Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/892

OHIO. cent. came from a general property tax and 17½ per cent. from an excise tax. The expenses were $7,967,003. The balances in all the funds on November 15, 1902, amounted to $3,572,244.

. Ohio has its second Constitution, the one now in operation having been adopted by a popular vote in 1851. An amendment proposed in either House must be approved by three-fifths of the members elected to each House, and in turn by a majority of the electors voting at a popular election, each amendment being voted upon separately. A constitutional convention may be called if demanded by two-thirds of the members elected to each branch of the General Assembly, and by a majority of all the electors voting at a popular election. The question ‘Shall there be a constitutional convention?’ is voted upon at a popular election each twentieth year and determined by a majority of all the electors voting. The exercise of the franchise has the usual limitations of age, sex, and sanity, and the requirement of a residence of one year in the State and such time in the county, township, or ward as may be provided by law. The Legislature may deny the right of suffrage to persons convicted of bribery, perjury, or other infamous crime. The registration of voters is required in cities of not less than 9000 inhabitants. The State sends 21 members to the National House of Representatives.

. The General Assembly consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. Representation is upon the basis of population. Most of the counties have one or more members in the Lower House, the smaller counties being united with other counties for representation. The members of both Houses are elected for two years, the day of election being the same as that for executive officers—the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The Legislature meets in regular session biennially the first Monday of January, in even-numbered years. The number of Senators and Representatives is determined biennially. Counties are united for Senatorial representation, but any county may be made a separate Senatorial district when it has acquired a population equal to a full Senatorial ratio, providing, however, that a full Senatorial ratio is left in the district from which it is removed. The compensation of the members of the General Assembly is fixed by law. The Lower House impeaches and the Senate tries all cases of impeachment, the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senators being necessary to a conviction. Bills may originate in either House, and no bill may contain more than one subject.

. The term of the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and Attorney-General is two years; that of the Auditor four years; and that of the school commissioner, and of the board of public works, three years. The commissioner of railroads and telegraphs, superintendent of insurance, supervisor of public printing, gas commissioner, and State and law librarians are appointed by the Governor.

The Governor may call extra sessions of the General Assembly. He exercises the usual pardoning power, subject to regulations as to the manner of applying for pardons.

The Lieutenant-Governor, president of the Senate, and Speaker of the House are in the line

of succession to the Governorship in case of a vacancy.

. The judicial power of the State is vested in a Supreme Court, circuit courts, courts of couunou pleas, courts of probate, justices of the peace, and such other courts inferior to the Supreme Court, as the General Assembly may from time to time establish. The officials here mentioned are all elected by popular vote. The term of service for the Supreme Court judges cannot be less than five years, that for the judges of the common pleas is five years, and that of the probate court judges and the justices of the peace is three years. The term of the circuit judges is determined by law. The General Assembly may establish courts of conciliation, and prescribe their powers and duties, but their judgment is not final except upon agreement of the parties to abide by such judgment.

. The General Assembly may provide for the organization of cities and incorporated villages by general laws, and variously restrict their powers. Similarly, provision is made for the election of such county and township officers as may be necessary, the day of election for county officers being the same as that for State officers. Their terms of office do not exceed three years. No person is eligible to the office of sheriff or county treasurer for more than four years in any period of six.

. The legal rate of interest is 6 per cent., but 8 per cent. is allowed by contract. Willful absence or habitual drunkenness for three years, extreme cruelty, imprisonment in penitentiary, divorce procured by either party in another State, are some of the chief causes for divorce. Residence required, one year.

. The men of militia age in 1900 totaled 893,327. The militia in 1901 numbered 6001.

. The following figures show the growth of the population: 1800, 45,365; 1820, 581,295; 1840, 1,519,467; 1860, 2,339,511; 1870, 2,665,260; 1880, 3,198,062; 1890, 3,672,316; 1900, 4,157,545. From eighteenth in rank in 1800 Ohio rapidly advanced to third in 1840, which position it held until surpassed by Illinois in 1890, since when it has been fourth. The greatest absolute increase was made in the decade 1830-40. From 1890 to 1900 the increase amounted to 13.2 per cent., as compared with 20.7 for the United States. The earliest development of the State was along the Ohio River, many of the early settlers coming from the Southern States. But the great bulk of the population in the later developing central and northern portions came from Pennsylvania and the Northeastern States. Ohio, particularly the southern part, attracted large numbers of the early German and Swiss immigrants, and Cincinnati became well known for its large German population. In 1900 the Germans constituted over half of the 458,734 foreign-born population. In the same year the negroes numbered 96,901. The increase between 1890 to 1900 was almost wholly on the part of the urban population. Only two States have a larger number of places containing over 4000 inhabitants. The 83 towns of this size in 1900 together had 44.8 per cent. of the State's population. There is an average of 102 persons to the square mile, which figure exceeds that for any other State west of the Alleghany Mountains.