The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1892-01-21
E"souNp''spEEcH
Fair and Honest Convictions OF Ohio's
Now Governor.

Fair and Honest Convictions OF ohio's
Now Governor.
Gov. McKinley's inaugural address
to the legislature of Ohio gives an adj
ditional proof-though 1t hardly was
needed-of the wisdom of the majority
that elected him to the highest Office in
the state. The outcome of the campaign
involved not only the g~overnorship but
the senatorship, and, inasmuch rs that
involved national politics, Maj McKin-
ley dealt largely, indeed chiefly, with
the great issues OF tariff and CURRENCY
whenever he addressed the citizens of
the commonwealth. But now that the
Legislature has done its duty to the
state and to the nation by the ~reclcc-
ton of John Sherman to the senate the
residue Of it's duties are local to Ohio.
Nothing that any state legislature can
say or do after its senatorial election
can have any effect upon federal legis-
lntion. So Gov. Mckinley makes no
allusion to national affairs in his in
augural address. AS governor Of a state
he advises tt legislature of the state
concerning the condition of the state,
and concerning what he deems best for
the continued prosperity of it's people.
And yet in at least two passages of
his speech he treats of principles and
practices in the fulfllment of which
all the people of this republic are in
terested. You will be required" he
says, under the new census to redis-
trict the state for representatives in
congress. This will afford you an OPP
portunity to arrange the districts with
fairness to all. Make the districts so
fair in relation to the political divisions
of our people that they will stand un-
til a new census be taken" These are
plain and courageous words. The vice
of gerrymandering has infected most,
if not all, the Legislatures of the states.
Its most virulent form has been OBJ
servable in close states or in republican
states in which the democrats have OBJ
tanned an accidental majority, but
scarcely any state has escaped q mild
attack of this epidemic of political dis
honesty. In Ohio the democrats so
Eerrymandered the districts that the
republicans, who have n normal ma
jority in ffty-one counties of the
lightweight that form the state, have
been able to elect but seven out of the
twenty-one congressman which it
sends TO Washington. That is to say
the majority elected one-third and the
minority two-thirds of the congression-
al delegates. This evil must be rem
edied, but the governor warns the re.
publican majority of its responsibility
to the people, as we'll as to the party,
and cautions it against dishonest re-
prisals for n dishonest act of it's demo
cratic predecessor. Deal honestly
with the people and they will deal
generously with you" has been Gov,
McKinley's rule of life, and in his mos
s~tatesrnanlille message he impresses ii
upon the legislature.
1t is local TO the state of Ohio that it,
Legislature make n fit appropriation foi
a display of its at the worlds
Columbian exposition, but the spirited
tone of Gov. Mckinley's advice as tc
the action of congressman from thai
state upon the question of additional
aid may have a national effect. 1.-The
people and their Representations" he
says, "should urge upon congress such
action as will make the exposition
worthy of the great even. that it cele,
brates, and worthy also of the dignity
and honor of the nation" This is in
the nature of keynote. Each stale is
interested in making a fine display OF
its own achievements, but all the state,
are interested in making the exposition
worthy of the dignity and honor of the
nation.
The governors review of the prog
ress of Ohio during the years between
the census of 1880 and that of 1890 i.
full and satisfactory. The debts of the
state and it's municipalities have de
creased, their have been en-
largcd, their csources multiplied, the
farmers have passed from gloom into
sunshine. Ohio is more than prosper
ous; it stands among the richest com
monwcalths of the world, and, though
the governor does not repeat in hi.
message what he often said duriag thu
campaign, the vast development of the
wealth of the state and the nation i.
more due to the republican policies O
protection and honest money than t.
any other causes. Chicago Inter Ocean