Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-02-17
tF@ The Journal.
TAK-PAYERS READ

that an attempt Is to be made TO tax the peo.
pie Of Ohio on all they ows, as well as on all
they possess. No State in this Union is tax
ridden as this ssme State OF Ohio is. Shall
we submit to this new burden? II we do,
we deserve to have II ten times increased,
and piled on our shoulder. The tax-law un-
der which we were assessed last year. per-
mitted us TO deduct our Indebtedness from the
amount Of our moneys and credits, but we are
now told that to make such deductions is un-
conditional Wonderful discovery The Leg
islature which passed the tax law referred to.
was the first under the new Constitution, and
was composed in considerable part. we be-
live Of men, who took par. in framing that in
strument This notable discovery was left
for Judge Bartly. How long will the people
Of Ohio submit to this state Of things? and
like the Isrealiies in Egypt, after growing a
little. take on their backs every new burden
which these Pharohs see & { to impose?
There is no necessity for this oppressive
taxation. Taxpayers ofSandusky County,
listen while we probe this matter to the bot
tom, and show you the cause Of the evil and
the remedy for il. Governor Medill tells us
that our taxes now amount to seven millions
Of dollars in year. Astounding statement
And still the cry is give, give tax, tax Taxes
FIR the payment OF principal and interest Of the
State debt, for schools, for the support of gov
ernment economically, aud for local purposes,
we are all willing to pay. These We can pay
If we had better tax system, and yet diminish
our present burden one third at least, prob
ably more, Our tax system is an abomna-
tion. It's fundamental principles are wrcng.
II often taxes property from two to three
times over. The only correct principle for a
tax system, is to tax each man on what he is
actually worth. Every mans common sense
approves this statement. Let our taxes be
proportioned to the actual amount of our prop
erty. But our present tax system is as wrong
in detail. as in principle. Ii is complicated
costly and corrupt If the principles etated
above were adopted, all would be easy. LIE,
there be collector in each township. Let
the assessor furnish him with hook contain.
iEg each mans name, with the amount Of bis
property and Of bis tax. When the tax is
paid let the collector cross it off, and th re
let it end. Let local taxes be collected and
paid where they are to be ust d, and never see
the County or State Treasury. All tbi:
would be simple, cheap and easy. But how
is this matter managed now? There is tt,
County Auditor, with his books Of forty col
umns each, wherein all your property, with
full description, must be recorded, year aftel
year. with mistakes constantly multiplying
There is the County Treasurer, poring owe
the Auditors books and adding tot these mis-
takes. There is the State Treasurer. througl
whose hands nearly all the funds must pass
and then large part be drawn back by th
County. But the complication of this system
is not its worst feature. 1t is costly. Th
taxes 60 through no hands without pay
ing toll Our County Auditors throughou
WIG otutV tunO tOut " " PSI SShe va ~
whole amount. Ponder that tax payers {
Sandusky County. The Auditors of the dill
ferent counties, therefore deduct $1,000 I
$500 from the amount the people pay int
the Treasury. for their services; and be it re
membered the work could be equally we
done for half that sum. Yet We presume the
take no more than their legal fees 1t is th
duty of the commissioners TO see to that
Next comes our county Treasurers, they tax
three TO four per cent. more. Then come
the State Treasurer-how much lie takes W
do not know--but we think it may safely b
said, that under this complicated and cost
system. we pay from fifteen to twenty-fv
per cent for toll A very large part of th
we nigh, save. Let all localtaxe be collecte
and paid by local Offices. Let our Count
officers be paid fair salaries and take n
fees or perquisites. whatever Then OIL
taxes would not be tolled quite SO often, nor
deeply; then the hundred temptations
reckless expenditures, which arise from han,
ling large sums, would be taken away; ths
taxation would speedily be brought with
reasonable bounds. More anon.
Col. BENroN.-The correspondent Of Il
Iribuae says
Col. Benton being asked what reply eou
be made to the speech Of Douglas. sai'
"Reply. Sir? Facts are not to be gainsaye'
any one who says that when l voted for Il
Compromise of 1850. meant TO repeal Il
Compromise of 1920, lies, Sir-hs ,ells a Il
Sir"
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