The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-01-25
OUR COLUMBUS LETTER.
News and Gossip from Ohio's
( State Capital.
Regarding Biennial Sessions of the Legls-
lature The Ohio State University
Plan for an Addition to the State
House A Million Dollars q
Year Made for the
Farmer.
BIENNIAL SESSIONS.

COLUMBUS, Jan. ~, loJ4.-Ine queS-
tion as to biennial sessions is the
one now agitating legislators at both
ends of the capitol. The grave and
reverend senators go at the subject
very gingerly. They are putting it
away from themselves as far as pos
sible. They seem afraid of it's near
approach. The members of the house
seem to be more committed to the in
novation, and yet there is an element
which seems to hold the question back,
giving each one chance to find this
excuse or that for voting against bien-
nial sessions. The question itself seems
to be buried in a caucus committee,
which committee seems to deny its
own very existence. There is an air of
restlessness, however, which is begin
ming to assert itself among the friends
of the question, which will result in
bringing it up before the house in
very decided form within the next
week. In just what shape this will
come cannot now be stated and is not
known, but it will take more than
burial in a fictitious caucus committee
to entomb biennial sessions perma-
nently.
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.
The institution of the state that has
made the greatest show of progress
during the past two or three years is
the Ohio State university. Four years
ago tax levy of one-twentieth of
mill was allowed for the benefit of this
institution, provided manual training
was added to the curriculum. The
late President Hayes was at that time
upon the board of trustees of the uni
versity. Manual training was one Of
his hobbies, consequently his efforts
proved very valuable to the starting of
the new departure. Hayes hall, in
which is located the new manual train
ing department, was opened last year.
1t cost s6s,O0O, including the equip
ment, whose cost was $4,000. The
building is one OF. the most complete
schools of its kind in the country. 1t
is not only credit to the institution
itself, but to the state of Ohio. The
students are hard at work upon new
machinery to be added to the equip
ment, so that they are now not only
acquiring knowledge, but are adding
materially to their alma mater.
Within the past year Orton hall has
been opened. In this building is the
famous Orton geological collection and
the university library, which were for
merly located in the university build
ing. This not only gave much needed
room in the latter building, but placed
the geological specimens and the Ii
brary in fre-proof quarters.
The last Legislature refused to pass a
| hill o11oxx,iy,rr hn tc,1S of tho II, i
ton to fix the selaries of the president
and professors. The last mission of
the late President Hayes at Columbus
was to urge the passage of this bill.
The president DR.. Scott, was at that
time, and is now, very anxious to re-
tire. 1t was found impossible to get
the proper sort of man for his success
sor at the salary provided by law, viz,
SO, 600. Another bill for the same OBJ
ject has been introduced this year in
the house, and second effort in this
direction will be made. Other states
which have land grant colleges, the
same as is the Ohio State university,
are far more liberal in salaries than is
Ohio. In fact every other state having
sach institutions, except Georgia, allow
their boards of trustees to fix the sal
aries. The president of the land grant
college in Missouri receives $500: Of
Wisconsin, 5000; of Nebraska, So, 900
of California, $4,000; of Illinois. $4,000
So that it will be seen that if Ohio is
compelled to go into the market for g
college president, it will have to pay
nearer the market price for his services
than the statute now provides, if the
} right man is obtained. AS long as DR.
Scott remains all is we'll, but Dr. Scot
will not remain very much longer.
PLAN FOR THE STATE HOUSE ADDITION
The question of more room for STATE
: departments, which are now crowded
into every nook and Granny of the
capitol building, is likely to be an i'm
portant one this session. Two years
ago provision was made for double
; supreme court, but a double suprem,
court is very useless with only on'
court room. A year ago the governor
was required to appoint commission
to take under advisement the relief o
the court and other departments o
the state This commission has mad,
its report, and most excellent results
are likely to follow from it. The frs
was the advisability of erecting de
tached building. If this We're decided
upon, it would have to be built upol
land to be purchased, or upon the stat,
house grounds. 1t was found that tn
land alone would cost s25O,OOO II
J build it upon the state house ground
{ would disdgure them exceedingly. tt
overcome these two obstacles it seemed
{ necessary to attach the addition to tn
present state house. OF course thi
: ought not to be done, unless upon plal
3 that would finally result in a complet
; and symmetrical structure. This tn
Z commission has recommended. Il
brief, their plan contemplates win,
at the south end, fronting upon Stat
street. In this are to be the two cour
4 rooms, judges rooms and much othe
: available space for state departments
. A similar wing is to be built at tn
Q north end fronting upon Broad street
x.,h;n he <aI