The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-10-28
OUR TAXES.

ceediDgly tender. Nevertheless the wound
NUT be probed and the nature and ex-
tent of the injury known, before remedy y
can be applied; and the subject of taxa
tion must be violently agitated, before
Monroe county will collect her taxes, and
the Borough Of Stroudsburgp pay her debts.
That there is something wrong some
where, must be evident to all. When we
know that nota cent of money ever reach
es the Treasury,--that fresh debts are
accumulating faster than old ones are can
celled,-tbat taxes which are assessed are
not collected that there are men of prop
erty in this county who have not paid a
fax for the last FIVE ears,-that the school
in this Borough which should be open ten
months, is uow open but four,-what are
we led to conclude from all these facts !!
Why that somebody is remiss in the dis
charge Of his duty,-that there is some
thing 'rotteD in the state Of Denmark ,
Now we do not wish to charge this
fault upon any one man, or set of men !;
We only state facts. and leave our read
ers to draw their own conclusions there
from. We know Il at all men are sub
ject to the weaknesses and iu6rmities of
human nature, I've have a prominent ex-
ample Of this in the chief magistrate of
the Nation) and We should not therefore
expect to find County and Township COL
lectors exempt tberefrom. If the integrity
of the head of this great nation,
President of these United States, is not
proof against the scductions of Office and
of power how can we look for anything
better cl>ewherel On the contrary il i ex.
tremely natoral for collector; who is desi-
rous of reelection, to be very careful whose
toes h tFeais upon,-whom be ofends;
ju~t as il is extremely natural for a Pres,
ideut who is anxious to secure a re-elec-
tion to kiss the dust in servile submission
to his Southern masters, and to say to his
oycrsccrs-"do with Kansas as you will. y
Heuce, although there is a law upon
the Statute book giving to Collectors the
power of sciIing upon, and selling proper
~, gi.iDg teu days public notice of the
same, If the owner refuses or neglects TO
pay his taxes, for thirty days after being
called upon,-yet we cannot reasonably
expect prudent collector, and one who
has bis own self interest 10 view, rather
than the performance of his duty,-we
cannot, | say, expect him to do an act so
fatal TO his popularity, unless be is BY law
compelled to do so,-because forsootb, it
would wake an enemy, and enemies are
deUcedly inconveDient institutions to a
candidate on election day. So with all
these con-iderations before US, We can
easily enough account for an empty Trea-
sury, and an inundation Of Borough
Checks.
Vow for the remedy. And as the main
object appears to be to make the patient
GLeai, would recommend strong dose
of collectors who are not afraid to do their
duty, promiscuously and perseveringly
applied, aud If the Leeches fail to briug
the blood (or the dough- | would take
the lancet of the law.
Really this financial eubarrass % ent is
getting to be a serious thing, and if DO
better way can be devised for relief, o
law rhould be passed, or the statute as it
stands at present altered, SO as to give the
collector not only the power, but compel
'sTz1 TO uSe that poacer of seizing and SELL
ing property to the amount of the taxes,
and costs accruiug, when they can be OBJ
tanned in DO other way.
But better wsy still would be to dis.
pense with the Office of collector entirely,
and let the treasurer appoint certain day
Oh which be will meet the tax payers OF
such and such districts at such place
Let all who choose to meet the Ire ssurer
at the appointed time aud place. and pay
their taxes, be entitled to an abatement
of sag FIVE per cent thercfrom; and rbep
let the Treasurer be by law COMPEL.
ed to issue notices to ell delinqueuts
who fail to make such payment at
such time and place, giving them ten
days 10 which to leave the money at his
efhce, 10 default whereof, at the expiration I
II the ten days. let property to the G
mount Of the taxes and costs be promptly |