The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-01-16

| Your attention Is called to the Importance Of '
| rulSing every provision possible for the better
| protection OF railroad cmploycswthin the state. /
| Their service is Of the most hazardous charnc.
| ter, and railroads should be required TO equip
! their lines with every improvement calculated |
| TO prevent accident
There are nearly 5000 persons employed by
| the railroads within the limi It's OF Ohio, who
| serve thopublic with great danger 10 life and
| health, and nothing should be withheld from
| them which legislation can do 10 throw around
| them every possible safeguard.
| The last report Of the Interstate commerce
| commission, up TO June 30, 1891, shows that in
| that year "lbl railroad employees were killed,
| and 22,39l others were injured. II ~ believed
| that large percentage OF this fearful sacrifice
OF HE and limb can be prevented by the enforce
mont OF proper legislation.
| THE CANALS.
What shall he done with the canals? Shall
| thcy be abandoned, or shall they be maintained
and improyCdy Every year the question be-
! comes more pressing.
Each annual controversy over appropriations
| develops a 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 70 to ruin, and now every
succeeding Legislature refuses to appropriate
enough money to put them in proper condition.
! The question does not involve appropriations
alone, but the modcrnization Of public water.
ways. Not only experts but the public at large
have arrived at the conclusion that II the canals
| are to be continued, there must be some well
! maturCd plan for their improvement in the in
terest of cheap and better transportation
! Throughout the whole country there Is ut this
time unusual attention being paid to the general
| subject Of waterways. An increased activity in
| the building and Improvement OF canals Is no.
| ticeabc in some OF the most progressive nations
! of tho world-p particularly whore commercial
/ competition is the keencSt. OF this, 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 o number OF
o,.s 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 irdiytd.
uals or to corporations. Canada IL now seeking,
by cnlarging and extending her canals, to secure
"a large portion of the grain-carryng trade of this
continent.
In this connection attention is called to de.
monstration ip Ohio of the value Of Improvement
navigation on which will be resumed in the com
| ing spring.
1t should ever be kept in mind that tho canal
system of Ohio represents franchises and rights
| of way and privileges of enormous value The
aggregate length of the canals OF Ohio is Gyi
miles The original cost OF construction was
sH3iO572 SO. There are also 1890 acres of res
eryoirs which feed the canals-,all public prop
The canal system of Ohio is . rich heritage to
the state which has been largely squandercd. 1t
is time to call halt to the policy OF dispoSing
of the peoples property without adequate com
pensaton.
1t is for the people to say what they will do
with their own but they should have fun in
formation before they forever dispossess them
4 selves of two such valuable franchises as those
a appertaining to tho Miami and Erie canal and
4 the Ohio canal.
i This is matter of general interest to every
I section OF the state, and is not limited to the
Q territory through which the canals pass.
l. Before the people OF the Legislature can act
e upon this important question with int 'Ngencc
a | and with 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 body, with en-
y gineering legal and business qualifications, to
= make "A complete report as to the canals Of Ohio
u giving their origin, the rights of the state as
! | to title, their cost, their earnings In the past
a and present their value as franchises for rail
| road or other purposes as nearly ~ can be es
!: and adviSability of improving them and incrcas
u | ing their usefulness to the people.
. Already there is in existence body, which, II
: is suggested, could with propriety be intrusted
. with this important work-the ctnai commits
sion
J. THE NEW BALLOT LAW.
/ The new ballot law, from my observation anG
. Information, meets with very general favor in
= its scope and purpose, although imperfect IN
n direction and should not be touched except
} where it can be improved. 1t can, no doubt, be
- made to better serve its purpose by amend
o meuts which experience has already suggested.
y AT the recent state election thousands Of
u electors voted for the candidates FOR gov
$ at the head of the tickets, believing tha
5, they voting the entire party ticket
e This occurred as to all the party tickets. The
true intent of the elcCtor was therefore no
-, registered by the judges, for they were required
d to count such ballots only for the candidate
y before whose name q cross was placed.
9- Would IL not be advisable TO provide that there
e should be but one method Of marking the ballo
" mark in front of the name of every candidate 70
~ whom IL desires to vote?
y The duties of county and city boards Of eleC
~ tiOns should be more clearly defined.
~ A deadlock as to signing the returns, an
70 another as to issuing a certificate Of election
le one of the senatorial districts, and the lack
d. remedy in the courts TO solve the dflculty
other there iIuDprl
= tive demand for amendments To the law.
u The case referred to suggests the following
e When such dinlcuty as that presented I
u the Muskingum county board arises. and III
county board refuses to send in legal return
the count should nevertheless be made of tn
q returns from the counties regularly made, and
10 certificate issued to the person thus appearin
H. to be elected, so that the foundation can be la
W for contest, and the district not deprived O
n. representation, because the law and the court
le are Intellectual to give relief
n CONGRESSIONAL REDIsTRICTING.
u You will be required under the new census I
to redistrict the state for representatives in COZ
grcss. This will afford you an opportunity I
II arrange the districts with fairness TO all Max
I'd the districts fair in thor relation to the pc
nj litical divisions of our people that they wi
ct stand until a new census shall he taken. Max
n them 40 impartial that no future legislature wi
20 dare disturb them until new census and a nel
nc congressional apportionment will make chang
mperatiye Extreme partisanshiD in their III
rangcmcnt should be avoided There is II sens
to OF fair play amsng the people which is prompt
al condemn iiagrant misuse of party advantage q
III tne tA pcISt Oh popular SulItSt bIliNhuSIll
IS Is not to be discouraged, but encouraged in II
nj things where principle is at stake; but Il part
is Sanshp which would take from the people thc
of lust representation. rs in the case OF the COi
gressional redistriCting by the last Legislature
ed is an abuse OF power which the people are Swi
II to rebukc You must have observed from III
he returns OF the late election that the party whc
"a carried the state by plurality OF moro tina
in twcnty-Onc Thousand and which received % pl
rality in nifty ono counties Of thc eighty-cight
mt Ohio, carried but seven congressional dlStric
e. of the tWenty-OnC--the minority party thi
o. controlling twOthirdS of the congressional di
trcts, and the majority party only onc-thrd.
Id will be your duty to rcenfranchiSc the either
to OF Ohio who were DISTINGUISHED by the last le
re islative 'gerrymander," and to restore to IL
% people their riphtfu voice in the national hOus
p of representatives Free suffrage is of lit
service TO the citizen If its force can be dCfeatC
he by legislative Vaccinations in the form Of
rs "gCrrymandCr.n The districts should be mac
o. SO as 10 give the party majority in the state
ut majority of Representatives, and so arrange
N, that IL the party majority shall change the re
be preventative majority shall also change.
h RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MAJORITY.
NJ The elections of last November have given
IS, one OF the political parties OF the state an
ed most unprecedented majority IN both branch,
be of the legislature So large majority win +
m quro from every member of the dominant part
in the exercise of the greatest conservatism.
to need not remind you that exceptional respons
rCpOS"d in you by the people, who in turn vi
nod you to the highest and strictest account
% bility
on -=---=--- -=---=---
ch WHAT AN INDIAN DID.
nd A " ounded Redskln Caused the Retreat
ne IL Nhole Regiment.