The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-10-09

JAZZ K MORR1S, FHOf Ofhl6TOH.
WOODsFIELD, OHIO, OCT. o. Is47.
The Belmont Chronicle.
The last federal Chronicle, Of St, Clarsville
lights down upon us like Ca thousand Of brick;
and we have no doubt itssapient editor, think
he has utterly demolished US. He uses the tern
loccfoeo as hippantly as if he understood 1t
meaning and origin Go ahead, Mr.. Chronicle
we expect to be able to live through it.
The Chronicle sets out by alleging that We
have attempted to deceive the people, in relation
to the operations of the tax law, by only giving
why we do not "te the farmers that the tax or
their personal property will be much decreased
sufficient generally, and more than sufficient in
many cases, to overbaahce the increase on the
lands" ''Such is the fact" says the Chronicle,
sand must be known TO the editor of the Spirit,
and yet he hesates not to perpetrate such frauds
upon the people," Well now let us see, by
facts and figures, who are perpetratDg "lauds
upon the people,"
As we stated in our last, the l'nd tax ot this
county, for the year lS47, is $l2,624 045
For the year lS44, it was only $7.737,62,3
Increase, $4,sS6,42,2
Now here is an increase on the land tax Of
four thousand eight hundred and eighty sir dol
lars, forty f,c0 cents and fDo mills, Now let US
see how the account will stand if we take the
wholetax, both on real and personal property.
Total taxes for Monroe county for the year
lS47, as exhibited by the tax
duplicate $I6,93I,37,4
Total taxes for the year 1914, $lS, ,2s,2
Increase, $3,739O9,2
Then the total taxes of this county have in
creased since the year 1874, three thousand seu-
en- hundred and thirty nine dollars, nine cents
and tDo mills! Now we take it as pretty con-
elusive evidence, that if the land tax is increased
nearly five thousand dollars, and the total taxes
nearly four tuusand dollars, that the tax on per-
sonal property in this county at least has not "de-
creased sufficient to overbaance the increase on
lands" as the Chronicle alleges What say you
Mr.. Chronicle. Don't you think that if the land
tax islincreased five thousand dollars, and the
personal property decreased one thousand dollars,
that the farmers have to pay four thousand dollars
more than they did under the old law' Who is
perpetrating frauds upon the people?
Again. The Chronicle says that "under the
old tax law, tits well known that the merchants
in giving in their stock for taxation always gave
merely nominal sum--never more than about
one shird one fourth of the real amount of their
capital" Whose fault was 1t if merchants gave
only one fourth or one third of their capital for
taxation' On page 907 of Swans statute the l
Chronicle will find that sail capital employed in 8
and by exchange brokers in this t
state," and "al money loaned at interest" "shall
be subject to taxation" And on page 9Os, of the i
same, it will also be found, that under the old n
law merchants could be required to give in their d
capital "under the sanction of an OATH" to use d
The Chronicles language. And we ask the edi- L
tor to take the tax duplicate for Belmont county,
and see if the merchants capital returned is from
khree to four fold more than in lS44--also, that h
merchants capital in 1874, and in ls47, and we t
think he will then see who is perpetrating frauds d
upon the people
Again. In another article the Chronicle says: e
"During six or seven years OF that time [from b
1886 to 1s44l there was an annual deficit of ac-
cruing revenue, to meet the demands upon the G
Treasury of about $4,000, which had to be C
supplied by new loans" Again, the editor says:
'Under whig administration, and the opration r
2t the present tar lav, every demand upon the II
Treasury is promptly met: the state credit is re-
stored; and the state debt is in Of liquda-
lion. About quarter of a million will be paid u
he present year." &C. Again, same article. ?
Farmers, your Uhole taxes will be no greater II
his year than heretufore!" Now we would like e
O know how an annual deficit OF $3.50 900, and St
payment OF $25O,OOo, making together the half s.
f million. can be made up and not increase the IL
armers' taxes. If the Chronicle figure it ont, II
e is certainly very apt scholar Perhaps he
will do it by creating other Offices similar to that
f Attorney General, at salaries Of $1,000, or by 81
,ereasing the salaries of the Governor, Supreme al
nd Circuit Judges, and various other officers, as ir
id the whg legislature of last winter; proba. ci
y he will do it by making another appropriation, W
" halt million, for completing the new state su
ouse! What say you, Mr.. Chronicle. Who is IN
erpetratng frauds upon the peDpe' II
The whole amount Of the states proportion of ="
xes on all taxable property for this year, in this ~
sunty, is S6,7l5,96,7 pl
In 1914 it was only s. $50 ,s2,6 by
Increase, $I,465, I'LL
This is under the whig tax law, and exhibits ~
Nv the state debt is paid in part, and of which ,b
e Chronicle SO much boasts. Any adninstra. ~,
'n could pay the state debt if the people would il