True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-01-16

4 - M lt1QyItHut ciclutut lu tuC SVuottNS-
lllpaaf fYsnpe laNs Ecasiops null
liiply Wit, xeniptiBAe ans .dslI Ilicl b IS.
and the indiyidualiax payer will be apt.
through mental reservation. 10 enlarge the
sphere for which the legislator has sci
him the example. He. too, has favorite
objects which he thinks it hard to tax
The more generally we adopt the princi-
pie Of taxing equally all property. the
more equitable and fair will be its effects.
Their unequal operation. rather than their
amount, makes taxes oppressive. In our
State, tax inequalities are necessarially
unjust. Every dollar that is remilted to,
or withheld by one person. must be made
up anl paid by others. The amount Of
taxes are not reduced by suffering prop
erty 10 escape the only result 10 that the
taxes are upjastly levied. Exemptions
and deductions but mar the uniformity
and equality Of our tax laws, and for this
reason, il for no other, there should be
as few allow ed as possible,
A equal tax on property based on
these rules, with a few exemptions and
deductions, leaves very little opportunity
Tor individual evasions. It's assessments
and valuations are more easily perfected
they may be made quicker and yet far less
inquisiiorial. Such asysiem must event
uaIly recommend itself 10 all as the one
best adapted 10 our circumstances as a
people. Under it the measure Of taxa
ton would be based upon general prin-
ciple that principle would be enforced by
The people themselves. They would watch
and expose individual failures TO list, aud
thereby carry out the honest object Of the
|liw. Then the people will soon habituate
themselves to look for and detect the true
cause Of any increase in the taxes. and
4 their reformatory efforts, being rightly
directed. would always be successful.
The preceding remarks are not intended
to preclude all amendments to our ta'
t law. On the contrary, ii is admitted tha
several might be made which would rem
+ der them more efficient. The assessment
and valuations Of personal property, es
pecially, should be accelerated, so tha
little il any property could be listed twice
there is no reason why, by proper sub di
visions, it could not be done within few
days. This would not increase the ex
pense. The pbraseology Of the tax lav
might also be made more definite in man,
instances. The word .fcredils," shoul'
be SO qualified as to include only sucl
outstanding dues as have assumed def
mite shape and value-lhus eqralizing ant
perfec,ing our tax laws. and regulating
and reducing the taxes themselves. BY in
posing proper restraints on the anthori
Ties that levy and ,expedd them, we shal
have true public economys light expendi
lures, and wise dislribadon Of the same
together with faithful application Of th'
Of the peoples money, TO the frugal pur
| poses Of Democratic Government.
Intimately connected with the tax laws
is the custody OF the public money be
tween its collection and disbursement =
/ The money collected upon .he grand du
picate in one year is not disbursed unit
the year. following, SO that much Of ou
public revenue remains one year andmor'
| 10 the State and county Treasures. Evil
have arisen from lIlis, which require ca I
4, " attention. Our revenue officers hav,
thus been tempted to use the public fund
for purposes Of private emolument. Th'
pernicious Influences that must necessari
.ly flow from such malleasance, to say no
thing Of the danger 10 which the public
treasury is exposed, are too obvious fo
comment.
\ Nor would Il change the matter by de
posting the public funds with banks. Th
best treasures Of free and intelligen
people are their own pockets. and no Gov
srnment has any right to deprive its mem
bers Of their means one moment soone
or longer, than is unagoidably necessar,
for the public service. From these consid
/ erations, | would respectfully suggest tina
our assessments, valuations. and every
thing connected with the making up Of th
grand duplicate and the subsequent col
lection Of the revenues be so arranged o
to bring the collection and disbursement Q
our taxes within the same year. Ate
careful deliberation ! can see no unsur
mounlable obstacle 10 such an arrange
[ ment. The acceleration Of such an Is
sessment is. as already suggested, dictate
BY other reasons,
Everything relating 10 the preparation
Of the grand duplicate being paid BY ths
day and the amount Of work. It is easily
seen that the expenses Of accelerated 40
lion would not be greater than at present
! lf, in addition to this, the taxes could b
collected semi.annusly, instead Of annu
ally, as they now are. they would be e
less severely felt BY the people. Thei
present collection occurring at the verl
period when money Is the most needed
for the produce and provision business Q
the country. aggrevatss their exaclions
Al all events, the most stringent law
should at once be passed egainst The pri
vate use Of the revenues Of the Stat
which no well organised Government vii
permit for a moment.
Several ot tie appeal cascs n reference
TO The question Of bank taxAlion are slil
4 |-. ~ I. n f.-2 A. r.,.....I. ft..II.t Ia 81.