Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1881-01-13

| DuSltQ uIlueT CONtI anu OpblhJCu llhp wal
mines The provisions of the Mining Law
should therefore, be made to apply to ore mines.
Many of the provisions Of the Mining Law con-
tain no penalty for violations, and the law
should be amended in this regard. There are IN
the State six hundred mines, one-nalf of which
should be inspected at least once in each year,
and some oftener. To properly and fully in
spect mine requires the, greater portion OF
day, and as the Inspector has no clerk or assist
ant, and is required to give considerable time tt
office duties the impossibility of giving an in
spectiOn to every mine must be apparent. An
assistant or clerk should be provided by law.
LABOR STATISTICS.
The report of the Commissioner notes the
improved condition of mechanics and labor
ers engaged in the various industries of the
| State Wages have increased, and In the
| leading industries the number of employees
has been largely augmented. In the manu-
! facture Of pig-irOn the number of employees has
increased from 5,153 in 1878 to 9796 in 1880, and
in the rolling mills the increase has been In
1878 to l0746 in 1880. In other Industries the in
crease Of employees has not been 80 marked, but
the increase of employment to all connected
| with the industry is matter for congratulatlon.
| The increase of employment In the old manu-
factories is supplemented by the erection of
numerous manufacturing establishments, es-
pecially glass-houses, pOtteries, paper-mills and
! blast furnaces.
list of the steam-boiler explosions in the
! State for the year is given, and the recommends
| ton again made for a law to prevent the employ
ment of inexperienced or incompetent persons
| to take charge of steam boilers in manufacture
| ing establishments
| ing cooperative manufacturing and mining
| companies is recommended. The passage Of
| law recognizing and governing such Organlza-
| tiOns is TIE encouragement deemed necessary.
A chapter of the report is devoted to the in
| formation secured in reference to the employ
ment of children under the age OF fourteen
years, contrary to the School Laws Of the
State,
FEES AND PERoUIsITEs.
The question of fees and perquisites is made
the subject Of an elaborate statement and dis
cusSiOn by the Secretary OF State to which
your attention is invited 1t would seem that
the intent and purpose Of the General AS
sc mbly has been to regard the fees and per-
qusites Of the Secretary of State as part OF
the compensation of the Secretary; and, in
view of this presumption as to the intent OF
the General Assembly, action should at once
be had explanatory Of the existing law, andap-
plicable to the past and incoming Secre-
taries Of State. For the future the salary
should be fixed by law, and all fees and per-
quisites should be covered in the Treasury.
In this connection tits proper to add that the
fees to be charged for any service required OF
any officer of the State should be legally es-
tabllshed.
EXTRADITION.
Inasmuch as the Grand Jury has been dis
pensed with in some Of the States, and in lieu
of Indictment, information by the PrOsecut-
ing Attorney is presented to the Court, | sug-
ReSJ JuuU BbCLlOi ID VI INC IGbNlSBu DLuJulGS DG
amended by providing therein for the sur
render Of fugitiYes upon duly attested copy
of an information. Instances have occurred
wherein fugitiVes have been discharged from
custody by Judges before whom they were
taken for examination, because our statutes
recognize only indictments and complaints.
RAILROADS AND TELEGRAPHS.
The report of the Commissioner of Railroads
and TGlegTaphs shows q large increase in the
business of the railroads, a decided improve
ment in their condition. with a large increase
of equipment and general degree Of pros
perity never before equaled. With but few
exceptions, they have promptly responded to
the requirements Of the law In furnishing sta
tistcs thus required, and they have, with
cOmmendable spirit, complied In all respects
with the provisions of the statutes. Present
freight rates arc not buTdensCme, yet in
some localities determinations are COM
planned Of The consolidation Of and control
thus secured by the great trunk lines cause
some alarm, especially among the agrioultur-
al classes. and suggestions are made for egis-
lative action to prevent cXhOrbitant rates and
unjust determinations.
The Office of Commissioner of Railroads and
Telegraphs, in view Of the enormous interests
involved and the possibilities that legislation
may become necessary to protect the peop!e
from the payment Of eXhorbitant freight rates
and from unfair and unjust Determinations,
Is, indeed an office OF great Importance and 1t
should have better support The salary OF the
Commissioner should be increased and he
should have the means to employ an efficient
engineer to aid him in the proper discharge Of
his duties.
INSURANCE.
The subject Of insurance. involving many
interests and hundreds Of millions of dollars
Is entitled to the earnest consideration OF the
General Assembly The existing legislation
relating to this subject is crude and incon- |
gruOus; notably 30 Is that relating to wutual |
insurance, causing much difficulty in Its in |
depreciation and application. l respectfully
suggest tho appointment of committee OF
five personsi one OF whom snail be the OomT
missioner Of Insurance, two of whom shall |
be men especially learned upon the subject of |
Life and two upon the subject Of Fire lnsur-
ance, who shall report to this General Assem- |
bly, what legislation they shall deem neces- |
sary upon this subject.
The Insurance Department Is not only self |
sustaining, but, since Its organization has an
nually paid into the Treasury about $4,000 in |
excess OF all expenditures, collected In fees |
from the Insurance Companies by the Super
intendent. In Ohio the Superintendent and
staff have less compensation for their services
than Is paid by other States. The compensa-
tion fixed by law Is inadequate to secure the
order Of talent and qualifications that are
required to render the Department as efficient
as It should bo, Much anxiety is felt, and fre-
quent inquiries are made by members Of the
Mutual Aid Associations relative to their
solvenCy. The law fixes no rule for determin-
ing the sOlvenCy of I'M Assessment Company
They should be placed under such control as
will ut asst restrict them to the transaction
of their legitimate business
EMBEzzLEMENT, ETC, BY PUBLIC OFFICERS.
It seems to me that the unrepealed sections
u25, 1876 and 127l of IAN act to further provide
for the better regulation of the receipt, disburse-
ment and safe keeping of the public revenue
passed April IL, and took effect July B, 1873 t55
vol. 90, now included In the appendix to the Re-
vised Statutes (page 1909, sh luld be properly
amended and assigned appropriate place in the
Revised Statutes as supplementary sections, and
accordingly, 80 that attention would
be more likely directed thereto.
GOVERNORS DWELLING HOUSE.
most n respectfully call your attention to the
of my predecessor in relation
to Governors dwelling house. With the ex'
perienCe of year as Governor of the State, do
not hesitate to renew his recommendation upon
This subject, and urge the General Assembly to
take steps at once to carry il into effect
STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
The Ohio State Board of Agriculture, believ-
ng the times demand such action, has already
Undertaken an advanced line of work in the
collection of prompt and reliable statistics in
'egard to the growing of recently harvested
)rops. An Interstate Convention has also
been held, with u view to extending this work
lnd making 1t uniform and effective through
)ut the great grain and stOCk-produCingS States
If the West Our State Board has also insti
uted and Is now conducting through its Sec.
'etary, series of Farmers Institutes, or Ag.
'ioultural Conventions, In different counties of
he State, the object being to create greater in
crest and Intelligence In the important pursuit
If agriculture. This and other works now in
contemplation by the Board are for the advance
nent of the best interests of this most import |
mt industry, and should, in my opinion, be done
Vt public expense. The Board Of Agriculture
gas created by law for this very object. Other ,
states have already undertaken similar work
inder sufficient special appropriations from the