The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-01-06
tGOvenor's Message Continued from la
Pdge)


nents of interest and the interest due
IN 1881 upon the several items or the
rreducible State debt, consisting OF the
school and other trust funds.
On the 18th day Of November, 1880,
here was in the Sinking Fund $685.
761.O5, which will be increased by the
February settlements. 1t is safe to as
sumo that by anticipating the August
settlements, the debt maturing July
lst, 1881, can be reduced $S,OOOYOOO
Here follows a summary and compar-
alive statement Of the State and local
debts from 1878 to 1880, inclusive, which
shows that the local Indebtedness
of cities and villages of the State has
more than doubled within the past
seven years; with the recommendation
that the General Assembly impose all
POSSIBLE restraint upon the alarming
tendency toward the increase of local
indebtedness.
The Public Works,
The annual report of the Board OF
Public Works for the year ending Nov
II, 1880, has been received at this De-
partment. From this reportit appears
that the receipts from tolls and water
rents were 1885, ,9SS.64, and the expendi-
lures for repairs Of an ordinary nature
and for work of an unusual character
were $223,64292, leaving a balance to
the credit of the Canal Fund of 3d.
945.72-balance brought forward last
year, $52,S7556-thus placing in the
Treasury during the two and one-halt
years under State management $66,22l
.2S. The work of an extraordinary
character referred to amounted to $4S,-
100 95 which was expended in building
an aqueduct at Miamisburg in place OF
a culvert washed out by the floods, an
immense amount of dredging within
the City of Cincinnati, and the boat
ing away Of the debris; the rebuilding
Gregory's Greek aqueduct, which was
also carried away by floods; the placing
of four thousand five hundred yards of
stone protection on the west bank Of
the Mercer county reservoir; the re-
building of two locks entire, and the
purchase and preparation of the stone
for third lock; the building Of three
new repair boats, etc. From the show
ing made by the Board there seems to
be no reason to doubt that the works
are, and probably will continue to be
self-sustaining, and, and may be made
to subserve largely to the interests Of
the people of the State.
Charitable Institutions.
The act of April IA, 1880, required a
reorganization of the several charitable
institutions of the State. Under the
authority therein conferred, new
Boards of Trustees have been appoint
ed and changes have been made in the
Superintendents Of number of them.
In obedience to the understood wishes
of the General Assembly, and Of the
better public sentiment of all parties, l
have sought to exclude more partisan
reasons from the administration of the
great charities of the State, While it
is true that most of the new officials
selected are in political accord with the
party in power, yet the changes have
been made probably without exception,
because it was believed by the Trus-
tees that improved administration
would result therefrom. For several
Boards, with a single exception, are
made up of three of the dominant and
two of the minority party. In the
practical administration of their du-
ties, as a rule, the several Boards have
acted without reference to their party
predictions. 1t is perfectly clear to
any careful and candid observer that
the charitable institutions of the State
have been seriously injured by fire.
quent reorganization within the past
eight years. 1 have sought not only
fairly to discharge my party obliga-
tions, but as we'll my duty to all of the
people, and especially to the poor un-
fortunate who are generously cared for
by the State. While the full measure
of party obligation, in the estimation of
extreme partizans, has not been met,
and while there is yet abundant oppor-
tunity for improvement in the admin
istration of these institutions, there
can be no doubt that perceptibie and
marked improvement has been
achieved during the year, and that ex-
cellent reasons justify the belief that
the year to come will witness still
greater improvement.
In an examination Of the financial
management of our public institutions
the lack of uniform system Of book
keeping renders IT next to impossible to
institute correct comparisons between
the management Of the different insti-
tutions. Nearly all of them have con-
nected with their management agricul-
tural and manufacturing industries and
no attempt has been made to keep the
accounts in a manner that shows what
the financial results Of these indus
tries are, whether profitable or unproft-
able.
4 + y 4
l recommend that the General AS
sembly, with the Auditor of State and
the Secretary of the Board Of State
Charities devise a system of uniform
bookkeeping, and require its adoption
and use in all the public institutions
thus giving it the dignity and authority
Of law