American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1856-01-10
fFor.hs Lancaster Am'hesh Galsas.

Mr.. ED.-Ot the fhst uiHOuDb VI OuYi
ness that will devolye on the present Legs
ators, there is none. perhaps. that will
nave stronger claims on their attention.
han the present odious tax law. This will
a pretty thorough revision. As 1t
now stands on OUT ststute book il is uns-
quail aud unjust in many Of its provisions;
requiring some classes Of our citizens to
paS A larger share Of tax on their property
than it requires Of others Of an other class,
and requiring all to list their entire amount
Of property, allowing no deduction to be
made for their Indebtedness; hence mauy
are required to pay taz on double the n
mount Of property that they possess. There
is also, smother unjust feature in the law,
viz: allowing a Certain amount deducted
out Of each persons property which is to
be free Of taxation, thus relieving a certain
class entirely from taxation, although they
are protected by law. in both person and
properly and have the right Of suffrage the
same as the tax payer.
In our present state OF indebtedness, l
believe the people expect. and are willing
to be taxed at a pretty high rate, but then
they want the fund thus raised economical
ly handled, they wish to reduce our State
dSbt As last as possible ana pay all neces-
sary expenses and none other, and this
funi to Do raised from a fair and equal val
uation Of all property Of whatsoever kind it
may be, at its cash value, and that no prop.
crty under any circumstance to be listed
twice the same year for taxation, nor that
any part of the property thus listed be de-
Quoted or stricken of tho amount Tor cleo
pioneering or any other purpose.
The School law, also, will require their
special and particular attention. A large
majority of the people are willing to be
taxed to support our common schools, pro-
vided there are no unnecessary expenses
required by lis provisions. which is not the
character Of our present school law; there
is too much of the money paid in for school
purposes, paid on! TO officers before 1t gets
back to the people again. We frequently
hear the question asked, what benefits are
derived from the Superintendent of schools
who receives a salary Of 8, and the an
swor is universally. 'don't know any
therefore the people wish this Office dis
psused with. There is also too much Of
the fund paid out to officers for handling
the fund lot the fund be- paid to the dis
trict treasurers by the county treasurer
without any charge other than that fol
collection. The people are, perhaps, still
more dissatisfied with the Library clause,
which abstracts q large sun ofmoncy from
them, amounting in the aggregate 10 from
eighty to ninety thousand dollars per an.
mum, a share Of which goes to pay another
batch Of officers, the balance laid GU! fol
such books as sail officers think proper, e
prices unknown t. the people. This sun
is almost all entire waste, for as a genera
thing. there is not one of every ten of thu
taxpayers ever read one Of those books
they are delivered 10 the proper officers o
the township, and there remain. But few
OF the districts are willing to receive then
al all. especially on the terms provided b,
law.
This clause ought to DO repealed and au
thotise the disposal Of the books, or if no
repealed, should rot be enforced only wher
. q township or county shall determine b:
, vote in its favor. The same course, also
y should be persusd in regard to the Boar
, Of Education. There is QUE other feature i
. the law | will name AMI then Will leave i
n hoping others will take up the subject NOR
= fully, aud shat is in regard to she examins
i ton Of tea,hers. Tho law is too arbitrar
n in this particular: = teacher must come II
to a ~certSin number Of branches or not r,
ceivc a certificate at all, when there III
. many Of our juvenile schools that do n
r require teachers farther advanced than
Ii properly understand reading, writing al
arithmetic, and indeed some not thus ia
thenl let a diploma be given to the indiyi'
Z, ual as far as they understand, ana let Il
)" district be the judges, rs to whether
not the teacher is far enough advanced
them. BY contrary course teachers ha'
become very scarce, consequently hig
ar prices are required. and all must be Ell
"a ployed good or bad. Now in conclusio
,r I would say, if have mistook the wish
h. Of the people in the hints advanced in r
i, gard to the tax and school laws, | won
thank any person to show in what parti
/. ular, the why's and wherefores.
ONE OF THE PRoPLk.