pt,
also, to have the purest and most satisfactory governments.

The following statement, showing the increase of municipal taxation
and indebtedness in the cities and large towns of Ohio, ought to
arrest attention:

In 1871, in thirty-one of the principal cities and towns of the
State, the average rate of taxation was twenty-three and one-tenth
mills on the dollar. The total amount of taxes levied for all
purposes was $8,988,064. The total indebtedness was $7,187,082.

In 1875, in the same cities and towns, the average rate of taxation
was twenty-eight and three-tenths mills on the dollar. The total
amount of taxes levied for all purposes was $12,361,934. The total
indebtedness was $20,800,491.

The salient points in this statement are, that in four years the
rate of municipal taxation has increased almost 25 per cent; the
total amount of municipal taxes has increased over thirty-seven per
cent, and municipal indebtedness has increased about one hundred
and ninety per cent, or more than thirteen and a half millions of
dollars. If this great increase of burdens affected directly the
whole people of the State, they would give their agents in the
legislative and executive departments of the State government no
peace until effective measures to prevent its continuance were
adopted. But, in fact, the whole people of the State are deeply
interested in this subject. The burdens borne by the cities and
towns must be shared, in part at least, by all who transact
business with them. The town and the neighboring country have a
common interest, and, in many respects must be regarded as one
community.

It has been said that the discretion committed to the local
authorities, however limited and guarded, must be necessarily
large; that in respect to the imposition of the largest proportion
of the burden imposed upon the citizen, they constitute the real
legislature; and that for the prevention of the evils we are
considering, the people must exercise the greatest care in the
choice of citizens to fill the important local offices. Experience
does not seem to justify the expectation that an adequate remedy
can be obtained in this way.

I submit that to the subject of local indebtedness the General
Assembly should apply the principles of the S