The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-12-03
Our Taxes.

protect the people against the power of I'M
limited taxation. So far as that was the OBJ
ject, it certainly has proved failure to the
descendants of those who fought its battles
and endured its privations. There is not a
country on the face of the Globe where pro-
perty bears 80 heavy burthen ofpublic ex-
penss, and where people get SO littlein actual
substantial good for the money they pay in
TO- the public Golfers as in ourfree Republic.
For the amount of service our government
actually renders to the people, they are, pro-
badly, the most expensive on the Globe
Our taxes are ruinously nigh and are in
creasing, and the enquiry everywhere is
what is done with the money? There are
no great public works or Improvements in
progress to absorb it, and to afford in future
benefits some return for present sacrifices
but a chief part of what is paid to the tax
collector, seems like water split upon the
ground it leaves nothing visible behind
1t is surprising to see with what resigna-
ton and patience taxpayers bear the burth-
ems imposed on them, and pay their money
without making any investigation into the
manner in which it is squandered. The
Auditor publishes the aggregate amount ex-
pended, under few general heads--which
give no insight into the details of the daily
management Of the public treasury. These
are read but by the few; who, if they dis
cover the impolicy of the administration,
look upon it as inevitable, and remain 81
lent, or offer &C opposition to it.
The complaint is not that the public
funds are dishonesty administered but
they are extravagantly expended and
wasted upon inadequate plans and objects
While the amount of taxables have increas-
ed fourfold, and the rate of taxation on
this increased basis has been constantly ad-
vancing, there has been but little improve.
ment in all the subjects of public expendi.
ture. All the public affairs and interest:
entrusted to public officers are not in any
better-if as good-a condition as they
were ten years ago when the amount o
money paid for the public service wa:
scarcely one-half the present amount We
are in no better condition in regard tC
roads, bridges, public convenience, and al
the benefits to be obtained from municipal
and county administrations, than our neigh
bors across the river, who do not pay one
third as high taxes as we do. The reason:
of all this should be investigated by tax
payers-and the errors and abuses reformed
Our public officers are all good, homes
men, but seem to lack judgment and com
prehensive views. They are not men o
the capacity and knowledge that citizens
would select them for the management o
large private estates; yet we all vote fol
them to take charge of the concerns of til,
public, simply because we like them as citi
zens and neighbors, and they want publ,
places and honors When they are elected
they think their duties to the public are dis
charged, by performing the accustomed rou
tine of official labor
They don't conceiveitt to be any part of thei
duty to think, project, and invent any nev
scheme of public policy, Old abuses are per
mitted to continue, and new ones almost un
consciously creep into the public service
and are perpetuated. The evils will con
tinue and increase till the tax payers insis
upon a radical reform, and unite to cleo
competent men-all men who have tn,
largest stake in the community, will con
sent to make some sacrifices of private in
terests, and devote some of their time t.
serve the public. Those who are loudest ii
their complaints about the mal-administra
ton of our municipal finances, are thos
who are the most remiss in attention t.
their political duties. They keep themselve
aloof from elections, and will take no par
in public affairs, while complaining tha
they are not managed better
The assessments for the present year il
the old city of Evansville are one dollar an,
FIVE cents on the 500. In Lamasco the,
are seventy-fve cents-the latter paying nj
Railroad tax. The assessments for count,
and township purposes amount, the presen
season, to the heavy tax of one dollar an
thirty-three cents on the $l00. The aggre
gate of our taxes for 1853, on high valua
ton of property is, therefore, 38-l00 pc
cent If the State were to make a levy t
meet the exigencies of the State Treasury
the annual tax in this county would b
equal to three per cent on the whole prop
erty of the community which would b
more than the annual increase OF propert
in Great Britain and older countries There
such an amount of taxation on fixed prop
erty would absorb its whole revenues, an
render it valueless to tbs holder. niles
re form can be introduced into the admin
istration of the public finances here, prop
erty holders will find the value Of their E.
ta+es vanishing under the present system {
taxation.
Legislative Proc edings.
On Tuesday, in the Senate, the comnitte
on the organization of Courts was instructe
TO enquire into the expediency of abolshin
Courts of Common Pleas. increasing tn