Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1857-11-06

investigation Ut the whole suhjcct.
Zoe the o,lorl psmo,r,r.
Taxation.
In til. season Of political calm, it d, to IL
hoped that our Legislature, -oon - asscm.
Die, will regard the time as suitable Ia intro
ducc such reforms, ,Hir,'y irro'pohr, Of
party pohnc', as the bcs, interests ot the
whole people impcrlously demand Among
such reforms. the finances Of the State, aud
of the several Counties, demand grave CON.
siI,ratiyn. l, is now proposed to speak
only II County expenditures and County
taxation. Unnecessary taxation Is bur.
den that ought not, Tor a single moment. to
h. borne. Yet whenever the people bN,r
such burden without murmuring, 1t j. sim.
ply because they 10 not take the trouble %
enquire into the nccrsiiy Of u. They De-
not know that, by yuI,,iOus one
fourth part, perhaps. onc.iird part OF the
taxes annually ASSESSED cor County purposes
might jus, ~ well ~ not b. saved. Thu.
unnecessary aud useless taxation results,
partly, from the existing laws ia relation t.
County Commissioner Courts aul their
jurisdiction, and partly irum the manner ia
which thUsc laws arr administered. Eyist-
Ing laws make the compensation Of each
County Commissioner to depend upon the
bushes, which he may do-upon the nun.
Der ur miles cor which hc may charge travel,
and the number Of days for which be may
charge Per diem allowance. Hence. ap.
plic,tipns Tor new rad. anl f1r alteration.
and disconiinuancc. Of old oncs are regarded
with favor, Tho prayer ut the petitioners
i. seldom denied, and hence, too, ruaI dam.
ages, a. they arc callci, are multiplied anl
increased 20 an alarming extent, aud beyond
all reason. Road damass constitute the
great drum upon our County Treasury
There ar, indeed, smaller drains, which,
in the aggregate, arr large and should not
be permitted 70 continue. Ihcsc may bc
spoken Of hereafter
The great Object now i, to ,uquirr how
hi, large drain can b. mos, cTctually stop
pei up. Abolish the whole .y.,am, say,
onc-ano'her, reform and improve the pre-.
cut system, Thi, latter suggestion i, very
easily trIci
lit b. deemed advisable 10 retain the
old system, or portion oft, then, the fret
Increment, with a view TO rtorm, would
-e,m to be change in reference to the mode
Of comp"ra,ins the County Commissioners
fur ,hclr respective services. Instead Of
travel and rer diem allowances, give them
fair and reasonable salary. which shall be-
in full Tor all services rendered by them.
TIE reasons for this change will b, arpa-
rent, when It /. considered that, " u, all
induccmcni 10 scck employment will b. cut
oG. Applications fur new roads, and FOR
alterations and dscontinuance Of Others,
will not I've specially favored and cncour-
aged. Unsuccessful applications will not
be particularly rare. Petitioners will rely
more upon the merits Of ihc case presented
This being 50, such applications will be
greatly cur.niled, none, or very few, Of
doubtful cIpcdicncy will come before the
Court. 4 reduction Of " Road damages
i1,ridJly follows. Besides, il will render
the County Commissioners independent, 50
Ear as their pay is concerned, Of County
Auornics aud Clerks. The proposed change
would, also, induce TO the despatch Of bust
ness. Decision and promp,ne's would then
be the order or the day" a contamination
mos, dcvoutly To be wished" ADJOURN
men, upon adjournment, usually OF little
Importance to the public, bat always cx'
peusiye, would no, then be heard Of, except
in extreme cases A due regard to tie in.
tcrrs,s Of the whole people would be mat
ter Of primary consideration.
II il, by no means, intended herein to ar.
raign the motives Of any man, or class OF
men. The writer has no private srie!s to
complain ONO friends to rcward-no enc
mics to punish. lie complains only OF a
system which he regards As pcrnleious. lie
believes, also, that very large majority OF
the people will concur in an expressed op'n'
ion that the system is nuisance aud ought
in some way, to be abaicd' or reformed
lie knows, also, full well, that many intel
lircn, minds have suggested that the whole
sy,,em should DO abolished, and that the
duties Of County Commissioners should de-
volvo upon the Supreme judicial Court,
with appropriate powers, To this sOgses-
ton there may be objections. and 1t is not
now proposed to consider them, whatever
they may be l, may, however, be imPor'
tant to consider, hereafter. some features IN
connection with The administration OF the
present system. N