The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-01-19

expenditures. II VIII consequently require cart
from exceeding receipts.
AT your last session, you appointed join
: committee TO revise
OUR TAX SYSTEM
and report what changes, II any, should b.
made in our revenue laws. Their report viii
bring the whole subject before you, and fo
this reason the matter is now pnssed withou
further remark than to refer YOU to what hu.
been said in former messages and to rcmint
you that the question is of such high import
nnce that you can not afford to deal with 1t OK
cept wisely and considerably.
THE CONSTITUTION, REMOVAL OF PENITEN
| TIARY, AND TRUSTS.
| Three othersubiccts have excited considerable
attention that would be discussed here but fol
| the fact that you appointed committees at your
last session to investigate them. They are the
propositions that have been made to amend the
Constitution, remove the Penitcntiary, and &c
regulate trusts. The conclusion reached by these
committees are not yet known but it is known
that whatever they may be. they are the result,
OF much investigation and study of their re-
spoctivo subjects, and that they should receive
At your hands most careful consideration.
THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS
Appointed under the act OF March 2s 1889, have
been prosecuting thoir work with gratifying sue
cess. They found upon inspection and investi.
cation that the six.Inile or Pnuld!ng County res.
canal system, and TINT IL should be abandoned.
Having so declared. they caused II to be sur
yeysd, and that portion which belonged to the
State they had appraised, md, after due adver-
tisement offered for sale at auction TO the high
est bidder, for fifth cash, the balance in four
| equal annual fnstallments, with six per cent.
| interest per annum. In this manner. and upon
these terms they sold, for the sum OF s16, 35,
nine hundred and forty-two and one-half acres
OF land One hundred and thirty.seven and one.
half acres remain unsold, to be disposed of
hereafter. The commissioners have discovered
, large lam amount Si ip Of property belonging to the
| purposes, in the possession of corporations and
private individuals. They have in many cases
| secured an acknowledgment and q satisfactory
adjustment OF tho rights OF tho State. Nego
tiations are still pending with Others. They
| have also made rapid progress in the work OF
voirs basins, etc. They will, at an early day,
make full report of their proceedings, in
which they will advise you as to their work
IN all its details. What they are doing is OF
great Importance. They will not only reclaim
large amount Of valuable property, but they
wi YIN give TO the state complete record OF all
has been done, 1t will be time enough to con-
slider whether or not the State should dispose
| OF any part OF its canals. Until then. IL should
keep oil 1t has. In the meantime the business
done on the canals might be largely increased
| by effort in that behalf. No railroad would
think OF doing without agents TO solicit froights
! and passengers. II each collector were allowed
a commission on the increase of business done
at his oitice each year over the preceding year,
| II would no doubt effect good results. While
| the work of the Canal Commissioners has been
| In progress the State Engineer, under directions
from this department, has caused complete
inventory to be taken. and made matter OF rec
ord in his oilce OF all the personal property of
the State used in connection with the canals,
such as drcdgcs, boat, shovels, hammers, etc.
He has instituted regular system of accounts
with respect to this property. by which II can
be shown Mt any moment exactly what the State
owns. and where every article OF II is, and in
whose possession. II appears almost incredi-
BILE that nothing of this kind has over before
been known, SO far as can be learned, in con-
nection with this properly. In the absence OF
such system there was no necessity for any
one to account for anything IL is quite likely
the State suffered from such condition more
N ttn rf,pfp tnr nfNf
system should be required by law. There oan
not be too much care taken TO guard public
property.
THE BOARD OF PARpoYs
Have done well Their work is OF disagree.
able and ungracious character. Few men fitted
for such position are wilinr without com.
pcnsation. to give the time and labor necessary
to the discharge OF such duties. II was, there
fore, with difficulty that acceptable men were
found willing TO serve. Quite n number to
whom IL was rendered declined the office. Con.
sidcrng the Importance of the position, and the
good results accomplished, and to be ac-
complished by a proper discharge OF their
duties. compensation should be provided for
this Board full report OF pardons granted
during the year is herewith submitted.
THE PENITESTIARY
Is In n satisfactory condition in every respect.
Financially IL has been more than self-support-
ing during the year. It's receipts exceed ex-
penditures to the amount of SIS, 1S2 ~. This
gratifying result has not been at the expense OF
tary condition was never better The dscl-
plne is well-nigh perfect, and at the same time
the prisoners are well fed and clothed never
over.worked. and always kindly and humanely
treated. The Board OF Managers have shown
good judgment, painstakng care, and q wise
conservatism in the granting OF paroles, and on
that account in almost every instance the pris-
oners getting the bencfit OF the system have
shown by their department proper appreci-
alton of the opportunities thus afforded them
for reforming their habits and rcdeemng their
lives. and In this way have exerted good In
fuence upon all eligible to such favor.
HALT hat hnr rah Rrttn q hFt1An Re
brutalize and degrade both the punished and
the officers who administer them, without any
adequate compensating benefits, the cato
the tread mili AMI lastly. tho bul-rings, and
the ducking tubs, all instruments OF torture and
relies OF barbarism, have been discarded, and
solitary confinement, without food. until obedi-
ence Is yielded has been substituted as the
severest punishment that is inflicted. The
theory has been proceeded upon that no matter
how much OF q criminal one may be, there
is in him an element OF panhood which |
can always be appealed to, with more or
condition OF u prisoner. The result has been
encourage ng and gratifying beyond the most
sanguine expectations The reports OF yio- |
lations of the rules and regulations of the |
prison for which deductions OF time are made |
OF all which u record is kept, have decreased |
from one hundred and twenty to one hundred |
and sevcnty-flve per month under former ad |
ministrations TO but from twenty-five to htty |
per month; while the total OF attractions. in |
cuding hose OF a minor character, Of which no |
record is kept, have decreased from forty to |
eighty daily, under former administrations, to |
from four TO six under this. Some days there |
are none, and serious infractions are very rare |
indeed. This improvement in the disposition |
of the prisoners has had q corresponding i'm
provement in the conduct OF the guards and the |
general tone OF the institution. The United
States Inspector of Prisons, the Hon. Howard |
Perry, has, after q careful investigation OF all |
the prisons in the United States, in which
United States prisoners are confined, pro.
nounced this to be the cleanest and best man
aged, and also the best "isciplned. Too much
ayers, the Warden and other officials, for the
fidelity and efficiency they have displayed in
the discharge OF their duties.
THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS HOME
At Sandusky. has been formally opened. and
inmates are being received as rapidly rs &C
can be provided for them. The
report OF the Board OF Trustees will fully advise
you as to what has been done and what is
needed to enable them TO complete their work.
In some measure the debt OF gratitude
and dollars and cents which the people owe to
the men to DO benefited for their priceless serv- |
Ices In saving our national life.
On the 9th day OF August, 1888 the following
statute was enacted by the CNgress OF the
United States:
AN ACT TO provide aid to State or Territorial
homes for the support of disabled soldiers and
sailors OF the United States
Be II enacted by the Senate and House OF
OF the United States OF Amer
ca in Congress assembled, Thnt oil States or
Territories which have established, or which
shall hereafter establish, State homes for dis
,bled soldiers and sailors OF the United States
who served In the war OF the rebellion. or In any
Or otherwise, and by reason Of such disability
ire incapable OF earning living, provided such