The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-01-13

deem these bonds and that provision be made
for paying the interest on the debt. There 10
also debt of $1,000 in unpaid premiums and
prizes, authorized, it is said by the IegisIature
and for which the board disclaims responsibility
COUNTRY ROADS.
The great need in many sections Of Ohio is
good country roads. This is q subject of i'm
portance not only to agriculturists, but affects
every material interest in the state, and is re-
ceiving very general attention throughout other
states in the Union. invite the attention of
the legislature to it with the object that some
plan I4 be devised, which with the concurrence of
public highways, so that they will be serviSea-
BILE in winter as well as summer. Many of our
country roads are almost impossible during
several months of the year. They should be
good the year round for the safety and conven-
1ence of travel and transportation.
The consideration of this subject by the legis-
lature would lead to discussion among tl1 farm
ers OF the state, which would furnish valuable
suggestions to the legislature.
PROTECTION TO RAILROAD employees.
Your attention is called to the importance of
making every provision possible for the better
protection of railroad employeswithin the state.
Their service is of the most hazardous charac-
ter, and railroads should be required to equip
their lines with every improvement calculated
to prevent accident
the railroads within the limits of Ohio, who
serve thepublic with great danger to life and
health, and nothing. should be withheld from
them which legislation can do to throw around
them every possible safeguard.
The last report of the interstate commerce
that year 2,451 railroad employees were killed,
and 2, ,391 others were injured. 1t is believed
that large percentage of this fearful sacrifice
of life and limb can be prevented by the enforce
ment OF proper legislation
THE CANALS.
What Shall be done with the canals? Shall
they be abandoned, or shall they, be maintained
and improved? Every year the question be-
comes more pressing.
Each annual controversy over appropriations
develops stronger opposition than the pre-
ceding one. Both the friends and opponents of
the canals agree that the policy which has pre-
vailed for some years past can not continue
much longer. The canals have been preyed
upon and allowed to go to ruin and now every
succeeding legislature refuses to appropriate
enough money to put them in proper condition.
The question does not involve appropriatioxs
alone, but the modernization of public water
ways. Not only experts, but the public at larke
have arrived at the conclusion that if the canals
are to be continued, there must be some we'll
matured plan for their improvement in the in
terest of cheap and better transportation.
Throughout the whole country there is at this
time unusual attention being paid to the general
subject of waterways. An increased activity in
hceable in some of the most progressive nations
OF the World-particularly where commercial
SGoLnpetltloH Is 5he keenesI. VI tn1s, france ana
Germany afford conspicuous examples. In En-
gland there are several vast ship canal schemes
under way and in projection This revival Of
interest In canals is true also as to number of
our sister states. Some states that have aban-
doned their canals now regret that action and
several are endeavoring to recover the franchise
which had been disposed of to private individ-
uals or to corporations Canada is now seeking,
by enlarging and extending her canals, to secure
continent ---7
In this connection attention is called to de-
monstraton in Ohio of the value of improvement
| Of waterways, viz: The Muskingum river,
navigatio on which will be resumed in the COM
| ing spring.
/ It should ever be kept in mind that the canal
| system of Ohio represents franchises and rights
| OF way and privileges OF enormous value. The
| aggregate length of the canals of Ohio Is 697
| miles The original cost of construction was
$14 S4o,5 ,57259 There also 900 acres of res
| ervoirs which feed the canals-an public prop
! erty.
The canal system of Ohio is rich heritage to
| the state which has been largely squandered. It
is time to call halt to the policy of disposing
OF the people s property without adequate COM
penSation.
| with their own, but they should have full in.
formation before they forever dispossess them
| selves OF two such valuable franchises as those
the Ohio canal.
This is matter of general isataEast T. aSserz
secLlon |of the state, and is not limited to the
7 --9t%ez1ry through which the canals pass.
Before the people or the legislature can act
! upon this important question with intelligence
and with a due regard to interests of the state,
| it is manifest that they should be in possession
| of more information than is now at hand
| 1t is therefore recommended that, in addition
to making the usual appropriations for the
| canals, the legislature create a body with en-
| gineering, legal and business qualifications, to
| make a complete report as to the canals of Ohio
giving their origin, the rights of the state as
| to title, their cost, their earnings in the past
| and present, their value franchises for rail-
| road or other purposes, as nearly as can be es-
| pOSS1lll1GY
and advisabilfty of improving them and increas-
| ing their usefulness to the people.
Already there is in existence a body, which, il
| with this important wofk-the canal commits
| sion.
THE NEW BALLOT LAW.
| The new ballot law, from my observation and
Information, meets with very general favor in
It's scope and purpose, although imperfect in
| direction and should not be touched except
| where it can be improved. 1t can, no doubt, be
pents which experience has already suggested
| At the recent state election thousands OF
electors, voted for the candidates for gov
at the head of the tickets, believing that
they were voting the entire party ticket
This occurred as to all the party tickets. The
| true intent of the elector was therefore not
registered by the judges, for they We're required
| to count such ballots only for the candidate
| before whose name a cross was placed.
Would it not be advisable to provide that there
should be but one method of marking the ballot
namely, by requiring the elector to place cross.
mark in front of the name of every candidate for
| whom he desires to voter
The duties of county and city boards Of cleo
| tions should be more clearly defined.
A deadlock as to signing the returns, and
dne of the senatorial districts, and the lack Of
| remedy in the courts to solve the dif1culty
| show that in other particulars there is impera-
| tive demand for amendments to the law.
The case referred to suggests the following:
When such difficulty as that presented to
county board refuses to send in legal return,
| the count should nevertheless be made OF the
returns from the counties regularly made, and a
| certificate issued to the person thus appearing
to be elected, so that the foundation can be laid
for contest, and the district not deprived of
representation, because the law and the courts
| are Intellectual to give relief
/ CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING,
You will be required under the new census IA
redistrict the state for representatives in con-
gress. This will afford you an opportunity to
arrange the districts with fairness to all. Mako
the districts so fair in their relation to the DO
hey will
stand until census shall be taken. Make
them SO impartial that no future legislature will
dare disturb them until a new census and a new
congressional apportionment will make change
imperative. Extreme partisanship in their ar
| rangement should be avoided. There is sense
Of fair play among the people which is prompt to
condemn a flagrant misuse of party advantage at
the expense OF popular suffrage Part1sanshfp
things where principle is at stake; but parti.
sanship which would take from the people theiH
| just representation, as in the case OF the con:
gressional redistricting by the last legislature,
| Is an abuse of power which the people are swift
to rebuke You must have observed from the
returns of the late election that the party which
carried the state by plurality of more than
twenty-one thousand and which received plu-
Fality in fty-one counties of the eighty-eight in
Ohio, carried but seven congressional districts
of the twenty-one-the minority party thus
controlling two-thirds Of the congressional dis
tricts, and the majority party only one-third. It
| will be your duty to re-enfranchise the citizens
Of Ohio who were disfranehised @ BY ths last leg
people their rightful voice in the national house
| OF representatives Free suffrage Is Of little
service to the citizen if its force can be defeated
by legislative Vaccinations in the form Of a
| "gerrymander." The districts should be made
so as to give the party majority in the state q
that if the party majority shall change the rep
preventative majority shall also change.
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MAJORITY.
The elections of last November have given 10
one of the political parties OF the state an al.
most unprecedented majority in both branches
OF the legislature. So large majority will re-
guire from every member Of the dominant party
the exercise OF the greatest conservatism. I
need not remind you that exceptional RESPONSE
bility follows the great trust which has been
reposed in you by the people, who in turn will
hold you to the highest and StricteSt accountar
| bility.
Tom Honesty is the best policy"
Jack-"Why don't you put that theory
| into practice?"-Yanlzee Blade.
| HOlidau in c old