ers under the laws than was exhibited
in their enactment. But in any event, nothing is more certain than
that the people of Ohio have great reason to apprehend that the
evil consequences of these laws will be felt in their swollen tax
bills for many years.

It is probable that many of the acts to which I have alluded,
creating additional offices, incurring State liabilities, and
authorizing local debts and taxes were required by sound policy.
But a candid investigation will show that the larger part of these
enormous burdens of expenditure, debt, and taxation could and ought
to have been avoided.

The last legislature afforded examples of many of the worst evils
to which legislative bodies are liable--long sessions, excessive
legislation, unnecessary expenditures, and recklessness in
authorizing local debts and local taxes. These evils "have
increased, are increasing, and ought to be diminished." Let there
be reform as to all of them. Especially let the people of all
parties insist that the parent evil--long legislative
sessions--shall be reformed altogether. Let the bad precedent of
long sessions, set by the last legislature, be condemned, and the
practice of short sessions established. With the average rate of
taxation in the cities and large towns of the State--nearly three
per cent.--legitimate business and industry can not continue to
thrive, if the rate of taxation continues to increase. With the
rates of interest for public debts ranging from seven and
three-tenths per cent to eight per cent, the reckless increase of
such debts must stop, or will seriously affect the prosperity of
the State. These are subjects which deserve, and which, I trust,
will receive, the profound attention of the people in the pending
canvass.

It is said that one of the ablest Democratic members of the last
legislature declared at its close that "enough had been done to
keep the Democratic party out of power in Ohio for twenty years."
Let the Republican press and the Republican speakers see to it that
the history of the acts of that body be spread fully before the
people, and I entertain no doubt that the declaration will be
substantially made good.

It is probable that the discussions of the present canvass will
turn more upon State legislation