Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-01-17
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
COLUMBUS, O., Jan. 3, 1889.


"You resume your duties under favorable
auspices. The year has been full of blessings;
we have had peace, prosperity, health and
happiness. The presidential contest has given
us increased confidence in popular govern
ment The questions involved were of COM
manding Importance. They aroused univer-
sal interest. All classes Joined in their dis
cussion 1t was campaign of intellect The
dissemination of knowledge with respect to
the political condition and affairs of the ma
tion was unusual The result has been cheer
fully accepted by the whole country. 1t is
just cause for congratulation and thankful
ness to God that the first century of the exis-
tence Of our government should have been
closed with such crowning demonstration
of the capacity of our people to govern them
selves. We may well entertain bright hopes
for the future of America.
"The several centennial celebrations held
during the year have done much to spread
knowledge of the history Of our state and of
the origin and the character and growth of
our institutions. They were the occasion of
a number of memorable addresses. They
note the progress and achievements of one
hundred years, and set forth in admirable
and attractive manner the lessons of a CEN
tury. You should cause them to be collected,
edited, and suitably published. They will
make volume Of great value and interest for
both the present and the future.
'The financial condition Of the state has
greatly improved duringSthe last three years.
On July 1, 1886, the public funded debt, in
cluding what was then payable, and the tenn
porary loans that had been made during the
year, amounted to the sum'of s., 900, ,229 10.
'In addition to this, the general revenue
fund was largely overdrawn, and the incom-
ing revenues that had been provided were in
sufficient to meet the unpaid appropriations
that had been made. The annual interest
charge at that date on the funded debt, as
above given amounted to $213,613. During
the preceding years of 1884 and 1885 there
had been decline in the aggregate of the
personal property of the state on the tax
duplicate for taxation of $S2, ,293, 1876. It has
been a difficult matter to meet the maturing
debts, pay current obligations, and maintain
our credit without increasing the burdens of
taxation. 1t has required the most rigid
economy and the most careful and vigilant
supervision of the finances in every branch
The results have been most gratifying. Pay
ments upon the principal have reduced the
debt until the total amount of it is now but
S., ,665, and this has been refunded into
bonds bearing but 8 per cent. interest per an
mum.
"The annual interest charge on the funded
debt Of the state is now but SOL 200. In short,
the financial operations of the state during
the last two and one-haf years show a total
reduction of the principal by the sum of ST.
1S3, ,564. 19, and an annual saving Of $122, Alb
in the one item of interest, without any in
crease whatever of the rate of taxation, and
without any addition to the revenues Of the
state except only that which has resulted
from the amendment of the law for the taxa
tion of the liquor traffic, passed on March 26,
1888. At the same time, the decline in the
aggregate Of the personal property on the tax
duplicate for taxation has been stopped, and
the grand duplicate has steadily increased
during each Of the years of 1886, 1887 and
1888. It has increased from the sum of ST.
$40 079, 1868, for 1885, to 81, ,732, ,05S, ,646 for
1888, or a total increase for three years of
$61, ,97S,T8. The result is that the state is in
a better financial condition, SO far as its
funded debt is concerned, than it has been at
any time during the last sixty years.
after the payment of all demands upon
the sinking fund for the year 1889, there will
remain to its credit, surplus of not less than
5000, 900. The disbursements from this fund
for 1890 will be for the
Loan due July l, 1890. 890..................S2 $3.50 900
For interest on funded debt. ........... $500
For interest on the irreducible debt,
ABOUT. .,...................-: :SJ0O0
Total Observation-Disclosures. S6i7 500
"Toward meeting this sum there will be in
the treasury the above mentioned surplus of
about 100000 Hence it will be necessary to
raise by taxation for this fund only about
$417, 900. For this purpose rate of three
tenths of one mill will be sufficient You
should, therefore, reduce the present rate of
five-tenths of one mill to three-tenths of one
mill"
During the year, the sum of $5l 200 has
been collected from the United States gov
ernment on suspended war claims, and
about $780, 900 have been realized for the
state from the taxation of the liquor traffic.
These sums have made it possible to meet the
demands upon the general revenue fund but
not without anticipating each semi-annual
installment of taxes more than has been
either convenient or proper. The building
and maintenance of the intermediate peni-
tentiary, the Toledo asylum, and the soldiers
aud sailors home at Sandusky, together with
the enlargement of other institutions, and the
necessarily increased cost of state govern
ment on account Of our annual growth and
development, have largely increased the an
nual expenditures. It will consequently re-
quire care and economy to hereafter keep
appropriations from exceeding receipts"
The governor makes the same recommen-
dation as he did last year against taking steps
to prevent defalcations by county treasur-
ers and other officers The present right of
examination into the public funds conferred
upon the auditor of state, being practically
of no value to prevent irregularities,
he recommends that the treasurers of
counties, townships and municipal corpora
tions be subject to examinations of an expert
accountant duly appointed for that purpose.
"Three other subjects have excited consid-
erablc attention that would be discussed here
but for the fact that you appointed commit
tees at your last session to investigate them
They are the propositions that have been
made to amend the constitution, remove the
peniteutiary and to regulate trusts The
conclusions reached by these committees are
not yet known, but it is known that what
ever they may be, they are the result Of
much investigation and study of their re-
spective subjects, and that they should re-
ceive at your hands most careful consider
atioD."
Iii accordance with a resolution adopted
April II, 1888, 5O5.45 acres Of swamp and
marsh lands in Lucas county. belonping tc