Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-05
OUR COLUMBUS LETTER.


The Kirby Police Bill. which gives the
Mayor Of Cincinnati the control Of the po-
lice in that city, seems to be one Of the
most important bills passed, II one is to
take newspaper talk as any indication Of
Importance. Cincinnati has Republican
Mayor at present but suppose the next one
should be a Democrat, then, Of course, that
party can make a mighty political machine
by reasons Of the law. But large humber
Of the citizens Of the "Paris Of America"
were crying for change, and now they
have II.
Senator Ponds bill to reorganize the
| refOrmatOry benevolent institutions Of the
State came up last Thursday in the Senate
for passage. It will be remembered that
! the institutions named shall be under the
| supervision and direction Of five trustees,
which are to be appointed by the Governor
by and with advice from the Senate. It
also gives the Governor the power to re-
move any trustee at any time or for any
cause he may see fit. This OF course.
could not or did not please the Dem
Ocratlc members, and a long and live
ly argument was made and ali sorts Of OBJ
iectiOns made. Some OF the members made
motions for pOstponement Of the bill un-
tll next July, and others had amendments
to offer, etc. Hon. Peter Hitchcock made
an amendment that no trustee should be
removed on account Of political sentiments.
but the Senate voted It down. DR.. Scott
who is the suppose daddy Of a bill in the
House for reorganization, and other Re-
| publicans are not particularly in love with
/ the Pond bill, giving as one Of their main
reasons that ltgives the Governor too much
power.
! Besides the House bill which gives the
! State institutions additional trustees each.
/ is bill OF which Col. Dempcy, OF Cleve-
! land, is the author, which provides fora
board Of members-2 Democrates and 2
/ Republicans. II is claimed by the author
! that board made up this way will have
tendency TO do great good, and instead Of
making the institutions party machines,
| will be greatly Of interest in the manage
/ ment OF such places.
| Representative Licey, Of Medina, who is
/ one OF the House Penitentiary Committee.
has, after considerable time and care. got
| up bill which he introduced last week for
| the reorganization of the penitentiary.
This bill provides that the Governor shall
| appoint, within ten days after its passage,
three directors for a term Of five years each.
The bill provides for the abolishment OF the
deputy warden, who receives a salary Of
! $500 per year. At each months meeting
Of the directors one Of their number is to
| be appointed to make an unexpected visit
! through the penitentiary, and at the next
meeting submit a written report Of the re.
suit of his inspection, The insane prison
| ers are to be transferred to the asylums aud
| treated the same as the patients in those
i institutions. The warden will be made the
! great ''mogul," having the authority to ap-
/ inf oil l. ,.r.n
service five years. The female attendants
are to receive the same compensation as the
males. The inaIction Of punishment by
whipping, ducking, applying the ''hum-
| ming bird, etc., is to be done away with.
The bill further provides that eOnvicts dis
charged by reason Of expiration OF sentence,
shall be fitted out at the States expense
with suit of clothes, hat, shoes, and shall
be presented a ticket to return TO the place
| he came from, besides being made the re-
| cipient Of $40 In money. Mr.. Robinson,
also, has penitentiary reorganization bill,
| which provides that the Governor appoint
! five directors. One for one year term,
| one for a year term, one for 3 year term,
one for 4 year term and one for year
term. From the outlook to-day it is safe
to say that there will be general over
| turning in the State institutions this week.
The Democrats when they had a major
! ity at the first session., aud the very first
bill began 10 reorganize, and the mistakes
| they made has doubtless induced the Re-
publicans to move cautiously in this mat
1 ter, and make as few mistakes as possible,
| for any serious mistakes would have a tell
ing effect in politics this fall
The Local Option petitions still continue
| 10 come in every day. and it will soon be-
come time for the Legislature to pay some
/ IaFF 20, -.
VOTING BY ELECTRICITY,
! One Of the most novel inventions of the
| present age wonders is being quietly worked
| up to be put into practical operation in the
| legislative halls. The TELEGRAPH eOrre-
| spondent was one of the privileged few
| that has been let into the secret, and as the
invention is no longer matter Of doubt a
few notes on the construction and utility
of the novel invention may prove interest
| ing to the TELEGRAPH readers. Voting by
] electricity may at first seem impraetible,
but the fertile brain Of a successful invent
or has solved the problem, and in the near
future, the SOlOn, occupying his seat in the
| legislature, by simply pressing on little
| ivory knob, located conveniently on his
desk, vote either "yes" or "no" on ques-
tions called TO be voted on. The plans are
not yet perfected, but the reader can get
/ an lled OIL the invention OIL lnb 'HOLlng
machine" by the following description:
On each members desk will be placed two
small knobs, not unlike the stops of an Or
gan. On one the word "yes'' is printed,
on the other, 'no." Wires will run from
each desk TO the clerks desk where an ap-
paratus, similar in appearance to type
writer, will be placed. The names Of the
members are printed on slips, and as their
names are called the members simply press
on the knob ''yes" or ''no" as the case may
be. If the member presses on the ''yes"
knob his vote will be recorded on the back
of his name with the word yes printed by
electricity. In this way a permanent rec
ord is made of each members vote, and the
lobbyists who stand around and hear from
the roll call how each man votes, will be at
a loss just who to "tackle" as the clerk
alone will know how members vote.
Columbus, March 2, 1880.
Never kiss a girl on a mountain, because