The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-01-07


throughout the whole work Commu-
mites were visited at great personal
inconvenience and the work of relief
was organized at the outset with such
efficiency that every local committee
received what in its judgment the
stricken people required 1t was the
largest project of It's kind in the his
tory OF our state, and 1t is with un-
common qualification that we are en-
abled to transmit now a report which
is in fact an audit, not only Of every
disbursement to. the penny made by
the commission, but by the local COM
munity treasurers as well. The Red
Cross, with the sympathy and dis
patch characteristic Of that great or
ganization, rendered splendid coop
Grafton. Miss Mabel T. Boardman. it's
head, visited the state and assigned as
an aide to the Ohio food relief com
mission Mr.. Ernest P. Bicknell, who
had rendered conspicuous service in
San Francisco following the earth
quake disaster.
Workmen's Compensation Law.
The humane results OF the work
mems compensation law have been
so widespread and the wisdom of the
people In changing the constitution so
as to make this plan compulsory has
been so completely demonstrated that
manufacturer and employe now join
in praise of the act. While the liza
bility insurance companies contended
that the state could not administer
this trust and that the cost would run
into millions OF dollars per year, the
experience of the first IL months
shows the cost of administration to be
approximately 100000; and the
claims, running far in excess of $4,000
in nmuber, have been adjudicated
with such promptness as to Justify
to the fullest measure the soundness
of the state plan. The balance in
the fund December Is, 1914, was
$2,418,414.O7. The number of ao
dents is diminishing and the cost to
the employer is decreasing; so that
both lower rates and larger compen-
sation seem assured. AS one who
passed through the stormy period that
led to the passage of this law, ! urge
upon you the extreme importance of
the highest manifestations of vigi-
lance, patriotism and humanity in or
der that the fundamentals of this
benefcent legislation might be pre-
served. Under the pretext of improv-
ing the law it can be easily emascu-
lated. Ohio assumed the lead in this
| legislation, and if the fundamental
principle is maintained here, the plan,
by its demonstrated worth, will be
adopted elsewhere. This means the
ultimate loss of ill-gotten millions by
potential interests that have grown
rich from the tears, blood and MANNED
bodies of our working people. They
will not give it up without contin.
ued struggle. Your duty to humanity
and to your state calls for extreme
watchfulness.
Good Roads and Good Schools.
The subject of education should al
ways be transcendent in the aims ant
purposes of those in authority. The
state of things in the world today
demonstrates the inevitable establish
ment of many more republics. We
not only live in the blessings of geo
graphical isolation from the lands OF
trouble and tears, but we enjoy as
we'll the benefits flowing from insti
tutions builded upon the sovereign
will of our people Worldwide evolu
tions are now upon us. Civilization
may be compelled to face an unpre.
cedented test, and it behooves us,
therefore, to see to it that behind the
suffrage expression Of our people
is constantly improved standard
and an enlarged measure Of educa,
ton. Every child in this sta.e should
have the opportunity of good school
advantages. They have not had in
the past in some sections. The
depths of neglect and inefficiency to
which the school system has drifted
in some remote sections is not only
reproach upon state as resource
full as ours, but tragedy as well.
renew with undiminished enthusiasm
an appeal in behalf of the rural sec
tions and urge only forward steps in
education. We have gained too much
to have it lost. Folks have tasted the
benefits of modern rural system OF
education and rural life can only be
stimulated by our facing the right dt-
rection. Good roads and good schools
must continue to be our slogan. They
20 hand in hand and the improved ia,
cilities growing out Of the present
program will cost less than the old,
while the social and economic edvan,
tages cannot be Appropriated. In the
past two years the state contracted
for the construction of $50 miles OF
modern highways-classitied by ma
teria!s used as follows Brick, 189
miles: concrete, 151 miles; macadam
80 miles
There is a manifest awakening, not
only with respect to the permanent
Improvement of the highways, but in
terest in the relative merits of mate.
rial, and methods of Transforming bad
roads, at small expense seems general
The working out of more efficient
school system has given gratifying Inn
petus to the highway movement be-
cause better facilities for Transports
ton enter as an important factor.
Previous to September l, 1912, there
were but 1872 centralized school dis
tricts in Ohio. In two years time 242
have been legally authorized; and
within the next four weeks Elections
Will be had upon rs new projects
While the Capitalization of schools is
of great importance, the new school
law, which empowers county boards oi
education to redistrict the various
counties for school purposes, is doing
even a greater good as many districts
have already been in part transferred