing to medical colleges and So
cieties the use of bodies, he says, of ttn-
claimed dead for anatomical study, pre-
vious to burial. But il will be seen that
the conditions for the surrender of such
bodies sre so limited and hedged in by pro-
visos as will render compliance with it
utterly nugatory. The wisdom Of your
body viii 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 odio1Is traffic
now outraglng public sentiment, and afford
tranquility and protection alike to tie vir-
tuous poor and rich. -...-.. ---'t
/ 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 s, 9,749, ,333 acres of timber land in
the State; that in 1877 there were 5,117,-
$40 acres of timber land in the State. If
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
tifuI and valuable forests of our State will
soon disappear. ~. ;ta
The times demand the strictest economy
anu ESuuCtiOu VI SAPCnsSs lA tuS
tration of the government. The present
great depreciation in the value of property,
and the low wages of labor, diminishing
the ability of the people to pay taxes, re-
Guire that the salaries and fees of public
| officers should be proporiiona ely reduced,
and not continued at the old war rates.
According to the report of the Auditor of
State for the year 1874, the feessand 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
I $2S5, 900 annually. The next General As.
/ senbly, on the sth of April, 1876. repealed
| this law, under the plea that it would work
| unfairly, and substituted new act in its
place, claiming that it would also reduce
the compensation of county officials !; but
t. returns in the Auditors report of; 1871
! show the pay of those officers to be ovel
| 81 ,628, 900, beitig an increase OF $4,000 in
excess of what they. received bf re the
passage of the law of 1876, thus adding tt
the bur iens of the people of the Stat
1850, 900 annually.
| Au appropristion is recommended for tht
payment of 4 claim of Mr.. J. Tomlinson
civil engineer in the Canadian service. fol
expenses incurred by him ia January, 1877
| in attending the Coroner'sr jury which
I passed upon the Ashtabula railroad dis
aster and the Governor concludes by con
! gratula'ing the State and Commission tina
| was appointed to revise and consolidate thu
General Statutes, on the results already ac
tcomplished.