True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-01-16
o. RAGAN, Editor and Proprietor.

sos, ,574 %. Total amount Of Auditors
Drafts redeemed 10 1854, SO O93, ,253 90;
same redeemed in 1856, $3 Sig, 484 20.
Cash balance in Treasury l5lh November
1854, 1854, ,68l no; same in Treasury.
5th November. 1855. $7O5 $40 08. a.
This places before you the receipts and
expenditures of The State Government! do
ring the last TWO years, and there is no
difficulty in ascertaining the departments
in which increased or Diminished exppn-
diiures or revenues have taken place. To
determine, however. whether the State
authorities or those Of the Counties, Town
ships and Cities, are responsible for the
the high taxes complained Of by the peo-
ple.~e must examine into the various
amounts levied by these several authori-
lies and for this purpose The following
tabular statement has been prepared, ex-
hibiiing the taxes levied for the specified
purposes in the years named:
1854. ln 1855.
No. Of acres 25 u63,O32 25.eqO, ,o83
Val. oilands S499. .245. .467 $43g, 96 /, 1856
Val. oftowns l4O.622.9 .943 l45. .e96. 754
Val. Of chat 3
lels..... 9s7.o6l,57s 28s.ol8,8l5
TorAL !. 1856 .929 982 $3.50. .877. 1854
The total State taxes for 1854 were
S3.Q77, ,60t. 40 6: and for 1855 So. 754.-
807,5i 6.
The total County Taxes for 1854 we're
S2,725,l98,94 8: and for 1865 $2,762,.
30509 8. The total township. city and
special taxes for 1854 were $3.O72,42S,-
20 9; and for 1855 we're SO, i43, 6l8. 80
o. Delinquencies and forfeilnres for 1854
were S9i7,ll275 y; and for 1855 we're
$493, 1876 8. The total local taxes for
1854 were $6 Oi4.738,08 o; and for
1855 Sc. t99. .704 SO L. The total taxes
on duplicate for 1854 were So 092 $3.50, !
40 Z. and for 1855 8,954.5ii. 1917.
II was an 7iopss tl sprsssnt in a tabular
statement such dele;ied Information Ia ref
erence 10 our County. Township and City
Transactions, as would enable the people
iteconpare their own local adminisira.
tions with those Of other portions Of the
State. ! found, however, that this was
not attainable at the seat Of government
without much labor, and certain addition
al facts which those organic ,lions them
selves can alone supply. Existing laws
provide for the publication at home Of the
amount Of their leyies. collections and
expenditures but it would greatly faciIi-
iale the object in view If The affairs Of
each county. township and city admins
lralion were annually published, in con-
densed form. for general information
throughout the State. st6
Such comparisons and suggestions
would naturally spring from these expo.
siIious as would gradually lead TO the
adoption Of the desired restraints u Jon
their acIion aud eventually to more heal
thy Legislation on the subject. aS
OF The fees of County. Township. and
other local officers no account appears 10
be kept which Is accessible to the public
--amatier, to which again call the at.
tention Of the General Assembly, and re-.
specially suggest that a law be passed
requiring. every public officer, compensa.
ted BY fees. 10 keep an accurate account
Of bis receipts and expenditures, and
transmit the same to The appropriate de.
parlment, at the seat Of Government,
with The view that general synopsis Of
such accounts be published once \ year
for the informrtiCn Of The people OF the
State. These local Offices are generally
lucrative, aud il is believed that not less
than two millions are annually collected
by fees from the people. and ! can see nc
good reason why The latter should not be
able 10 ascertain the compensation which
is seyerally received by their own agents.
It is almost impossible to secure proper
Legislation on this important subject while
so little tangible information is before the
General Assembly. '2" = Y '4 sI
The preceding statements contain, it is
believed, all the information that il nec-
essary, with the accompanying reports
and exhibits. to enable you t) see in what
particular divisions Of The public service,
and for what objects, the .xacIions are
improperly bigh and where oar efretts
should be especially directed 10 bring
about a reduction. The local causes
which have so disploportionately swclled
the burdens Of ibs people. you, coming
from all parts Of lbe Stale, can DO douOI
explain to each other.
In reference 10 these causes. however,
and especially the fees Of county and 9TH
er local officers, It would prove Of much
assistance in your deliberations, il 10 the
early part Of The session you would order
suiIableipquiries to- BE- address % the pro-
|per authorities
All win adult that ibe public burdens,
for A government happily SO very circudl-
scrbed iniis spheFeas ours, are high
beyond apology. True. high tax4s are
NOT Of themselves conclusive evidence Of
bad, nor low lakes always . proof Of q
gooi government, yet the amount is =
matter proper ior comparative inquiry
eepeeally. vhesesbe rise Is sudden. Such
examinations lead 70 reliable Information
both as 10 the amount. and, which is Z
more important point 'he purpose q