The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-09-08
nts There You Are,


1.-THE tax laws of this State demand prompt
revision. AS il is, people ore now taxed on
what they hGve not [aPPlnnsel Instead o. up.
on what they have."-Chdsss CineuHa'
Speech.
Mr.. Chase did not design to enlighten his
audience in lchat manner Z" the tax laws oil
this State demands prompt revision" Inc
fact cannot be successfully controVerted tnat
the taxes of Ohio were never more equally
assessed than they are now, nor can II De
successfully shown that they are not leVied
lin strict conformity TO the requirements OF
the Constitution. 1t is an indisputaole iaet
that Mr.. Swan, who was last TALL electeu
Supreme Judge by the Fusionlsts, REGARDS
the taxes as now assessed strictly Constltu-
tional; andit is a fact equally indisputable
tina; Francis N. Wright, the Abolition Know
Nothing candidate for Auditor OF State was
the upholder and justiier ofsA editor morgan
in his official conduct in relation to the as
sessment Of taxes in conformity TO the oecl'
sion of the Supreme Court. -,
A revision of the tax laws can be enecteu
sensibly in only two points. The one Is TO
cut down materially the amount assessed ior
purposes Of education. If Mr.. Chase Is IN
favor OF doing this, why did he not say so!-
The other ls to enact law that shall re-
strain, within Reasonable and Constitutional
bounds, the assessments made by county
borough and township officers. Ii Mr.. Chase
is in favor of passing such law, why dlu ne
not say SOL. The mode of assessing the TAX
es cannot and will not be changed unless tne
constitution is amended Is Mr.. Chase IN
favor of so amending the constitution as shall
Iallow persons to deduct their Indebtedness
i from their moneys and credits-and yet re-
quire the farmer to pay taxes without ueouc'
: ton, upon MS farm, horses and cattle, ahC
everything else that wears the shape OF rea
or personal property upon which he may be
indebted! If he is, why did he not say SO
Before the enactment Of the present tax law
and the ruling of the Supreme Court in re-
lation thereto, persons holding real estate
were necessitated annually TO pay from seq
entv to SeuentV-ntne per cent OF all the tax
es levied; but now they are necessitated tc
, pay but from Sirty one to sIrty fUs and three
fourthS per cent. OF the taxes. DO they desire
a return to the old system of taxation! d.
the farmers, who are allowed to dedtct moth
ing from what they owe on their farms o
stock. desire that the tax laws shall be 81
, amended az to allow the dealer in money
notes, bonds and mortgages, to deduct h"
Indebtedness, and thereby put themseve
under the necessity Of fconributing yet NOR
to the support OF the State, county, and 9th
er municipal governments. Just as othe
interests are exempted from taxation arr
= they compelled 10 make up whatever def
cheney is created by such exceptions. A Ger
tain amount of taxes have to be raised and !
one class of individuals is made the favorlt
of Legislation, to the extent that it shall D.
required to pay no taxes, other interests vii
have to supply the deficiency, and as the rea
estate, which embraces the farming interest
is the pack-horse of taxation, it will be t
put to the necessity of carrying an additional
load. Let men interested in this matte
consider we'll before they commit themselve
in favor of system OF taxation which vii
inevitably add yet more 10 their taxes