Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-06-17
From the Western American.
Revenue Laws Of Ohio and Iowa,

From the Western American.
Revenue Laws Of Ohio and Iowa.
Democracy in Ohio, says the New
York Times. is of a peculiar ,ype-the
most noisy in professions of reform be
fore the people, and the most arbitrary,
reckless and disorganizing in Legislation
when IN the ascendant. The leaders
keep faith with neither constituents nor
operators. They abuse without stint,
and tax without reason, everything in the
shape OF Corporation, and to preserve
their consistency violate chartered rights,
state obligations and individual property.
They have recently overlea ped their own
ambitious daring in this line, and fastened
upon the people system of taxation
which al once drives out capital, fore
closes mortgage loans, and enhances
individual burdens the last no. unaccom-
panied by an odious resort to espionage
and domiciliary visits. Ia short this
Ohio law is full grown brother to the
new Revenue law of this State. Ours,
however, in addition to the Ohio law,
taxes the utensils of the farmer and the
tools Of the mechanic, willis: il exempts
from taxation the salaries of officers and
and the libraries Of lawyers and doctors.
IL openly discriminates in favor of the
legal gentry of the land--the sof,.fin-
gered professional idlers, who lounge a
bout our county seats and make living
ing by their wits. The sun burnt and
toil-worn farmer, however, is not neglect.
ed by any means by the provisions this
new and unheard of Tax Law! This
so-called Democratic law not only i'm
poses heavy and oppressive tax upon
the real property of the farmer, bu, com-
pels him to pay "roundly" upon almost
every article of a personal nature; char.
ges him tWe'aty: flee per cent, interest
Think of that will you! II this is not
oppressive, tyrannicaII and unspeakable,
we don't know what is. Our taxes are
high enough in allconscience without tack
ing on this prodigious interest. Twen-
ty-6ve per cent, would be called usurious
interest any where out of Iowa and could
not be collected by law; yet here, in this
office ridden State, our rulers say il is all
proper and right and we have got to bear
it. Butif we mistake not the signs of the
[ times, the people have about concluded
to stand it no longer. They are deter
mined no longer TO sacrafice their inter-
est and the welfare of the State upon the
altar of party; but hereafter to elect men
to the Legislature who have at least COM
mon sense and honesty enough 10 give
us wholesome, just, liberal and enlghten-
ed laws. These are what we are con-
tending for. and these we will have if
the people will but press forward in the
great work of reform they have SO laud-
ably undertaken.
Here is a specimen of the temper in
which the new law in Ohio is received,
by some of the sovereigns. There are
not few of the same sort Of Demo-
Gratis in Iowa; but hear him:
TAX RETURNs.-A man in Morgan co.,
las, week, made the following return to
the township assessor: .- ..... =.
Besides the articles enumerated in the
above schedule, l have (afIer deducting
5000 worth the following articles Of per-
sonal property, subject TO taxation viz:
One corn broom, &C.; one second. hand
hickory do, Ic.; two ro0sters, five hens
and nine chickens, average value de-
64c., one gun stock, &c.; three empty
barrels, 45c., and from this time forth
will never vote for Democrat of the
old school. Having cursed the wings
for six years past on account of their tax
law of 40 shall not bless the Democ-
racy for worse one, but bid them long
and last farewell