Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-01-10
Municipal Reform the Great and
Absorbing Question.
He Recommends a Constitutional
Amendment Providing for Char
ter Conventions for Mu-
nicipal Reform.
Who Governor Urges the Passage of the
"Australian Ballot Law" and tho
Enactment of Compulsory
ft Primary Election Law
other Important Mat
ters Considered.
COLUMBUS, o., Jan. 0, 1891.


10 the General Assembly
The receipts OF the general revenue fund md for
shown BY the yot report o the Auditor Of State
will aggregate about S3 400 600: but the expendi-
lures for the same period, provided the est
coed $1,000 600 The mere statement OF this
fact is sufficient to show that the estimates
above referred to must be greatly diminished
when appropriations are made. The disburse.
ments from this fund during the last fiscal year
were less than sSL000o0, including SlSOooo OF
deficiency and $4,000 for advertising the Con
Btitutional Amendments, which came over lor
payment from the preceding year. The pro
carefully scrutinized. Similar proposed In
croases have to he met and disposed OF annu
ally: and the necessary curtailment OF the ae'
sired appropriations will require the same pru pi
dence which YOU exercised SO commendably
during the last regular session.
MUNICIPAL REFORM
The enormous amount of legislation annually
enacted for the cities OF the State particularly
n the way OF local and special laws. clearly
shows that radical change is necessary in our
system of municipal government. Municipal
reform is q great and absorbing question every
where; hut no where more than In Ohio, where
1t has become customary to patch city govern
ments with legislative cnactments designed TO
correct real or imaginary grievances. This
form OF relief has proven to be either temporary
in its nature. or productive OF greater ills than
those which IL was intended to cure. The time
has arrived F1r n complete change OF programme
"A system must be devised which shall end leg
6slative tampcring with local affairs OF cities
"a problem confronts YOU whose consideration
would seem to be in n provision whereby cities
anay govern themselves without interference
Yrom any outside authority. In other words,
each city should model its own government,
provided, only that IT conform to the Constitu.
tion, and to those general laws which must
necessarily have the same character throughout
the State To do this would require an amend
ment TO the Constitution which could READILY be
submitted TO the people for their approval at
the election OF next November. This amend
ment ought to be so constructed as to enable
the people OF any city to call a charter conVen,
u,NIn tyrNfln 20 fIn
convention which the people of the State have
right 10 hold every twenty years. Such con
Sention could construct n charter. which, upon
submission to. and approval by, popular vote
would become the fundamental law of the city.
1t could not be altered, amended, or abrogated
except under the same ,lemn forms. and upon
the same careful consideration with which IL
was, created. The people of the cities which
adopted charters would then be compelled to
rely wholly upon themselves for good local gov.
ernment Such self reliance would naturally
arouse them to vigorous action. When they
can no longer sit supinely waiting for the Gen
eral Assembly to perform miracles for their
benefit, they will reform and purify their munic-
1pal affairs.
II the people OF any city should not see At to
avail themselves of this privilege they could re.
main under the government OF the General AS
sembly as nj present. For those cities remain
ing under Legislative control n uniform svstem
upon the federal pan, would doubtless prove
comparatively satisfactory. In some cities the
people are so anxious to change their form Of
government that they NAV object to awaiting
the approval OF q constitutional amendment by
citizens OF Cincinnati are demanding changes
In their government, In which the people of the
entire State (having had their attention recent.
" directed TO that city most heartily concur
Many citizens OF Cleveland aver that their af.
fairs are badly managed, and they will probably
come before you urging the adoption OF n new
torn OF government for that city. The same
may be said, in modified degree; Of Columbus
less need speedy relief yet ii should be borne
In mind that nothing can be done which will be
permanent and satisfactory except to relegate
90 thn Ia nf fn1l ~ arrin n1 troll
of their own affairs This can unQuestionably
be accomplished by the adoption OF the consti-
tutional amendment above referred to, and by
that alone. Such an amenment would forever
prevent what is graphically termed ripper leg
isation;" and the present General Assembly
ought not to adjourn without making provision
for submitting the same to the people
The only objection urged against the submis
sion OF n constitutional amendment is that the
people OF the State are to vote next fall upon
The calling OF q constitutional convention; but
after the convention has prepared new con
(as the last one was) hence. to insure the relief
afforded by the proposed amendment IL should
s M I me ha
of Ohio there is but little doubt that it would be
adopted by an overwhelming vote. Should the
cities generally avail themselves OF its provis.
ions the work OF the General Assembly hereaf
ter would be greatly decreased. for II is safe to
say that more than one half OF your time is now
consumed IN LEGISLATION that would then be-
come unnecessary.
BALLOT REFORM
During the last regular session, ne General
Assembly some commendable changes werc
made in the election laws: notably that OF talk
ing from tho Governor the power to appoint
city election boards and clerks. The great re-
form however. which would have served to
purify the elections of the State, and to have
elevated the elective franchise failed of pass
age because of an insufficient vote in the Sen.
ate. The reform referred to is that commonly
termed THE Australian Ballot Law" 1t Is to
be hoped that the General Assembly, especially
those members of the Senate belonging to the
political party In the minority will not obstruct
the progress OF th,s reform, which Is indorsed
State. The argument in favor OF this measure.
which was made in the inaugural address deliv.
cred you one year ago, need not be repeated
here. The experience of the past year has
added weight and cogency to IL; and has
fdation will practically disappear when this
system OF baloting is adopted There is no
reason to delay the passage OF such measure,
but should the General Assembly desire TO par-
italy test IL before its universal adoption, II
might first be tried in cities where registration
exists. The change in the registration law
which requires electors in the smaller cities to
register but once In four years has worked ad'
vantngeously and lends to thu suggestion that
this form OF registration be extended TO every
municipality having more than five thousand
people Mt the last federal census
In addition to the foregoing reform you are
earnestly urged to enact n compu sorry primary
election law. The root OF bad government In
cities will be found in the manner of nominating
candidates for office. Were all municipal nomi.
nations required by law 10 be made ut a pr
mary election and were all electors disfran
,ChtSoQ who fnleu 10 vote AT SuCn primary, un
less sufficient legal excuse be given. then
political, nominations would represent average
public sentiment and not the decree OF packed
or purchased caucus. With the Australian bal
1ot for general elections, and an equally well
guarded law Including q compulsory clausel
for the government OF primary elections and
with non.partisan State, county and city cleo
tion boards the people OF Ohio would have m
electoral system more nearly perfect than that
now known in any country; and one which
would thoroughly satisfy oil persons who desire
enir nominations, and free expression OF public
sentiment ut the polls.
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
The various penal reformatory anu Deneyo
lent institutions OF the State arc In excellen
financial condition and their inmates are beinl
cared for In manner that entities their man
agement to your approval Reference is mnd'
TO the recently hled annual reports OF euch.
Tho Penitentiary. which was under the con
troll of tho present administration for six month
prior to tho close OF the fiscal year, was lcarrie'
on during that time at profit
In the intermediate Penitenttary such prog
Saal has beaL u ade that tftY 10 on can safelY b