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

i WAS 3uAiOuS 10 present ID q IaDuluI
statement such detailed information in
reference to our County, Township and
City Transactions, az would enable the
people to compare their own local ad-
ministrations with those of other por.
tions of the State. / found, however,
that this was not attainabie at the seat
of Government without much labor, and
certain additional facts which those or
CARNATIONS themselves can alone supply.
Existing laws provide for the publica-
ton at home of the amount of their le-
vies, collections and expenditures; but
it would greatly facilitate the object in
view if the affairs in each county, town
ship, aud city administration were an.
nually published, in a condensed form,
for general information throughout the
State.
Such comparisons and suggestions
would naturally spring from these expo.
s%itions as would gradually lead to the
adoption of the desired restraints upon
their action anu eventually to more
healthy legislation on the subject.
Ofthe fees of County, Township, and
other local officers no account appears
to be kept which is accessible to the
public matter to which l again call
the attention of the General Assembly,
and respectfully suggest that a law be
passed requiring every public officer,
compensated by fees, to keep accurate
account of his receipts and expenditures,
and transmit the same to the appropri.
ate department, at the seat of Govern
ment, with the view that a general sy-
nopsis of such accounts be published
once a year for the information of the
people of the State. These local Offices
are generally lucrative, and it is believ-
ed that not less than two millions are
annually collected by fees from the peo-
pie, and I can see no good reason why
the latter should rot be able to ascer-
tain the compensation which is several
~ received by their own agents. 1t is
almost impossible to secure proper le-
gislation on this important subject
while so little tangible information is
before the General Assembly.
The preceding statements contain, it
is believed, all the information that is
necessary, with the accompanying re-
ports and exhibits, to enable you to see
in what particular divisions of the pub
lie service, and for what objects, the ex-
actions are improperly high and where
our efforts should be especially directed
to bring about a reduction. The local
causes which have SO disproportionately
swelled the burdens of the people, you,
coming from all parts of the State, can
no doubt explain to Zach other.
In reference to these causes, however,
and especially the fees of county and
other local officers, it would prove of
much assistance in your deliberations,
if in the early part of the session you
would order suitable inquiries to be ad-
dressed to the proper authorities.
All will admit that the public bur-
dens, for a government happily 30 very
| circumscribed in it's sphere as ours, are
high beyond apology. True, high tax
es are not of themselves conclusive evil
dence of bad, nor low taxes always a
proof of a good government, yet the
amount is a matter proper for compare
tive inquiry, especially, where the rise
is sudden. Such examinations lead to
reliable information both as to the
amount, and, which is a more important
point, the purposes to which the money
is applied. Sound political enonomY
does not rest on any specific amount of
taxation, but rather on such an admin
istration of public affairs, as guided by
a proper spirit of frugality and repub.
lican simplicity, discharges scr1pulous-
ly every duty essential to the public
welfare. Every financial transaction
should be subjected to the most rigid
accountability, and all misapplications
of the public money be seyerally pun
ished.
Public virtue is essential to the main
tenance 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 exactions. They have
dcputed you to reduce them. Every
property holder 10 the State e%nioins
this upon you as your first great duty.
But reform, to be beneficial, must take
the right direction. To produce high
taxes, or 20 ~connive at exhorbitant fees
and salaries, is wrong; but to misdirect
endeavors to correct public abuses is no
less mischievous. Unmatured Wholesale
reductions of fees and salaries are sure
to be soon repealed. Such measures
always lose to the people the real reform
which they demand. True reform first
ascertains carefully where extravaganza
aud ~malfeasance exist. It exposes and
corrects them. It screens no public
abuse from merited obloquy, and ct it
shields from unjust, sweeping oensure,
the upright public servant. It exam
ines into and therefore understands
public evils, and the laws which follow
become, in consequence of their wise
discrimination, the permanent policy of
the State.
Questions arising out of and connected
with public revenue, have beea vexations
in all ages and in all governments.-
They are SO IN ours. Taxes, whether
levied by a monarch's arbitrary will, or
through the legal action of popular 60
vernment, are unpleasant to those who
pay them. The number of those who
are anxious to share the expenditures
of the government, is far greater than
those who volunteer to contribute to-
wards them. Propositions to deplete
the Treasury for objects of speculation,
ornament and pride, find frequently
more supporters than those of acknowl-
edged general utility. The revenue
officer who collects the taxes rendered
necessary in consequence of some ill-ad-
vised appropriation, is always blamed,
while he who occasioned them, often
escapes the public censure. The Con-
stitution wisely provides " that every
law imposing a tax shall state distinctly
the object of tie same, to which only it