The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-10-30
The Tax Law and the Chronicle.

Y, The Tax Law and the Chronicle.
The ST. Clarsyille Chronicles last article, oh
the subject of the Tax Law, scarcely merits reply.
It's attackpn the Commissioners OF this County,
hawever, demands a passing notice. The editor
says that "there y one fact unwitngly disclosed
BY us which he would like explained. And then
q. states that fact to be, "that there will be $2.S74
more revenue raised the present year for county
purposes alone, than in 1874" in Monroe county.
That is not tr,iebut it is true that there will be
ii raised FOR County and School purposes, this year.
some $3.50 more than in 1874; sum. of which,
we think, the editor cannot complain. The ba-
lance of his ~, ,37l, is made up by the increased
levy for Township, Road and Poor purposes
THE Road tax, however, is the same as usually
levied, being less than $50 more than for the year
1s45, though considerably more than for the year
1874. This statement should exonerate our Com
= missoners from the editors gratuitous TRADE. 1t
Q places them in more favorable position before the
people, than that occupied by the Whig Comms-
sioners of neighboring county.
- We have seen it stated in pne of the Democratic
papers OF St. Clarsville, that the Commissioners
= Of Belmont county did not levy Road lax for the
present year, although has been. heretofore, the
uniform practice so to do Now, why is this p
8 The amount of the Road tax for that county, far
\ the year 1S45, was about ~, 500. Add that sum
to the total taxes for the present year, and the
Chronicles calculation will show different result
The editor says that the taxes of the farmers in
Belmont are decreased $500 this year as compared
s with 1874. Now suppose that $4,000 are added
to their taxes for Road purposes, and we will find
their taxes increased 81 400 instead of having de-
creased $500. And again-in place of the whole
amount of taxes being 81 900 more now than in
44sit will be-by adding Road tax of $2, 800
thereto-$3, ,so0! This would be the true state of
the editors calculation, if he did not before max.
ing his statement deduct from the taxes of 1914,
1.-THE Road tax of that year, which We suppose he
has not done. ef zapas.... ta
We ask again, then, why did the Wig Commis-
soners of Belmont not levy Road TAXI " IS it
to subserve party purposes, by holding he idea
that taxes were reduced under the Whig Iaw?-
Ifso, then have Whig Commissioners, in the ele-
q giant language of the Chronicle, ssproved them
selves false 10 their solemn, official duties, to SUBJ
serve base party ends, for which they and their
abettors, merit the contempt and execration of an
abused constituency" '.In view of such state of
affairs it really sounds beautiful to hear ths''
81, Chronicle prate about the farmers taxes being de-
creased in Belmont. Before the editor states the
result of his calculations in such positive terms, he
should ascertain what proportion of the carriages,
d watches, nonenumerated articles and moneys and
credits, that are now on the duplicate, belongs to
farmers, and was not taxed under the old law. A
calculation of that kind might result similar to the
following case. There is, in this county, but one
piano, valued at 75, and belonging to the heirs Of
z deceased farmer in Ohio township. the taxes on
whose land is increased from seven I'd twenty-six
dollars?
z The editor of the Chronicle closes his article by
calling on US to make calculation according to a
certain mode of his own debating. We will COM
ply with his request, when he complies with one
previously made by us; and that was that he as
certain the amount of merchants capital alone,
taxed in the year 1874, in Belmont county, and
the taxes charged thereon; also, the amount of
merchants capital for the year al, and the tax
thereon. And further, will he furnish us with
statement of the decrease of the farmers taxes in
Belmont since IA, after adding to the taxes of al,
Road tax Of the same amount as in '45? When
he does this we may have something more to say.
We will add, for the Chronicles especial benefit,
the following calculation, he seems to find fault
with our Democratic Commissioners. He certain
ly will not find fault with the Whig Auditor of
States levy:
The new appraisement OF land in this county is
G1 $l,s62 ,564-and the tax thereon. at the State
IS ,lr mills l..
The appraisement for IA was $456, 1896,
AZ and the State tax thereon at Z mills,
was -a- - s,I9s 27
Increase Of State tax on land, 81, 1928 7s
The value of horses and
= cattle for IA was $685.
~ SIG, and the State tax
thereon was $3.50 IL
The value of horses, cattle,
mules, sheep and hogs for
4 this year is $3.50, $50, and 81 r@
the State tax 6s9 e5 r
Decrease on personal prop'ty 800 $3.50 81
Leaving an increase of farmers taxes IN,
for State purposes of 81 ,O32 92
To this calculation there ought TO De added
portion Of the carriage tax, the watch tax, and the
tax on non-enumerated articles, and moneys, and
credits. as belonging to the farmers-say the sum
of S67 0s. This would make the whole increase
of the farmers taxes for State purposes 81 ,l0o-
In former number of our paper we showed the
increase Of the States proportion of taxes, for the
year ls47 over that of 1874. to be 81 ,465. So
that the whale increase comes off of the farmers
axcant Cq65