Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-12

other States in the Union. I invite the at
tention of the Legislature to 10 with the
object that some plan be devised, which,
with the concurrence of the people, will
lead to the Improvement Of our public high
ways, so that they will be serviceable in
| winter as well as summer.
l 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 convenience of travel and
| transportation. The consideration of this
subject by the Legislature would lead to
discussion among the farmers of the State,
which would furnish valuable suggestions
! to the Legislature.
Canals Nearly as Necessary.
The Governor next touches up canals,
thus: 'What shall be done with the canals?
Shall they be abandoned, or shall they be
maintained and improved? Every year the
| question becomes more pressing Each an
nual controversy over appropriations de-
velops a stronger opposition than the pre-
| ceding one. Both the friends and opponents
of the canals agree that the policy which
| has prevailed for some years past cannot
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 condltlon.
''The question does not involve appro-
| priations alone, but the modernization of
| public waterways. Not only experts, but
the public at large have arrived at the con-
clusion that if The canals are to be con-
tinued, there must be some well-matured
plan for their Improvement in the interest
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 in
creased activity in the building and i'm
provement of canals is noticeable in some
of the most progressive nations of the world
particularly where commercial compe,,
tition is the keenest. OF this France and
Germany afford conspicuous examples. In
England there are several vast ship canal
schemes under way and in projection.
Waterways Reached for Elsewhere.
This revival of interest in canals is true
also as to a number of our sister States.
Some States that have abandoned their
canals now regret that action, and several
are endeavoring to recover the franchise
which had been disposed Of to private in
viduals or to corporations. Canada is now
seeking, by enlarging and extending her
canals, to secure large portion of the grain
carrying trade of this continent
''In this connection attention is called to
demonstration in Ohio of the value of i'm
provement of waterways, viz: the Muskin-
gum river navigation on which will be re-
sumed in the coming spring. 1t 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 S14, $40, 572 SO. There are also g, 600
acres of reservoirs which feeds the canals
all public property.
A Rich Heritage of the State.
''The canal system of Ohio is rich her.
itage to the State which has been largely
squandered. 1t is time to call halt to the
policy of disposing of the peoples property
without adequate compensation. 1t is for
the people to say what they will do with
their own, but they should have full in
formation before they forever disposses
themselves of two such valuable franchises
as those appertaining to the Miami and Erie
Canal and the Ohio Canal.
'This is matter of general interest to
every section of the State, and is not limited
to the territory through which the canals
pass. Before the people or the Legislature
can act upon this important question with
intelligence and with due regard to inter-
ests of the State, it is manifest that they
should be in possession of more information
than is now at hand.
SIT is therefore recommended that, in ad-
dition to making the usual appropriations
for the canals, the Legislature create
body, with engineering, 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, the earnings in the past and at pres
ent, their value as franchises for railroad or
other purposes, as nearly as can be esti-
mated, and particularly as to the possi-
bility and advissbility of improving them
and increasing their usefulness 10 the peo-
ple Already there is in existence body,
which, it is suggested, could with pro-
priety be entrusted with this important
work-the Canal Commission"
Defects in the New Ballot Law.
"The new ballot law" says the Governor
''from my observation and information
meets with very general favor in its scope
and purpose, although imperfect in some of
its features. 1t is step in the right direc-
ton, and should not be touched except
where il can be improved. It can, no doubt,
be made to better serve its purpose by
amendments which experience has already
suggested. At the recent State election
thousands of electors voted for the candi-
dates for Governor of their respective
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 were required to count such ballots
only for the candidate before whose name q
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 vote? The duties of county and
city boards of election should be more
clearly defined"
Only Fair Redistricting Asked For.
On the subject of redistricting the State
Governor Mckinley says: 'You will be
required under the new census to redistrict
the State for Representatives in Congress.
This will afford you an opportunity to ar
range the districts with fairness to all
Make the districts so fair in their relation
to the political divisions of our people that
they will stand until new 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 impera-
tive.
"You must have observed from the re-
turns of the late election that the party |
which carried the State by plurality of |
more than 81, 900 and which received |
plurality in 81 counties out of 8S in Ohio, |
carried but Congressional districts of the |
M-the minority party thus controlling |
two-thirds of the Congressional districts and |
the majority party only one-third. 1t will |
be vour duty to re-enfranchise the citizens