American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-01-20


short review of the past to cheer US on to the
renewment of every effort to remove all OBJ
stacles that may be found lying in the wav Of
our rapid onward march Of improvement. -
And with this view it becomes my duty 10
gather up and lay before you some Of the sub
lects that may, in an especial manner, be
worthy of your consideration.
am gratiied in being able to state, as will
more fully appear by reference to the annual
statement of the Register, and the report of
the Collector of the City, that the financial
department Of the city government is in a
sound and most tiourshing condition. The
ability with which these documents are pre-
pared, and the clearness with which the com
pllcated details contained in them are set forth,
can be better appreciated by your own careful
perusal, and which, doubtless, you will bestow
upon them, than might venture to hope could
be gained by any anal ysis made by me. They
are herewith transmitted, and they will furnish
such data Of information respecting the none
tary affairs Of the city as may be safely relied
upon. The promptitude with which the citi-
zcns OF Baltimore have paid the State and city
taxes to very large amount during the past
year, eVnces the most commendablc spirit on
their part to preserve, as far as in them lies,
the credit Of the city and State from reproaCh.
The credit of the city, which depends alone
upon the sentiment of her people, must forever
remain above the reach of suspicion. | am
DESTROYS in this connection to call your atten-
ton to what conceive to be subject of much
Importance. alude TO the prOpriety of ask
ing from the present Legislature the passage of
a new assessment law, or at least that the
General Assembly be memoriazed TO apply
some corrective to the evils under which we
at present labor. 1t must be evident, from the
nature OF the case, that with the rapid growth
and increasing business of the city of Baltl-
more, its expenses and disbursements must cor
resPondlngly increase, and by necessity its
revenue system cannot remain unchanged. 1t
is salutary provision of our State constitu-
ton, and never departed from without manifest
injustice, that every person should contribute
his proportion of public taxes according to his
actual worth. In enforcing this wholesome
principle, that the public burtlen should be
borne in equal proportions by all, it becomes
necessary that such proportions should be re-
adjusted at short intervals, or at least with
every material change or increase of the real
and personal property of the citizen,
The Council is doubtless aware that by cx-
istlng state legislation, it is made incumbent
upon the city authorities to levy all taxes for
city purposes upon the same basis or descrip-
tion Of property as that declared assessabe by
the provisions Of the act of Assembly, passed
March session, lS4l, CHI. 90. Having IN view
the high rate of tax or levy for city purposes,
justice as well as sound policy alike demand
that no property Justly liable to bear a part of
the public burthen should be permitted to os-
cape, and doubt not that the rate of the lev V
would be greatly lessened, in consequence Of
the large increase of property which would be
exposed to the view Of competent assessors-
more particularly in the items of personal pro-
perty.
by the accompanying report Of the Appeal
Tax Court, it will be seen that the whole a.
mount of assessable property liable to city tax
alton for 1916 is SCI ,751, ZIG, being an in
crease on the levy Of lS45 of 81 ,640,6S
would respectfully suggest the propriety Of
passing an ordinance providing for an enlarge
ment of the limits OF direct taxation. BY
statement furnished me by the Appeal Tax
Coult, and which | submit for your examine
ton, the property situated within the city and
not yet within the reach of the limits of the d.
rect tax is estimated at SO ,SI4,44l.
am indebted to the polteness Of General
William II. Marriott, Collector of the port, for
the following statement exhibiting the Stats
tics of the foreign commerce of Baltimore.
Exports of Domestic Produce in American
vessels, Si60j, los
do do do Foreign vessels, Lac, 459
do Of Forcisn Merchandise i'll Ameri-
vessels, 1866
do do do Foreign vessels, 90, 429
Total Exports, year 1915, 6,26l sd
Imports of Foreign Merchandise IN Anne
rican vessels, $3,Ol6,68i
Impors of Foreign Merchandise in For
eIgn vessels, 2lI $50
Total Imports, year IS45 $3.50 73i
GedrnnCcs-lSlJ.
American vessels. Foreign vessels.
Vessels. Tons. Men Vessels. Tons. Men
$50 7s,l26 1906 1870 a76i5 1919
Entyics-l9i5
American vessels. Foreign vessels
Vessels. Tons Men. Vessels. T0ns. Men
275 >, 94G 2527 100 2062s 1888
take pleasure in referring you to the report