The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1856-01-16

rest on any sEecluc hknouht Ol AAtuOhp Ou'
rather IN such an administration Of public
affairs, as guided by proper spirit Of fru-
galiiy and republican simplicity. discharges
serupulously every duty essential 10 the
public welfare. Every financial transaction
should be subjected 10 the most rigid ac-
eouAtabili y, and all Interpretations of the
money be severely punished.
Public virtue is essential to the mainte-
nance Of republican government, and he is
The most dangerous offender who attempts
to undermine or destroy it.
The people of Ohio justly complain Of
| high public exaclions They have deputed
you. % reduce them. Every property hold
er in the State snjoins this upon you as your
irst great duiy, But reform, 10 be benef
cial, must take the right direction. To pro
duce high taxes. or to connive at exorbitant
fees and salaries, is wrong; but to misdirect
endeavers 10 correct public abuses is no less
mischieyious. Unmalured wholesale reduc-
lions Of fees and salaries are soon to be re-
pealed. Such measures always lose to the
people the real refol m which they demand.
| True reform frst acertains carefully where
extravaganza and malteasance exists. II
exposes and eeTrects them. 1t screens no
public abuse from merited obloquy, and
yet it shields from unjust, sweeping censure
the upright public servant. i! examines
into and therefore understands public evils,
and the laws which follow become, in con-
sequence of their wise discrimination, the
permanent policy Of tie State. ..-.-.-
i Questions arising out of and connected
with public revenue, have been vexations in
Nil ages and in all governments. They are
SO in ours. Taxes, whether levied by a
m, narch's arbitrary will or through the legal
action of popular government, are unpleas-
ant to those who pay them. The number
! OF those who are anxious to share the ex-
} ptnditures Of the government, is far great
er that the who volunteer to contribute
tow ards ,h, m. Proposition, to deplete the
Treasury for objects of speculation, orna'
! mcnt, and pride, find frequently more sup
portsrs than hose Of acknowledged genera
ntility. The revenue officer who collects
the taxes rendered necessary in consequence
3 of sone i'll advised appropriation, is Away,
blamed, while he who occasioned them. of
ten escapes the public censure. The Con
stitu,iou wisely provides "that every Law
i'm posing tax shall state distinctly the OBJ
!, iect Of the same, to which only it shall b.
5 applied. ;" lfthis provision. in its full mean
: ing and intent. were properly carried out 81
, as to enable the public 10 FIX with certant.
a the responsibility Of taxes upon thos
= who really occasion them, it would. t.
a eat extent, guard against iuconsiderat'
4 public oullays. Proflgacy would be earl
er exposed and the required reform applied
: in season to prove remedy.
We should discriminate between the mel
. machinery for the collection Of taxes and tn
nfueD ces leading TO, and the authorizes d
recting the levy. Our revenue laws shouit
2 afford to the tax payers frequent and earl
8 opportunities 10 watch, judge and direct ou
: financial policy. The fewer Indirect an
J special taxes we have the less chances ther
= is 10 conceal improper expenditures, and tE
q mere certainly will the rise and fall of diret
taxes indicate the financial quality OF ou
3 government We are rapidly approachin
the period when our direetproperty taxatio
will afford such indications, unless We pul
posely counteract this tendency. Speci
taxes are becoming incperate, their levy il
deed beng of doubtful constituionality.-
The ex raneous revenues to the State Trea
o ury are likewise constantly diminishing
= and nearly all our resources will soon haS
10 be derived from the grand duplicate
;, We shall then, with greater certainty ar
IL simplicity in our finances. have the une
- rng index above alluded to. @
The constitutional provieion upon II
- subject is guaranty against arbitrary Ia
ar alton. Heretofore such a guaranty b
f. been secured 10 corporations alone, throus
~ judicial interposition; now they and Il
o people equally enjoy it by constitution
IN rule. In other Governments the iaxii
- power is without limitation; in ours II is r
n strained to property tax. The owner
ut borrow is also wisely confined within vel
is narrow Limits. Under such system ina
n cial abuses cannot be long concealed, b
or cause the amount OF taxation will lndlca
of to each taxpayer the degree Of economy
=; wastefuIness that may at each period chs
in actcrize the Government. The fact th
ip taxes are ne thing, the tax law anoth'
b. will then become apparent 10 al; and
n will look to the General assembly, and
the local authorities Of the Stae, for
Id duction of taxes, rather thanato ExHcuti
as officers. Any attempt to reduce the ta1
be in the aggregate by mere change in
nd mode and manner Of collecting them, v
he Prove as futile as an attempt to change
weather by breaking the barometer. II
ID. retrerchment, TO have lasting effect. m
be spring from and be maintained by Genes
"a Assemblies whose economy and watchf
Ct ness shall reflect the wishes OF frugal a
Ig- enl ghtsned people.
ry | feel great solicitude that the system
'ep requiring all State exPendi ures Of ese
" descripiion TO be brought under the reyisi
spl ofihe chief financial officer Of the Sta
rn- shall be strictly and permanently adhel
op to. This is demanded by The constltuti
J a aswell as by sound policy. Il operates
The a preventive of malpractices which had hi
Ia. erto de6edqal anempts at reform. a
ian The contracts recently entered inio
res the Board Of Public. Works for the reps
'od Of the canals. involving an entire change
Ele policy on that subject. have elected a "
syT general .public discussion. The saving
siis the State by this change amounts TONNE
'la- three Thousand one hundred and seyel
tie two dollars per annum, when compal
raI with the average expenditure Of the last
o5 years, will nodoubt exceed that sum unt
Is Isaure lettings. The elcontEact Aystem ]
es many advantages over the policy that
nd been hitherto pursued. and | am inclined
ar think should be permanently adop.ed. .
md success of any system. however. ainvolS
op 80 large an expenditure Of ihs pablic IA