The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-01-12


ton of convict labor with that of the citizen.
The suggestion heretofore made favoring the
creation of an Advisory Board of Pardons is
respectfully renewed.
INSURANCE.
The suggestion made in my last annual mes
sage for the appointment of commission of
five persons one of whom shall be the Superin-
tendent of Insurance, two of whom shall be
men especially learned upon the subject of life,
and two upon the subject of fire insurance,
who shall report to this session of the General
Assembly what legislation they deem necessary,
is earnestly renewed, and recommended for
your action.
Your attention is again called to the in
adequacy Of the compensation of the Superin-
tendent and his staff, which is less than is paid
by other States. a|
The department is much more than self-sus-
tanning, showing surplus of receipts over the
cost of its maintenance. This year the surplus
amounts to $13, SO, and the aggregate sur
plus from the organization of the department
in 1871 amounts to $129, 272. 63.
SPECULATIVE OR GRAVEYARD INSURANCE. lE
Your attention is especially called to the
evils resulting from a recently developed kind
of insurance known as speculative or g Grave-
yard p" insurance. Prompt and effective meas
ures should be enacted for the suppression of
this indecent business, operating under the
respectable garb of life and mutual association
insurance, which, if not sanctioned, is not pro-
hibited by the laws of the State. .
..-t .. RAILROADS.
There were, June 80, 1881, $780, ,3S3 miles of
railroad an increase over the preceding year
of s. AS per cent. -t'
The amount of stock and debt was $780,
7O9, 530.35,. an increase of SO per cent; the
gross earnings were $45. 843, "a, an increase
of 1858 per cent; the operating expenses
were 500, 378, 80, leaving the net amount of
earnings $16, ,465, ,303 So, an increase of 4 493
per cent, amounting to 1924 per cent on the
stock and debt. s =
Of the gross receipts, the passenger earnings
amounted to SIC, 800, 5179s, an increase of
10. 822 per cent; the freight earnings to $685.
415, $685. %, an increase of g. 1853 per cent; the
mail earnings were 81, ,047, $685. 55, an increase of
13. 986 per cent, and the express earnings were
1882, 994 81, an increase of 269 995 per cent.
From 'other sources the receipts were $685.
7O4 %. an increase of 9.137 per cent. ~
1t will be seen that while the increased mile
age is not quite 3.5 per cent, there was an in
crease in the various classes of receipts from
to 26 per cent, averaging nearly IL per cent.
There was expended in the maintenance of
way and structures, the sum of $14 059, ,005. 10,
an increase over the previous year of 20.329 per
cent. This may be in part attributable to the
increased cost of material and labor, but largely
actively engaged during the year in bringing
their roads up to the proper condition to bear
the increased demands of traffic.
The cost of transportation was $23, 76S,-
cost has increased in greater ratio than the
gross receipts.
The employees, including officers, number 32,-
207, as increase of $3.50 per cent.
The railroads of Ohio represent over $780,
000 900 of active capital. Many OF our people are
largely interested as owners of the capital thus
employed; and it is therefore highly important
that the financial and physical condition OF
these roads shall at all times be fully under
stood; and in this view it is desired that the
1or- oahCrr tn rIond in, ma
better to enable the Commissioner to secure
| more thorough and prompt report from rail-
| road companies. and that more liberal appro-
| priations be made to enable him to fully dis
charge the important duties of his office.
| BUREAU OF STATISTICS OF LABOR.
| OF the 1853 returns by workingmen, III re-
port an increase without resortlng to strikes,
| while rs report an increase secured by means OF
| strikes. This indicates that the best preven-
ton of strikes is voluntary increase in wages
| on the part of the employers, whenever their
business will justify it.
Workingmen, as q rule, are as much opposed
to strikes as their employers are, and it Is
reasonable to believe that they would more
readily accept small increase in wages, volun-
tarily made, than resort to strikes to secure
greater increase.
A number of returns are made by coal-mine
and other employees, Of the illegal use of scrip
or store-orders in part payment of wages, to
which your attention is invited.
| Attention is called to the necessity of provld-
ing funds for the payment of the Assistant In
| spector of Mines.
The facilities Of the Supervisor of Public
| Printing are inadequate for the requirements
demanded of him, and better provisions are
| asked.
! COMMON SCHOOLS.
1t is gratifying to know that permanency OF
| vocation is becoming more characteristic OF
| teachers than heretofore, and that their atten-
| ton is being drawn to the Importance OF dis
! tinctive preparation for their work. The
leading cities of the State have established
| normal schools for the instruction of young
teachers in the methods of teaching, and in
the principles Of mental science on which those
methods are founded This recognition OF the
distinctive character of the work of public in
| struction is likely to lead to steady improve
| ment in our educational system. G
The conviction is still strong that the coun-
| try school system needs such modification as
| will enable one set of school authorities,
elected from different parts of each township,
| to secure equal and adequate advantages to the
youth of different degrees of advancement in
/ the schools. 1t is believed that single Board
1 in each township can better manage system
of schools than the two of them. As the sub
| ject concerns the interests Of large body OF
| the youth of the State, to whom it will always
be difficult to supply the best means of instrHc-
i ton, it is wen worth your serious considers
ton. It is important to the agricultural inter-
ests of the State that such educational advan-
| eaEo6 buAil Do pldCtu WltAlu easy ICaOA VI tAhO
children of these districts, will add to the at
| tractiveness and efficiency of these interests,
and enable them to keep pace with the general
progress of the day. 12C;r C
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.
The following resolution was adopted by the
| Cleveland Temperance Convention r 4
"Resolped, That the public interests require
that the General Assembly should submit to q
vote of the people such amendments to the
Constitution of the State, relative to the man
ufacture, sale, and use of Intoxicating liquors,
as shall leave the whole matter to legislation"
The duty of the General Assembly Is thus
marked out by the people, viz: the submission
Of Constitutional amendments to the people
essentially embodying the substance OF the
resolution. e.Es :
The propriety of submitting three amend
ments, one favoring local option, another the
| prohibition of the manufacture and sale, and
third the taxation Of the traffic with we'll
| guarded restrictions, is earnestly recommended.
This course will give the people, the source OF
all power, an opportunity to express them
selves, and thus give the great value of popu-
lar approval to the successful proposition
| TAXATION.
The inequalities in the operation OF our tax
laws, arising from the manner OF their execu-
ton, have become grievous, and IN some In
| stances, glaring in character.
The constitution and the statute provide that
| property shall be taxed according to its true
value in money, and the machinery is provided
to secure this result but neither assessors mol
Boards of Equalization pretend compliance
with this requirement. These officers anc
Boards seem to proceed with the view OF secur
ing to their respective localities lower ap
praisement than is placed upon property II
other localities. The result is that, although
every official charged with the assessment anc
equalization Of values take an oath to discharg'
his duties rs the law requires, real ana persona
o, operty are appraised at about sixty-hve pei
cent. of their true value, and railroad propert.
and the stock of National banks ut about fft.
per cent while of money and credits, and tn
more than twenty five per cent. is assessed 70
taxation.
The greater portion OF the unequal and fault
anarafion of the law ia due. therafore To tn