Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-01-18
BUSHNELL ADDRESS
The New Governor OF Ohio Reviews
the History of the State.
Biennial Sessions of the Legisla-
ture Indorsed.
Changes in tho business Methods of Pub
lie Institutions SuEEcsted-Our Com
victs Should be Employed and
Economy Practiccd In the
Various Departments.
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Repro

In assuming the duties OF governor at q
period when we are approaching the end OF a
century, frnught with great achievements OF
civilization IL seems not improper that we
Should consider for moment the progress
made by our own commonwealth since It's
foundation. In the vast results accomplished,
all our people can take deep and lasting pride.
One hundred and eight years and a-half ago n
handful of pioneers laid the territorial founda-
atoL stones, and upon that beginning other
men and women of the same sturdy stock
ueared modest structure. which, on February
10. 1903. was deemed worthy of statehood, and
H1ecame Ohio
No act Of the congress OF the United States
has over had more glorious fruition than that
which brought Ohio into being. 1t gave the
Union an ever loyal state; 1t provided self
government for people who proved themselves
tthe best of husbandmen; 1t started a common
wealth upon an era OF development not second
9o any the world has ever seen.
The history OF our state needs no enlarge
Snent here. The lesson taught by the events
al the past have been plain to all, and in the
present it speaks in more glowing language
stnce OF patriot describe. We are now 100000
people, while at the opening Of the century our
Eorefathers were of but an hundreth part of
that number. Ohio has literally increased one
hundred fold. In ninety-fve years, counting
from the time when ambition to rise above the
eerritorial form OF government became active,
there has been n result an hundred fold greater
Tn almost every way. The harvest has been an
abundant one, and, speaking for those of the
said that we have had and have good reason for
claiming the approval OF the ste -ard who
strikes the Dalance to snow VINO OF the y lildren
OF the earth have reaped wisely and we'll
! While mindful of the Divine guidance, of the
manifold blessings and Of the Providentiai care
which have aided and attended the people of
Ohio through all their years, 1t is yet permissi-
ble to think that no small part OF the magnif-
cent result OF to-day is due to the good citizen
who have contributed to Ohios greatness. We
hnve been OF q happy and contented people-of
class that improved upon prosperity and saw
good in everything. We have enjoyed good gov
,ernment, we have thriven under laws beneh-
cent for the most part, and we have had before
,1S always the necessity for preserving inviolate
The honor and dignity of our state. How much
success there has been in the aim and purpose
OF upholding the credit Of Ohio in all ways has
tuhe pages of American history contain nothing
20 shame us. We are to-day enjoying the bene
dts of the work OF the workers OF the past and
10 some extent that which our own industry
(prudence and patriotism have wrought
: No state Is richer in the elements OF pros
Eerity than Ohio: The legacy nature gave us
In n fertile soil, in mineral wealth, in fine
grazing lands, in lakes and rivers, in q health
{ tful climate and in n thousand other respects
tNuS OF infinite value The habits OF industry
of laudable ambition and good endeavor, which
: came as common heritage from our prede-
ceSsors, go long ways toward fitting to
carry on the design OF making Ohio ever one of
che foremost OF the American states. we have
been and are profiting by the example OF those
who have gone before us and it must be our
aim to improve upon the record, to expand our
possibilities, and to achieve successes which
will enable us in the future to regard our part
HI Inc ClIlLcuSHlp OI OulO Win us nuCl SatlS-
! faction as we now do that OF the pioneer pa
triots who served Ohio so we'll in all walks Of
life
I The duty of legislating and acting for the
900 people OF progressive state is not one
20 be considered without seriousness and deem
concern. 1t involves the necessity of doing that
which is best for the greatest number, the re-
Quirement that the credit OF the state shall be
maintained in moral as well as financial affairs
and the essentials that peace and weli-being in
so far as they may be attainable through the
acts of legislation and execution of laws and
government, shall be assured to all 1t for us
during our public service to do our utmost to
sustain the good of the past and to try to eradi-
cate the evils that may exist in the present or
threaten the future. To thus sustain. strengthen
and serve the people of Ohio. 1t is necessary
that every officer of the state shall bend his
energies to the task of perfecting the conditions
which are so closely allied with the welfare of
the commonwealth.
The state of Ohio, as it is represented by its
government Is but vast business concern. 1t
h4s its managers, its various departments
which are peopled by its clerks, and its labor
ers OF high and low degree OF duty. The legis-
lative branch Of the government, like the ad-
viSory board OF the business institution, can do
much for good or much for evil BY consider
ing carefully the intricaces of the financial af-
fairs, by acting wisely for the people in enact
ing laws, by applying economy to public ex-
iPenditures whenever and wherever expedient
by judiciously and justly providing for ade-
Quate revenue by taxation the good result be-
comes apparent. Ill considered financial legis-
lation, extravaganza and injudicous taxation
can only result in aggravated evils under which
There
will be opportunity during the session OF the
NSeventy-second general assembly to demon
tatrate the wisdom OF the proposition first ad-
.Vanced. Through the natural increase in the
population OF the state institutions and the
consequent increase Of expenses we are con-
fronted with condition which calls for more
revenue or more economy in appropriations
Innd less expense in administering the Affairs
OF the state, and 1t is for the general assembly
TO determine which 1t shall be.
The financial statement Of the fiscal Var NJ
1895 showed that the ordinary receipts amounted
10 %, ,674 666.75. The disbursements were SS 7e5-
I2l. q ana the balance In the general revenue
euud at the close of the year amounted to S233
673. 81. The balance in the treasury at the close
of the fiscal year OF 1894 was S354. .72785 An in
ivestigatipn OF the general financial statements
from 1884 to 1895, inclusive, shows that during
the twelve years total of $4l ,205, ,lsO SO have
been disbursed, while the receipts were s3g-
t5i ,e37 ", thus showing deficiency in receipts
during the twelve years OF 81, ,053. .24 o. In only
one year OF the twelve were the receipts greater
than the disbursements and that in 1890 when
the balance was very nearly $50 900 on the credit
side. that result being due TO the 1892 900 OF the
direct tax refunded by the federal government
general statement OF the financial result durinS
the last twelve years will show that the state
OF Ohio, rich and resourceful as 1t Is, has need
OF additional revenue.
The auditor OF state has estimated the avail
able resources for the fiscal year of 1896 at
6S 649 6ll.66, which amount includes the balance
IN the treasury at the beginning of the wear
The estimated disbursements according 10 the
state auditors report are g, ,993. IS. That
amount includes sss,4s2, ,e93.s7, the aggregate
asked for by the various state institutions and
state departments for the three-quarters of
che fiscal year OF 1893, the 81. 40. l70es repre-
Senting existing appropriations subject to draft
on November l5 1895 the s23i, ,b2l.8 81 OF dehcien-
c1eS authorized by the emergency board and
% OF outstanding warrants. 1t can thus
be seen that the appropriations asked for and
demanded by present obligations are In excess
OF the probable available resources, 81 344 1856 e5
Lt Is apparent that there must be either re-
duction in the amount OF appropriations asked
Tor or there must be an increase OF the revenue
Such O statement of the financial condition
Of the state might suggest that the only proper
remedy is that OF increasing the tax rate and
ehus providing additional revenue. In q brief
address made in the city OF Springfield on the
first day of June, 1895, to the committee on
notification appointed by the GAINESVILLE con-
vention to officially inform me OF the honor
conferred by that assemblage OF the delegates
OF the republican party, said: "Recognizing
the question OF taxation as one of great i'm
portance, and there having been complaint that
the burdens are unequally distributed / will do
all In my power TO correct whatever evils there
may be In our present system with a view OF
Tightening the burdens and securing economy
IN expenditures to the fullest extent consistent
with proper support OF the charitable institu-
V1OlS of the and the cnn1 ~ Ia,