Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-04-15
anything, to the expenses of the judi

The people had a right to amend the
constitution 30 as to provide for Cir
cult Court, but If the Sixty-fifth Gener-
al Assembly deceived them by holding
out false pretenses, then IL alone is re-
sponsible for the additional expenses
caused by the creation of that court.
The last General Assembly appro-
priated more than $13 900 OF the peoples
money to pay the employers of the
Imbecile Asylum losses sustained
by the burning of that institution
in November, 1881. The bill making
that appropriation was introduced by a
Republican, and supported by many
Others of that party, among whom was
the gentleman from Lorain.
1t was impossible for the Democrats
to pass the bill without the aid of Re-
publicars as it required two-thirds
vote. A just public will not condemn
losses sustained by the persons who not
only lost their property but even
risked their lives in order to save the
poor unfortunate. 4a s4i. asr $3.50
The sum of $50, 900 was appropriated
to build an addition to the Athens Asy-
lum. AS q result of that appropria-
tion from 225 to $50 additional inmates
can be accommodated cost to the
State of only about $3.50 per capita for
building, whereas the usual cost per
capita is from $400 to S700. n77
The justice of that appropriation
has never been questioned from the
fact that the public institutions of the
State are wholly inadequate to accom-
modate the unfortunate classes. e
There is one important appropriation
that has not been mentioned. refer
to the appropriation to the Ohio Peni-
teniary. 1t has been asserted, and per-
haps truly so, that the Ohio Peniten-
tiary more than paid its expenses the
two years previous to the time that
the contract system was abolished.
The people of Ohio however, demanded
a change in the management of that
institution. 1t was well known at the
time that no other system could be
adopted without, for few years at
least, depriving the State of any income
from that source. ...'t..-..
But the people demanded a change
and both political parties pledged
themselves in favor of it.
1t is not charged that any one is
stealing from the Golfers of that insti-
tuition, but that the change was mis-
take and that it was not what the peo-
pie demanded.
1t is unnecessary for me to enter into
a discussion as to wheather the charge
that the system in vogue at present
with very few unimportant changes)
was recommended by every member
of the Committee on Prisons and Pris-
on Re 0rm among whom was the pes
ent Attorney General of this State
was he determined to waste the peoples
money, and did the Republican parGy
reward him for his perfidy; or was he
sincere and did he believe, that in the
end the system would prove to be in
the interest of the people? IrI- d, 6,,.,
Il Other Republicans were enthusiastic
. in working fora change among. whom
was the gentleman from Scioto and his
course was endorsed by his reelection
: as member of this House.
The great floods of February, 1884
. nearly ruined the Public Works of the
, State, and the last General Assembly
, appropriated an enormous sum of mon
, ey to put them in good repair. Tha,
alone added thousands of dollars to The
general appropriation bills OF the las
, two years. But notwithstanding cha
, it is undoubtedly wise to put the prop
erty Of the State in good repair anG
f keep 1t SO. n
, There were several other appropria
tions made by The last Legislature .ha
come under the head of s.extraordinar,
appropriations" which would swell thl
: appropriations of that class 10 at leas
: $3.50, 900, which accounts for the excess
: appropriated by the last General AS
, sembly as compared with The proceed
ing one.
Fair-minded men will see at glanc'
, that most of these appropriation
: ought to have been made, and upol
investigation it will be found that Re
: publican members were enthusiast,
in their efforts to secure them, t. y,o
l, The question then arises did the,
support these measures because they
4 thought they We're for the best interest
of the; people, or was it done so tina
, they could clamor al what they ar,
r pleased to term Democratic ,extrava
3 gance.
r In myopiDion a member Of the Leg
islature, whether Democrat, or Re
: publican, who votes to squander tn,
: peoples money SO that on the stump b,
: can prate about the extravaganza o
I his political opponents, VINO he claims
J.. are Ol0ile responsible, is public enem,
e and ought 10 be Stunned by all decen
r peoples hso, sLgs lt igi!f pi@s1 . .ot
9 There may be- some excuse fora Rep
: reseniatatiye, who innOcently or f,on
r q want of capacity to comprehend tn
t subject, votes for proposition whicl
proves detrimental to the people,, bu
D there acan be none whatever for on
who deliberately votes for srch meas
: No wonder the gentleman from Lo
. rain does not want to discuss the .ques
1 ton, here, as there was no number q
Q the last General Assembly who. wa
3 more persistent than he in his effort
TO make large appropriations. s. d.
/. think, however, that the appropri
\ ations were, as q rule, just, and ough
b to have been made. am only surpris
ed that the, persons who helped to sc
i cure them should now denounce then
and charge the whole responsibilityol
!, the party In power. : "'RF saF i'if'i
I But gentlemen, you alone are respon
1 sible for your votes and you can no
4 excuse yourselves by saying that tn
Democrats were in power Y 9t.IQa,l
\ notwithstanding all the charges d
! Democratic extravaganza that party re
: dnced the, tax levy of the State am
Y thus saved the people more than $l80
! 0OO,i II ID also true that the public iii
stitutions Of the State have been man
9 aged as economically and as well .dpfin