The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-01-16

NHO 0ab tAC hOhC6b 0lC VI
the law. Then the people will 1901 ha-
bituate themselves to look for and de-
tect the true cause of any increase in
the taxes, and their reformatory efforts,
being rightly directed, would always be
successful.
The preceding remarks are not intend
ed to preclude all amendments to our
tax law. On the contrary, it is admit
ted hat several might be made which
would render them more efficient. The
assessments and valuations of personal
property, especially, should be accelcra,
ted, SO that little if any property could
be listed twice there is no reason why,
by proper subdivisions, it could not be
done within a few days. This would
not increase the expense. The phrase
ology of the tax law might also be made
more definite in many instances, The
word " credits should be so qualified as
to include only such outstanding dues
as have assumed q definite shape and
value-thus equalizing and perfecting
our tax laws, aud regulating and rcdu-
cling the taxes themselves, by imposing
proper restraints on the authorities that
levy aud expend them, we shall have
true public economy, light expenditures
and q wise distribution of the same, to-
gether with the faithful application of
the peoples money to the frugal purpos-
es of Democratic Government.
Intimately connected with the tax
laws is the custody of the public money
between its collection and disbursement
The money collected upon the grand du-
plieate in one year is not disbursed un-
til the year following, so that much of
our public revenue remains n year and
more in the State and County Treasures.
Evils have arisen from this, which re-
quire early attention. Our revenue of
fcers have thus been tempted to use the
public funds for purposes of private
emolumeut. The pernicious influences
that must necessarily flow from such
malfeasance, to say nothing of the dan
ger to which the public treasure is ex-
posed, are too obvious for comment.
Nor would it change the matter by
depositing the public funds with banks.
The best treasures of a free and intetli-
gent people are their own pockets, and
no Government has any right to deprive
its members of their means n moment
o or longer, than is unavoidably
necessary for the public service. From
these considerations, 1 would respect
fully suggest that our assessments, val
uations, and everything connected with
the making up of the grand duplicate
and the subsequent collection of the
revenues, be so arranged as to bring the
collection and disbursement of our tax
cs within the same year. After careful
elaboration I can see no unsurmounta-
BILE obstacle to such an arrangement
The acceleration of the assessment is, as
already suggested, dictated by other
reasons.
Everything relating to the prepare
ton of the grand duplicate being Paid
by the day and the amount of work IL is
easily seen that the expenses of accelera-
ted action would not be greater than at
present. If, in addition to this: the tax
es could be collected semi-annually, in
stead of annually, as they now are, they
would be far less severely felt by tho.
people. Their present collection occur
ing at the very period when money is
most needed for the produce and pro:
vision business of the country, aggra-
Yates their exactions. At all events,
the most stringent laws should at once
be passed against the private use of the
revenues of the State which no we'll er-
ganized Government will permit for a
moment.
Several of the appeal cases in refer
ence to the question of bank taxation arc
still pending before the Supreme Court
of the United States. l have no official
information as to the time when q final
decision may be expected.
Two cases, the Piqua Branch Bank,
VS.. the Treasurer of Miami county, and
the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust
Company, VS.. the Treasurer of Hamilton
county, involving the rights of the
State to tax banks, were tried in the Su-
preme Court of the United States at the
May term, ls54-George F.. Pugh and
R. P. Spalding appearing as counsel on
part of the State. The decision was
against the State in the first case, and
for it in the second. The Court was
unanimous in either decision. The
cases are both reported at length in the
10th ,oluma of Towards Report 3.
1 cannot disguise the humiliation 1
feel at seeing the sovereign State of
Ohio arraigned an ] placed on trial before
that tribunal by certain corporations
within her own boundaries, because, in
an hour of misplaced confidence, she be-
slowed upon them undue privileges and
exemptions. She has violated no con-
tract with these corporations, while they
have scarcely made an effort to accom-
plish the purposes for which they were
created. Instead of furnishing a cur
rency equal to, and redeemable in spe-
Gle, theyhave too frequently flooded the
country with deprecated bills.
The taxes on the people of the State
have been nearly trebled since these III
situations were established. They have
borne the expenses of an extensive and
costly system of internal improvement !.
Avenues of commerce, of industry and
trade, have been opened in every part
of the State, and while these banking
corporations are the great benefeiaries
from those enterprises, they refuse to
share with the people the heavy burdens
which have been thereby o~ccasioned.
They defy alike the force of public
opinion, the determination of the Con-
stitutional Convention, the laws of the
state, and the decision of our highest
judicial tribunal and persist in claim
ing that, iftaxed at all, it must be by a
different rule from that, of individuals
on their profits only, and not on the
value oftheir property. Ten millions
of property dictates to a duplicate of
eight hundred and 6fty millionsl I'm
der these circumstances / cannot do