Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-02-25

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News. which is known the country over
as Billy" Cappellar's paper, and a third,
which all unite in saying runs itself.
don't see why Mansfield was built on
such sliding scale. All its streets run
up hill, no matter which way you go,
but the drainage is so good, you know,
with hills to build on!
Many took free rides in the electric
cars out Park View avenue to see Sena-
tor Sherman's residence. 1t was there
and the famous barn was there, too.
Across the road is Congressman Harter's
house; it was closed as Mr.. Harter is at
Washington fighting free silver. This
part of the city must be most beautiful
in the summer time. The view is mag
nifcent, the lawns well kept and the
houses large and stylish. The appear
ance of thrift and push is noticeable to a
marked degree not only in this residence
portion, but all over the city.
The RefOrmatory.
A word about the Ohio state reforma-
tory. If an appropriation of $3.50, 900,
which has been asked for, is granted.
the work can be pushed vigorously this
season, better contracts can be made,
and in a year from now 300 prisoners
can be accommodated. With these men
a large portion of the common work,
such as grading and wall building, can
be done, which now has to be let to con-
tractors. When the whole institution is
completed it will be the finest prison in
the United States without any doubt
and will cost about 81 900, 900, though SC
20
the original estimate. So far about
$500, ,000 have been expended upon it, SC
that il is not quite half finished. The
reformatory is planned on the lines laid
down by the Elmira IN. " reforma.
tory, SO per cent. of whose inmates in
the past sixteen years have been re-
formed. In other words, the whole
scheme is based on the acknowledged
| fact that it is cheaper, as well as more
human, to reform the savable criminals
than it is to convict them several times
after they have once been discharged
from an ordinary penitentiary.
| The Columbus prison has 100 more
prisoners than it was built to accommo.
date, so that there is immediate need OF
an enlargement of the penitentiary fa-
cilities. At the Lancaster reform school
for boys there are more than the place
was built for, and among them about
| 100 young men who ought to be in a
place such as the Mansfield Institution
is designed to be, SO that they will not
only cease to corrupt the boys who are
with them now, but also that they may
be able to be reformed themselves.
The Mansfield institution is bound to
| eli nf fhn ato ofr
funds as is possible-just how much,
the oracles on the finance committee
say not.
Needs Attention.
Something ought to be done in the
near future with the system of assessing
property and equalizing it by the state
just think of it a moment, during the
past ten years the state of Ohio has
grown in population and in wealth, YET
there is found to be a falling off in
the amount of property returned fol-
taxation! One great trouble is that all
| the counties send a lot of men to Co.
lumbus to "equalize" the returns of the
different counties. Now they don't
| equalize at all, no, indeed; they get to-
| gether and each fellow makes a strenu-
Gus effort to keep the figures of his own
county down as low as possible.
To do this, he sets up small reci-
procity mill, or tickle-me-and-Tll-
tickle-you arrangement, with enough
other members to keep his own and
their counties down below the proper
level. Often this plan extends to nearly
every fellow on the board, and, behold
the result, less property to be taxed as
| the state grows richer. So much less is
the amount of property returned this
| year over ten years ago, that the state
will derive 100000 year less revenue
than it did year ago. 1t is practically
| impossible for the state tax levy to be
raised, for no political party would dare
do that; and there you have the whole
cause for the shortage of funds.
How long will this continue? For
some years yet-in all probability.
A Good Measure.
A bill has been introduced in the
house to compel all cities having over
25, 600 inhabitants to designate police
stations to which all women and chill
dren shall be taken when arrested; and
In these station houses matrons must be
employed day and night. The measure
is one that many noble women have
been working for for many years. Some
Ohio cities already have the power, but
this law, if passed, will be mandatory.
For some reason. the police authorities
in all cities are at first opposed to such
measures; but in all places where such
laws have been passed the police have
come over to be the best friends the law
| has. New York and Massachusetts have
such laws.
Ripper Bills.
The municipal ripper bills continue to
show their heads. The Columbus and
Dayton rippers are resting more or less
quietly in the committees manly bosom;
and now comes Chillicothe with a bill
that is caution to behold.
All of this leads one to wonder why
there is not uniform law for all
municipalities to govern themselves.
Why, the other day the general assem-
bly, of the great state of Ohio had to
authorize certain incorporated village
to number the houses of its own streets |
What did the legislature know about
the streets and numbers of that village?
Of course it went through as local bill,
but that amounts to having one man
pass bill, for the others always vote
for his local bill, for each members
pocket is loaded with local bill, and
reciprocity of votes is indulged in to a
marked degree.
The people of municipalities, large and
small, ought to know what they want
and what is good for themselves, at least
as well as the legislature.
Plenty of Bills.
If the members of the house do not
have chance to introduce bills for a
space of three days, the boiler is about
ready to burst. In thirty minutes, the
other day, thirty-six new measures were
submitted for consideration, and the re-
porters nearly went crazy. for the ava
1anche came just before o'clock, and
they had to work for two or three hours
to get their news matter ready.
Getting Reputation.
Senator liichOls is getting as much