Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-01-17

10 each taxpayer the degree OF economy o
wnsteiulness that may at each period char
acierize the Government. The fact tina
iaxee are one thing, the tax law another
Will then become pspsrent to all; and w
will look to the General Assembly, and tc
the local authorities OF the State, for re.
duction Of taxes, rather than TO Executive
officers. Any attempt to reduce the take,
in the aggregate by mere change In the
mode and manner of collecting them, will
prove as futile as an attempt to change the
weather BY breaking the barometer. Rea
rettsnchment, TO havea lasting effect, mus.
spring from and be maintained BY General
Assemblies whose economy and waichful.
ness shall reflect the wishes Of a ftuga
and enlightened people.
feel great selicitude that the system Of
requiring all State expenditures Of every
description to be Brought under the revision
ol the chief financial officer o. the State
shall be strictly end permanently adhered
to. This is demanded by the constitution
as well as by sound policy. 1t operates as
preventive of malprsclces which bad
hitherto deHed all attempts at reform.
The contracts recently entered into by
The Board of Public Works for the repai-s
of the canals, involving an entire change
of policy on that subject, have ELECTED a
very general public discussion. The saving
TO the State by this change amounts to
| ninety.three Thousand one hundred and
seveniy.,wo dollars per annum, when COM
pared with the ave age expenditure of the
last six years, and will no doubt exceed
that sum under future lettings. The con-
tract system has many advantages over the
policy that has been hitherto pursued, and
| am inclined to think should be perman-
emily adopted. The success of any system
however, Involving so large an expenditure
OF the public money, depends ina great
measure on the manner and spirit in which
it is carried out. A very general publicity
OF the lettings, and the confidence of the
people In the impartulity and fairness of
the awards, are eements without which it
can never become bcne6cial!y established.
The contract system is increasing in i'm
portance and extent, and will, no doubt.
gradually sapercede The employment of re-
gular officers In many Of the departments
OF the public servce The change in many
instances, would be a healthy one; and
should, in my Judgment, be encouraged by
the passage of such laws as would allay all
apprehensons, and fully secure the con.
6dence of the people. We are accustomed
10 the responsibilities and restrictions i'm
posed by law upon public officers, and the
ohn,,it ipdurn ito o. abn nj
similar statutory regulations and Safeguards
in reference to public contractors. If all
Inducements 10 do wrong on the part OF
the agents of goyernment wers effectually
removed, there would be little or no grounds
for popular distrust. | therefore suggest
the propriety Of general law on the sub
ject of public contracts, embracing those
counties, townships, and other corporations,
as we'll as on the part of the State.
The irresponsible and extravagant system
of administration which prevails in some
of our countries aud cities, furnishes the
principal cause for the exaetions which are
SO generally complained OF. These public
contracts are granted to faverites, which oc.
casion the most lavish expenditures. There
also, we find officers with incomes which
shock all correct ideas Of public compensa-
ton. These things have their effect upon
the general ttne cf cur public niorals.-
County reform is q duty enjoined by every
consideration of public virtue. Some who
law without much consideration as to the
cause Of the heavy burdens under which
they are laborng but little closer reflec-
ton would show them that it is the taxes,
not the tax law, which are exorbitant and
that the tax Jaw is but the unwelcome wit
ness. The local treasures should be brought
under the same systematized restraint as
the State treasury. The heavy drafts upon
them under pretence of some law, must
must be effectually checked, and the re-
quirements of the Constitution that "no
money shall be drawn from any county or
township treasury except by authority of
law," must be vigorously enforced. The
General Assembly should distinctly desig.
nate the specific authority upon whose ap-
preparation the public moneys shall be dis
bursed. Our courts have been IN the haB-
it of ordering county auditors and treasurerS
to pay out moneys for purposes OF person
al convenience--an exercise of power Tor
which | can find no warrant in the Con-
stitution These orders are only obeyed
from a tear of the apl arently unlimited
power of the courts to punish Tor contemps.
The fees ofcounty officers should be thorough
iy revised, and the law providing for re
moval from office and other punishments for
pecuiation, should be made more stringent.
Some TWO or three of the larger counties
of the State, might be supplied with Boaras
more Numerous than that Of the present
County Commissioners. The public in
teresls would be better guarded, and the
power to lew taxes and make approPtia-
tions be brough. under greater degree oi
responsibility. The separation of civil from
criminal business, with distinct officers for
each court, would also facilitate the busi-
ness of such counties without any increase
oil the public expenses.
As to the mere machinery for The coilec-
ton of the taxes, it must be adnitted, as a
general truth, that all such eractments are
but approximations, to what should be
tt-ir leyit INN ia object. viz: their equitable