The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-01-14
To the General Assembly:

To the General Assembly:
The people of Ohio have cause to be thank
full for the material prosperity of the past
year. While in three-fourths of the State the |
wheat crop was an almost total failure, ma |
ture proved lavish of her returns from every |
other planting. The reviving mechanical, |
manufacturing and commercial Industries of
the State give promise that the year to come
will be as fruitful of productive results as
any in our history. Tho limit of the pros
perity Of Ohio would seem to be remote, If |
the United States rel eve US from the bur
dens of excessive taxation upon property |
and consumption, and from the menace of
the increasing separation IN the bullion
values of the metals which are the basis of
our currency.
DEATH OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PREsI-
DENT ~ENDBICK
These illustrious statesmen and patriots
died after the adjournment of the General
too great TO the memories of men, SO great |
~ beloved, honored and trusted in their ma
tive State OF Ohio and throughout the
United States, whose loyal supporters and
servants they were. Accordingly, caused
the State House to be draped with mourning,
paid, and .salutes discharged, and called by
public proclamatiop upon the people of Ohio
e Tie '0a dec sm a psdg'ns II eo shg renditioe 'r of these Sc
debt has been incurred. not provided by law.
"HASA V viii NC a. oH y pfOtlocA
a ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.
During the past year the political control
of the Federal Government has been re-
versed, and the voters of Ohio have decided
to place the State undo Ell she charge of officers
eiates. These changes, made without fric-
ton, and acquiesced in by all citizens, fur
representative system Of government which
DELEGATES little power, and that defined, is
fUnIuea ON s9ua ~ f,ghis, an9 vaererOre
But rscenf elections IN Ohio have been at.
tended with sdisorders. and followed by crimir
eeunterehsrses Of fraSS. by u judicial fasdss scr ssf
Dies, and hy a widely extended belief that
Ser a asss sd nsvaSss are en mot Set in sna,sisns 20 s and
frsVds at the polls aud q dishonest count. It
xessentiai to eoSd government that elections
people have free exp ession. be correctly
registered and Implicitly obeyed, A general
disrontent retaliation by counter fraud or
violence. and is almost as Productive Of evil
ss the actual and ascertained existence Of
the people of Ohio must be satisfied that they
Non laws, that more and better safeguards
may be provided. that the duties of election
nrd Sanyassi 2 ofic rs may be more strict,
ma, be more surely and severely punished,
and that the nlegitimate use OF money in
elections, thai. great and growing evil. may
be prevented.
It fs unfortunate that the registration law
passed by the last General Assembly for Gin
c1nnad and Cleveland was not so prepared as
70 avoid the objections by reason Of which It
has been found unconstitutional. After nearly
i4tis sears nts,usaS With h the metho,ds aa there @e
prevailing in both political parties, ! have no
n nss,ssss3;op in ,as saying ssssnti an s sfeo srss
The same Is believed to he true ofOleyeland,
the same situation. Fortunately the vice of
the law of last winter has been pointed out
r ps tes s1 IIi that tG IS ne snS %i Is pc pre eassiS SG By
which those who may u disabled by absence,
sickness, or other unavoidable cause from
10 time to vote. This seems easy of accom-
plishmentw without the danger of opening the
door so wide as to let in fraud.
But registration is not automatic, and no
scheme can be devised which will supersede
the necessity of popular watchfulness. In
of the worst frauds ever. practiced on the
ballot-box in the United States. eternal
testor q iS Is rfe a RTieff a@ sna BUT Sniy IN sp PSila ss8.
Phia the people found means to overcome
fraud, and In the hands of an aroused public
continent the very registry system which
means of-correcting the evils to which the
dishonesty of bad a q the apathy of good
men had exposed the State. Surely u sys
tenn under which elections can be held sc
absolutely fails, ~ free from challenge OIL
RaOLAO u . ~ u u iOASs
Of New York, BROOKLYN and Philadelphia, Al
the end Of the exciting Presid initial cam
cess. that {. ss star as ssr any G legal siiG methods maj
be called successful. Without general popu
lar virtue, and ~inrerest In and attention t.
public 1uty, any system will fail. Believing
the people of the cit es of Ohio to be sufi
ciently vrtuous and alive to their interests
when once the Methods Of / s exercise hav,
been provided by law, ! recommend theil
Sopa aSat to t%i kSus so sare sid an sst the aeti1 ii tn q
only the last f~rauInlsnt election in Ohio, bu
the last believed to be such by any consider
To fbe end that th}s may come to pass, 1 re
so framed as to obviate the objectIors OF tn
Supreme Court. applicable to Cincinnati an
or precedent for adoption by other cities.
The evils which registration is intended t
cure are local. not general. Il is certainly a
competent for the General Assembly to appI
this system locally as it was tie make the ea
psIses OF htigation and the salaries Of jndgye
Ohio BIT, 9. and State vs. Judges, Il Ohio st.,
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ADOPTED.
The constitutional amendments ehangin
the date of the annual State and. count
semSiy, we're ssdopteS by very large major
ties nes The sI people have also adopted 9Ss the asD pr
township officers. This chang. does not, lii
the others, necessarily involve the dut
81 BUT % aoes not tss, reanine .h as ssl GENERAL eH% aRs e
to make changes. It will be for you to d
termine whether the present system may
Indicates at least a widespread belief tn
greater stability in township management
trustees be extended to three years, OF
trustee to be elected each year.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
Ireepectfully recommend such changes
the Constitution and laws as will obviate d
neeesrity of annual State and. county ele
lions. The tax of time, strength and mon
aaSEtssu Of 70 po oWese is i'ea"nTn spVW While {,
quency of election Is absolutely essential t.
republican government, there is such a thi
as making the appeal too often. Hence I
phrasein common nse, an of year." indit
ting a season Of political lethargy, caused
haustion of an exciting contest. If ali our Sta
and county elections were held In the yei
and at the time of Congressional election
now manifested by large numbers of vote
who abstsin from voting in 'off year
o onls b by no q pr %ere reasoning. It has BEEN s
cessfuily fried in Indiana, for the term @
Is superior to Indiana in the keeness of p
tisan thought and debate, or the constant
hvity of political energy. Biennial eleeti'
d:ninIshed the vigor of Civic urdorin India
while they have, saved treasure, time 8
labor to her people.
EoUAL CIVIL RIGHTS
Are enjoyed by all our citizens except tn
possessing a visible admixture, OF Afri'
blood. ] recommend the repeal of all Il
discriminating between citizens on aceo'
of color. These are both wrong and
pressive. The most oppressive are tn
children, without accusation or trial, to
punishment of compulsory non-associatiol
the common schools with white children
education often inferior, and In pa
inconvepiently remote from the I
dence of the parents. This is
badge of seryitude having the effect
degrade, and keenly felt by many most '
thy colored people, as in effect stamI
them as unworthy of equal privileges. 1
aware that In many parts of the State IN
prejudice exists against mixed schools,
curfously enough, this feeling is NANTES
uof where the coloSed children sit upon