M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-01-26
Down with tho LOcaI Taxess-De.
mOcFats, 60 the Rescued. 1o

and incorporated villages. as well as Of conn
ty commissioners, thereby preventing the
abuse Of such power Ohio Democratic
Platform, 1853. ..". .. i..,1-..g
Cd The President states as a Abo1e the gen
eral proposition; and the Democracy re-.
sponded to 1t by specific recommen enda.
lion. The last is legitimate dedue-
tion ftOn the first. II there is one sub
iect 10 which Democrats have given es-
pecial heed, i: is the doctrine Of scono.
my and sccoun liability in the money
matters as connected with the govern.
ment. In national affairs, the Indepen.
dent Treasury is 'he monument which
o vershadows all other propositions ever
made to secure these objects. In our
domestic affairs in Ohio. we have had
rigid economy practiced by the Demo-
cratic Administration. II there isany
complaint made against the present Of
flcers, and especially Mr.. Auditor Nor.
gan, it is the unwesrisd vigilance with
which he guards the treasury. Com.
plaiots are not made, as was the case
with Auditor Woods, Of drawing money
from the treasuary in defiance OF law, or
by loose construction OF law, But
the only complaints made Of tha present
Auditor is that as regards friend and foe,
he has been only true to the dictates Of
his own judgment and the interests OF
the State. Such complaints We have
heard from Democrats aud Wings. But
the people prefer to have errors made, #
any, in their favor, than ia favor of
system which would in time begel an
irresponsible and loose mode Of audit
ing the public accounts.
The taxes as levied by the Stbte, as
we have shown, have been as Ieasonsb bl y
and economically levied and applied as
the utmost captiousness could wish
the school fund is large; but when that
matter is suggested for reduction. whO
advocates it7 II was reduced some wha
by the late Legislature-one. half mill
Of lhe levy-though by the increased
amount Of the taxable property ON the
duplicate, the same amount will be rails
ed. Still, we do not ind Wings demand
ing a reduction Of this tax. All whC
have demanded it are Democrats, anC
this is significant, as showing what par
Iy is continually watchful over the tax
ing system. -2 '..
| Again; The last Legislature only rails
ed as much as would pay the interest o
the State debt, and to equip the Sinkin
Fund according 10 the constitution, 4
reduce the principal Of that debt, Wht
objects to this tax2 Whigs2 No. The
will not ask the State to repudiate. Dc
mocrats had controversy about the
amount to be levied, so as to sink the
principal more or less rapidly. They
finally agreed to levy as little as the
constitution required. But was there
ever any question about the ptopriety o
Ilevying. at least thus muchi Whigt
could not object TO il any more thar
they could to the annual appropria alton
for the new State House; for they were
if not altogether. at least greatly re
sponsible for the State debt aud Stat,
House. .s..r ..... ...4. ca. Ara,
Now, take from the State debt, tn,
School Fund and the fund for the Stat
debt, and what remains of the Stat,
levy2 Look to the year 1853, aud, yol
will find that for the support Of ,ht
Stale Government, including legislative
Judiciary and executive departments
benevolent institutions, penitentiary
|, new lunatic asylumS, State House, &C.,
only S593.396. ....t. ,r.
j If any one wants further to analyzs
this amouDt,let them strike Of for objects
unnecessary and improper. Shall the
rogues run at large, and the Peni,entia
fy be razed? Shall our bene violent insti
tutions, now meagrely and meanly sup
ported, be further beggared? Shall tb,
State House remain a monument of
grand attempt and pitiful fuIfIlment
Now. let the ignorant babblers abou
Locofoco ex,ravagance look to lhe othe
items OF the tax Of 1853, which was tn
heaviest year. 'rta. r..d o.. ..t.s "a,
The WHOLE tax was........ $7,s23,sO
Deduct Tor State purposes..'.. 593.29
which leaves.!'...'..s...' S7,230 40
;. Where did this immense sum 60 to?-
Who levied it? The State debt and in
te,est amounted to Sl.lS6. .703. Th,
school levy Sl,246,l33. The rest of i
must be referred to county, township
poor, bridge, building, railroads, corpc
!, ration, special school, and scholl hous
purposes, 9'c. The great body Of thi
has been levied directly by the peopi
or their more immediate agents and nun
icipalities. II does not attach TO th
State authorities, .......,
The relative proportion for the pa:
year is not greatly altered. except ths
: the State Ia xes are reduced. 1a.
Where, then, is the burden of our tax
ation3 The resolution of the Demo
cratic State Convention above quote
points TO it. as we'll as to the remed
The taxation levied by the authorize
of cities and villages, as we'll as, couI
ties--this is the burden. Some part {
this burden can be remedied by mo-
, stringent restrictive legislation. lo But
great part Of it is utterly reme6iless..
Debts created for expensive town hal
s like that at the Ashtabula county sea
J. for railroad loans, like that in MusNini
um county. etc.. must be paid, and Il
S interest on them met punc,ually..
h Some Of our Whig papers have with
La few days boasted of Western credi
because it had met the interest on 4
L lo.--lsss- h.