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

peCOniuS Imperative tnSir levy lDQeeQ
being of doubtful constitutional;ty.-
The e%xtraneous revenues to the State
Treasury are likewise constantly dimin.
ishing, and nearly all our resources will
soon have to be derived from the grand
duplicate. We shall then, with greater
certainty and simplicity in our finances.
have the unerring index above alluded
to.
The constitutional provision upon the
subject is a guaranty against arbitrary
taxation. Heretofore such a guaranty
has been secured to corporations alone
through judicial interposition ; now they
and the people equally enjoy it by con.
stitutional rule. In other Governments
the taxing power is without limitations;
in ours it is restrained to a property
tax. The power to borrow is also wise
ly confined within very narrow limits.
Under such a system financial abuses
cannot be long concealed, because the
amount of taxation will indicate to each
taxpayer the degree of economy or
wastefulness that may at each period
characterize the Government. The fact
that taxes are one thing, the tax law
another, will then become apparent to
all and will look to the General AS
sembly, and to the local authorities of
the State, for a reduction of taxes, rath-
er than to Executive officers. Any at
tempt to reduce the taxes in the agere-
gate by q mere change In the mode and
manner of collecting them, will prove
as futile as al attempt to change the
weather by breaking the barometer
Real retrenchment, to have q lasting
effect, must spring from and be maiua
tanned by General Assemblies whose
economy and watchfulness shall reflect
the wishes of a frugal, and enlightened
people.
l feel great solicitude that the sys-
tenn of requiring all State expenditures
of every description to be brought un-
der the revision of the chief financial of.
fcer of the State, shall be strictly and
firmly adhered to. This is demanded
by the consultation as we'll as by sound
policy. 1t operates as a preventive of
malpractices which had hitherto deGed
all attempts at reform.
The contracts recently entered into
by the Board of Public Works for the
repairs 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 seventy-two dollars per
annum, when compared with the aver
age expenditure of the last six years,
and will no doubt exceed that sum un-
der future lettings. The contract sys.
tenn has many advantages over the poll.
cy that has been hitherto pursued, and
l am inclined to think should be per-
manently adopted. The success of any
system, however, involving so large an
expenditure of the public money, de-
Ponds in q great measure on the manner
ana spirit in which it is carried out
A very general publicity of the lettings,
and the confidence of the people in the
impartiality and fairness of the Awards,
are elements without which it can new
er become beneicially established.
The contract system is increasing in
Importance and extent, and will, no
doubt, gradually supercede the employ
ment of regular officers in many of the
departments of the public service. The
change in many instances, would be q
healthy one, and should, in my judg-
ment, be encouraged by the passage of
such laws as would al!ay all apprehen-
sious, and fully secure the confidence of
the people. We are accustomed to the
responsibilities AID restrictions imposed
by law upon public officers, and the
same reasons should induce us to adopt
similar statutory regulations and safe
guards in reference to public contract
ors. fall inducements to do wrong on
the part of the agents of the govern
ment were effectually removed, there
would be little or no grounds for popu-
lar distrust. / therefore suggest the
propriety of a general law on the sub
ject of public contracts, embracing those
that may be entered into on the part of
counties, townships, and other corpora
tions, as well as on the part of the State.
Jhe irresponsible and extravagant
system of administration which prevails
in some of our counties anu cities. furn-
ishes the principal cause for the ezac-
tions which are SO generally complained
Of. These contracts are granted to ia
v%orites, which occasion the most lavish
expenditures. There, also, we find Off
GERS with incomes which shock all cor
rect ideaSof public compensation. These
things have their effect upon the general
tone of our public moral. County re-
form is q duty enjoined by every consid-
GRAFTON of public virtue. Some who
suffer under these evils denounce the
tax-law without much consideration as
to the cause of the heavy burdens under
which they arc laboring; but q little
closer reflection would show them that
it is the taxes, not the tax-law, which
are exhorbitant, and that the tax-law
is but the unwelcome witness. The To-
cal treasures should be brought under
the same systematized restraint as the
State treasury. The heavy drafts upon
them under pretence of ONE law, must
be effectually checked, and the require
ments of the Constitution that no mo-
ney shall be drawn from any county or
township treasury except by the au-
thority of law, !" must be vigorously en-
forced. The General Assembly should
distinctly designate the specific author
ity upon whose appropriation the public
moneys shall be disbursed. Our courts
have been in the habit of ordering coun-
ty auditors and trrasurers to pay out
moneys for purposes of personal cenve-
nience-an exercise of power for which
I can find no warrant in the Constitu-
ton. These orders are only obeyed
from a fear of the apparently unlimited
power of the courts to punish for con-
tempt. The fees of county officers
should be thoroughly revised, and the
law providing for removal from Office