M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-01-17

Total Taxes on
Duplicate... 9.O92, ,339 40 7 s,954,5il 50
was anxious to present ina tabula
statement such detailed-informstion II 10
reference to our County, Towu fip and
City transactions as would enable the
people 10 compare their ownlocaladm
isrations with those of other pfutious
Of the state, found, however, that this
not at!ainable at the seat Of government
without much labor, and certain addi.
tional facts which those organizations
themselves can alone supply. Existing
laws provide for the publication at home
of he amount of their levies, collect.
ions and expenditures; but it would
greatly facilitate the object in view if
the affairs of each county, township
and city administration were an ual =
published, in q condensed form, for
general information throughout theState
Such comparisons AID suggestions
20 uld naturally spring from these expo
sitions as would gradually lead to the
adoption Of the desired reStrainS upon
their action, and eventually to more
healthy legislation on the subject,
OF the fess of County, Township, and
other local officers, 40 account appears
to be kept which IS accessible TO the pub.
lie; matter to which again. call
the attention of the General Assem- bly,,
and respectfully suggest tha: law be
passed requireing every public officer
compensated by fees, to keepan ccurate
account of his receipts and expenditures
AMI transmit the same TO the Appropriate
department, at the seat Of Government,
with the view thata general synopsis Of
such accoun is be published once year
for the inform alton of the people of the
State. These local officers are generally
lucrative, and il is believed that not
less than two millions are annually COL
lected by fees from the people, and |
can see no good reason why the latter
should not be able TO ascertain the
compensation which is severally receivd
by THAR own agents. 1t is almost i'm.
possible to secure proper legislation on
this important subjsc: while so little
tangible information is before the Gen.
eral Assembly.
The preceding statements contain, it
is believed, all that is necessary, with
the accompanying reports and exhibits,
to enable you to see in what particular
divisions of the public service, and for
what objects. the exactious are improp-
erly high, and where our efforts should
be especially directed to bring about d
reduction. The local causes which have
SO disproprotionately sweld the burdens
of the people, gu, coming from all parts
of the States, can no doob: explain to
each other.
In reference to these causes howeref
and especially the fees of county and
other local officers, il would prove much
assistance in your delibera tions, it in
the early part of the session you would
order suitable Inquiries to be address d
to the proper authorities.
All will adopt thai the public, for a
gUvernment happily SO very circum-
scrfbea in its sphere as ours, are high
beyond aplogy. True, high taxes are not
of themselves conclusive evidence Of
bad, nor low taxes always proof Of a
good government. Jet the amour, is a
matter proper for comparative inquiry,
especially where the rise issudden. Such
examinations lead 20 reliable informs-
tion, both as to the amount, and, vhich
is more important point, the purposes
10 which the money is applied, Sound
political economy does not.s ON any
-e-eisr n auinnnt OF ssxatlvus kutrattrei
on sueh en- admisifa iion nf poblic . e..