The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-09-24

audacity of the act had LETT Che latter
speechless, In the true name Of the
term.
Ryan, though out OF politics at pres.
ent, has rendered his services TO the
State committee, and is down for sew.
eral speeches in different parts of the
State, Having lately shorn his counte.
nance Of the full growth of sunset
beard which formerly adorned IL, he is
scarcely recognizable TO his old friends
Ryan is doing we'll here in the law. He
is one of the attorneys in the now eel.
ebrated pure food case lately filed
against Commissioner McNeel by New
York parties.
ohio's magnificent State Library, un.
der the commission provided for by
Senator Garfield's bill last winter, Is
now receiving that care and attention
which it demands. Although the IL
brary has been admirably conducted
during some of the administra tions uu.
der the old plan, woeful neglect has
been the rule under others. The worst
kind of vandalism has prevailed, where
the custodians were careless, and many
valuable historical works, bearing up.
on our State and Territorial existence,
have been lost, without hope of being
replaced, as books of this character
have been long since out of print, 1t
Is notorious fact that members of the
legislature and State officers have from
time to time carried off many hundreds
OF volumes. The policy seems to be
that 1t is no harm to steal from the
State. The offense might be condoned,
la 4. "a A..
TO the mere price Of book that can be
ordered anew AZ any time of the pub.
fishers, but where the object pilfered
cannot be duplicated, the loss is be.
yond repair and the offense unpardon.
able. One official, several years ago,
carried away at the expiration of his
term enough books TO stock small H..
brary, including a number of rare
works.
Instances are known where books
taken from the library by officials have
found their way into second hand book
stores. 1t is hard to believe that any
man receiving the privileges of the in.
stitution would commit the shameless
act of selling the books drawn there.
from, but such is undoubtedly the case
Not long ago an employe of the State
y
dealer, and carelessly opening a volume
that lay upon the counter saw the State
mark upon It. He was somewhat taken
back at the sacrilegious nature of the
thief when he discovered the title of
the work to be THE Life Of Christ"
Among the rare works of the library
Is a biographical history of the early
settlers of the Ohio valley. 1t is writ.
ten in delightful vein. and breathes
the atmosphere OF early pioneer life.
A descendant of the author is a
wealthy Columbus lady, who has re.
peatedly sought TO buy the book of the
library, but of course without avnil, as
1t would not be sold at any cost, there
being but one other volume in exist.
ence as far a. known The work is
simply used as reference, not being al.
lowed to go out Of the room A new
attache of the library one day allowed
an applicant to take il home with him,
There was CONSERVATION when the
librarian earned what had taken place,
and special messenger was at once
disr .tched for the book, which fortu.
NJ Oely was secured. and forms a part
Il the fine collection of Americana, of
which the library boasts.
The grind of the courts has began
again over the State, and according to
reports the grist which will flow into
the penal institutions will be a large
one. A State official, who travels ex-
tensively throughout Ohio, says that
the jails were never so full of prison.
ers. The hard times are supposed TO
have a great deal to do with this con-
dition of affairs. The prosecution of
offenders against the law entails
heavy burden on the counties, but ii
adds greatly to revenues of county
officials. Sheriffs in some instances
arrange matters SO as to bring prison
ers to the penitentiary in as small de.
tachments as possible, so as to secure
all the mileage they can. Statistics
submitted to the Legislature last win.
ter, when the matter of sheriff S fees
was up for action in the form of a bill.
show that in the larger counties of the
State, this office, with its jail contract
and other perquisites, is worth small
fortune each year. There is a genuine
sentiment at work in favor of reducing
all county officers to salaries, which |
will doubtless find forcible expression
when the general assembly meets a |
year hence.