The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1854-04-19
The State Debt.

Tbs 0si,is City Express, an able neutral journal
has an able srdels On the subject Of the State debt
which We believe will Be endorsed BY At least nine.
tsnths Of the tar PsYsrsOf the State. Itsays The
debt Of ohie large reaching the SAN Of
The interest this debt has been promptly paid fol
few years past and a small portion Of the princi-
pal has been liquidsted. But as yet no great ad-
vance has been made toward the payment OF the
principal The times has come when the people are
ready and willing to be taxed for reduction u the
debt. BY paying of OoO, 900 ofths principal year
y we reduce the amount Of interest t. be paid and
viii thus be enabled at a certain rate Of taxation
eschyear, to appropriate large sum towards pay.
ing off the principal
"By an economical administration Of the govern
ment Of State, might, at the present rate OF
taxation, pay off the State debt in ten years. The
Legislature can do much towards retrenching our
expenses but it is not that body alone which is
sponsible for the high taxes which we arc now pay
ing. The County Commissioners Of the several
counties Of the State are responsible for large a.
mountof the useless expenditures which 60 on TO
swell our taxes. In oss county, for instance, the
Commissioners viii make lavish and unnecessary
appropriations for bridge purposes. They will make
al Owanccs to the Presenting Attorney, Clerk.
Sheriff, &C., whieh are higher than necessary. This
is sometimes dons for the purpose of aiding poliu
cal friends-St other times because custom has
nclioned it. Sometimes, through ignorance, the
Commissioners assess tax for some purpose, which
is much larger than the purpose demands, Dat when
the money is once in the treasury, there will be
found some convenient place for 'difusing'it
"Then again, the Trustees of townships have much
to do with increasing or diminishing taxation Other
local authorities, ueh as school directors, Board of
Education, &c, exercise, indirectly. the power of
taxation, and are responsible for portion of the
wasteful and exIsvagant expenditures Of public
money.
"The various city Councils are invested with the
power to levy taxes and expend money. They
sometimes squander the public funds on their pets
and favorites.
ave know it is not customary to attach any
blame to, or throw any responsibility upon those
local authorities but such should be the case They
are in many instances more wasteGul, extravagaHt
and corrupt, than the Legislature has ever been
charged with being. Wewish the people would turn
the attention. TO this matter Ferret out the local
officers who are not to be trusted, and dismiss them
from the public service. Much may be done by thia
course. 1t is true, the Legislature sho Id be watch
ed, Those members who vote for useless appropri-
atoms ought to be discarded If the Legislature,
and all our local authorities exercised proper econ
omy, the taxes might be diminished, instead of be-
ing increased, as they have heen for several years
past--and the people of the State might at least
faint prospect Of being able to pay off the great
debt Of the State, some time during the present
tury."