The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-01-07
DELINQUENT LIST.


The annual iniquities practiced in the
publication Of the delinquest list in the
several counties in this State have just
been consummated, and the extortion oil
money from the pockets Of the poor tax
payers who were in these pressing times
unable to meet the demands Of the tax
gatherers within the prescribed time
There is nothing in the corruptions Of
Congressional printing that exceed the
frauds practiced upon the oppressed de-
Inquent tax payers Of this State. While
political parties are absorbed in the dis
cussions of the wrongs of Southern slaves
and the expressions of Kansas, home
abuses Of the most oppressive kind are
suffered to exist without notice or re-
buke. There are some things which
call loudly for the intervention of the
voters of all parties and for the action OF
public prosecutors to bring the. official
delinquents to proper sense Of their Of |
fetal responsibility. The law in regard
to the publication of delinquent list is
thatit may be published in a newspaper
but if il can be done cheaper in hand
bill form that mode Of publication shall
be adopted, and the expense OF its publ
cation shall be assessed upon each lot
advertised. This provision makes the
duty of the Auditor apparently very
plain and simple. He can advertise the
lists in a newspaper, but If 1T can be
done cheaper, it is his duty to have 1t
printed in handbiIl form at the lowest
reasonable rates for which he can obtain
the printing. and divide the amount ac-
tually paid by him and assess it upon
each delinquent tax payer. If the law
were honestly executed the cost would
be about fire cents on each lot adver-
tised. As it is now managed in most O.
the counties, from fifty to seventy-five
cents is extorted from every poor delin-
quent for every little parcel of ground
into which they can divide his property
for taxation. If he owns two small
house lots, or two or three forty acre
tracts-although they be in the same
section-they are divided - advertised
separately and the heavy penalty assessed
upon each. A job Of printing that actually
costs only 500 or S12O is assessed upon
the tax payers at the rate of 500 to
$1,000. In some counties the cost OF
each line of printing is charged at so cts.
in others 65 cents-in few where cor
ruption is rife, it is put down at IS cents
per line. In honest old Gibson, where
the officers have some regard for charac-
ter and decency left, it is charged at only
80 cents. In Warwick, where the job
could have been printed in handful form
for $50, the tax payers are charged $3.50
or $500. In Spencer the ratio is about
the same. In Perry the job cost to
print it about 500, and the tax payers
we see are assessed about $775. In this
county the actual cost of the printing
for the last two years has been about $12O
each year. Last year the tax payers
were assessed between $500 and $500
this year they have had to pay between
5000 and 500 for the same job. None
Of these extortions 60 into the public
treasury (; they are collected and divided
in some manner unknown to the public,
and of which the public records give nc
account in many of the counties, if they
do in any. The affair is left in a great
measure to the Auditors, but the subject
should be investigated by the Boards o.
County Commissioners. 1t is time too thai
the people should look into it, and il
should be no shield from official RESPONSE,
bility that the incumbent who has collu
ded in this robbery Of the delinquent ia,
payers, is youched for by party conven
ton as "good Democrat" or good Re
publican" but make him before b,
aspires to higher honors and emolument
prove his democracy by showing tina
he has been honest and faithful to TIT
people, particularly to the oppressed
small tax payers and let the delinquent
who have paid these heavy penalties re
member those who have imposed upnl
them, when asked for their votes.
THE BRANCH BANK.