The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-01-18
The New Executive Dis
cusses Many Inter-
esting Topics,
Among Which are the Following: The
Election Laws, Ballot Reform,
Home Rule, the intermediate
Penitentiary, Care of the
Idiots, Uniform Com
merce Law, For-
estry, Etc.



his annual message accurately informed you
! OF the financial condition OF the State; and. in
| other respects, fully discharged his constitu
| tional obligations The duty involving on the
incoming Governor therefore, is to supple
| ment the annual message by such suggestions
as may, u him, seem pertinent.
HOME RULE.
In compliance with this duty your attention
| is directed to various laws, passed in rcccn,
| years, cnlarging the authority of tho chief eX
ecutive. He has been empowered thereby TO
| appoint boards which control, to large OK
tent, the government and expenditures of GER
| tain cities. This was deemed so clear viola
| tion OF the right of sclfgovernment that one of
the political parties embodied in its last plat
form the following declarations: 1--WE demand
the enactment of laws that will enable our
cities TO choose their own servants. and control
their own AFFAIRS The people OF Ohio, at the
subsequent election, approved that sentiment.
| 1t is the duty of tho General Assembly to obey
| their mandate, and to restore home rule to all
cities as speedily Us may be done without hasty
! or nconsiderate legislation. 1t is not neces
sary to rccite the many cogent reasons which
prompted the people to this action. 1t is suni
| cient to know that they have so decreed.
THE CITY OF CINCINNATI.
The perplexing problem confronting you is to
| decide what form of government to substitute
| in the city OF Cincinnati for that now enforced
| which has proven faulty in many respects other
| than those arising from gubernatorial interfer-
ence. In that city exist endless divisions OF au
thority, and consequent lacli OF responsibility,
resulting, naturally, in extravagant and incompe-
| tent rule. Apparently no attempt has been
made to construct n homogeneous form OF gov
ernment. Offices and boards have been created
| by patchwork, from year to year, until they ag
| gregate more than score OF independent de-
| partments. They arc appointed at haphazard
| by the mayor, the Governor, the various courts,
or by council This lack of system has unavoid.
ably lead to confusion and mismanagement. III
justice 20 the people of that city, well us in
furtherance of sound political principles you
should carefully consider, mature and formulate
charter which will give them an opportunity
to manage their affairs through officers chosen
solely by themselves. 1t mag not be convenien mt,
or even possible, to operate an entirely new
form OF government there until the April elec
tion OF 1891; but in event OF such delay, prompt
action should be taken 10 correct the grosser
defects Of the existing government. Some i'm
mediate changes are absolutely needed and the
following nre cited as instances: The board of
equalization, a body liable to scandal and cor
rupton. should be abolished, and re-created in
sucE q manner rs to invite and deserve public
confidence. The board of work house directors,
heretofore accused of releasing prisoners from
improper motives, can be spared without injury,
and its duties added to the police commission.
The discharge OF work house prisoners before
the termination OF their sentences should be
prohibited unless such release be approved by
the judge and prosecuting attorney OF the po-
lice court
The Board of Public Affairs, now an appoint
five board. should he so constituted that, here
nrter. member can be elc ctcd by the people
every year The membership OF tho Board of
Revision should be radically changed, and n
non-partisan board of high character substi,
tuted. With the foregoing improvements, and
such others your wisdom may suggest for
he Of Cincinnati m peL
along passably we'll until comprehensive re-
vision OF the laws can be adopted.
Two plans of reorganization meet with more
or less favor among the people of that city and
both should be thoroughly studied md digested
before you take the I'm Il action.
There Is but little doubt that, under the quick
cned public spirit aroused by existing condi-
tions, tho people OF Cincinnati would rise to the
OCCASION and govern themselves in n better and
more honest manner than can possibly be ut
tained by the interference of any outside
authority however conscientously exercised
1t is worth trial to give them control OF their
municipal affairs. Not 10 do so is to confess
that local selfgovcrnment is failure.
OTHER CITIES,
While considering what ought to be done for
that city you should investigate tho whole SUBJ
ject OF municipal reform, with n view of con-
ferring upon other cities OF the State such
changes as may be salutary. 1t is your duty to
afford speedy relief TO those which are subject
in any respect, to gubernatorial control
ELECTION LAWS.
It Is well to remember that no reform In gov
ernment, municipal or otherwise can be success
cul unless every elector is secured q free, Sc
cret untrammeled and unpurchased ballot
which shall be honestly counted and returned.
improvements have been made In Our election
laws during the last few years, yet all OF the
LEGISLATION upon that subject has not been COM
mendable. Tho establishment Of non-pnrtisan
election boards was step in the right direc
tion; but depriving them OF the right to ap-
point their clerks was n step in the wrong di.
rection There has been also some obvious
omissions to improve the election laws-for IN
stance, ,he failure to provide that the two
clerks OF election, in each voting precinct must
be of opposite political, Affiliations. Nothing
that has proven beneficial should bc undonc,
hut additional cnuctments are needed. Our
election laws are far from perfect, and those
who profess to believe that they are not capa-
bic of amendment have failed to- study the
great reforms made in other States.
BALLOT REFORM,
The system Of ballot reform commonly called
the Australian System has been successfully
adopted, in varying forms, by eighty
Ave millions OF people II has been
tried iiye years in Norway, seven in En-
gland and Italy. twelve in Belgium. fourteen in
Canada md thirty In Australia 1t has been
adopted with sundry notifications, in Massa'
issippi Tennessee, Missouri. Montana. Michigan,
Connecticut and pnrt OF Kentucky. One OF the
most thorough trials OF the system was ut tho re-
cent election in Massachusetts. The late GOV
ernor OF that State testiRcs in print that mo
one would seriously consider the rcpea; OF this
election law and consequent return 10 the old
election methods. Men OF all shade OF political
opinion agree that the measure hns worked
we'll, and that II is permanent part or the STAT
utes OF Massachusetts. In Its main principles,
IL is beyond criticism" The United States
Marshai, belonging To political party in oppo-
sition To tho Governor, has written
the following: Lot me say that the
systcm is most admirable In It's workings
There is no more buldoziag by our manufac-
turers They oan not march thoir men to the
polls under ~ foreman and vote them all for ono
ticket 1t does away with everything that
makes politics dtsrepntable." Thus IL VIII be
seen that the great political parties, or at least
such elements In them rs look for purity and
reform. ore fully satisfied with elections under
this plan. The cardinal features OF the sys-
tenn are, N All ballots must be printed and
distributed at the public expense; t2) tho
names of all candidates for the samo ofiicc
must be printed on the same ballot; (3) the bnllot
must be delivered to the voter within the poll
ING place by sworn officers; ~ only ballots SO
deliyered can be voted; C5) the voter Is guaran.
teed absolute privacy In preparing his ballot;
nnd (o) its secrecy IL made compulsory, The
foregoine requirem are modified and uttered
an deuii TO suit the views OF the various
states and Nations which have adopted
,hcm. but the principles herc laid down consti.
tute the salient points OF advantage over other