Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1842-11-12
ROAD TAXES.

In an article Of last week VIC alluded
to the enormous taxes levied upon our
citizens the present year, and expressed
an opinion that the road tax that had been
levied was unnecessary. Since then we
have received a communication from one
Of our farmers, land which will he found
in another column OF to-days paper;) in
which we are rather taken TO task for the
contents Of our article. Now in regard
to the principle Of taxation as advocated
by our correspondent, we entirely coin
eide with hin, as to its correctness; and
though the tenor Of our article may have
led others 10 the conclusion that we were
in favor OF a poll tax in preference 10
property valuation tax, yet such is moi
the case. We penncd our article with
reference to the present temporary state
Of things in this county, and not with the
view Of expressing an opinion in regard
to what were the correct principles o.
taxation. We are glad however that ou'
remarks have had the effect Of bringing
this subject to the notice Of our readers.
and hope the article Of our correspondent
will not only be .ead by our citizens gen
erally. but that the members Of the com
ing Legislature will derive some useful
hints from perusal of it.
We still think, however that some
blame is to be attached both TO the last
Legislature, and TO the County Commits
sioners; and to show that the grounds OF
our belief have some foundation, we n'cn-
ton the following facts:
First, the act of,he Legislature, page
60 Of laws Of '4l--2, provides that each
resident who is liable to labor on the
roads, shall work two days in each year,
and in addition to this shall pay per
centum tax on his property. while the
I'non-resideats are only liable toa per CEN
tum tax; and here we think the Leglsla-
ture is to blame for not abolishing the
poll tax. Again. our correspondent says
that tho 'sroad tax is not to be paid in
cash. That the Legislature SO intended
we have not q doubt, but why we ask Is
there no. provision in the law, making
it the duty Of the supervisor TO warn the
residents to work out their tax before
they can collect the same in money! In
this county but a few have had an oppor-
,unity TO pay this tax in labor, for the
reason that sufficient time did not elapse
between the time of furnishing the assess
men, to the supervisors, and before that
which the law required them to make
their return; and the consequence is that
the tax has to be collected iii money in
stead o! labor.
There is another matter in regard to
this subject, and which was one reason
why we penned our article OF last week.
and that is this; persons residing and
owning property in Burlington, are com
PEELED to paw both pol! aud a per cen
tum City tax in addition to the township
road tax, aud the revenue derived from
this source is expended in improving the
streets, end should Tor this reason, VIC
think, exempt them ia part from road
tax.
As before remarked, we entirely con-
cur with the views Of our correspondent
in regard to tho principles OF taxation,
and we hope that the coming Legislature
will so amend our present laws upon the
subject as to lay the burthens OF the road
tax upon all in proportion TO their ability
to bear it as we'll us in proportion to the
benefits they seyeralIy derive from 1t.
o. An immense tobacco warehouse
has lately been erected IN ST, Louis, by
Maj. Brandt. 1t is 1903 by 1873 feet
square, TWO stories high, and built OF
brick.