Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-12-25
Refusing to Pay Taxes.

Grove, with memorial TO the Legislature,
will be seen in another column. The names
# several Of che leading then in that part
{ Graz, county appear among such pro-
! ceilings, and the meetings are reported 10
lave been well attended by good men.sueh
AS mean well in all their acts and conduct
men who are abundantly able to pay
their own taxes, though wanting The will
to do SO from belief that an unjust share
Iof the tales are apportioned upon their
Towns, and from humane sense that a
lage number Of the people in that vicinity
are unable to raise the money for taxes
We fear no evil results from the conduct,
past or future, of such men, because they
are as ready to reconsider their acts upon
proper evidence of their error, and to
change their coafse to aperfect compliance
with the Law in paying their taxes, as they
are 10 repudiate. Whether in reputation
or in complying with the law, they intend
to be guided by their sense Of right, reason
and pal riotism. Were they reckless, intern
perate or unearned, we could not vouch
that they will be governed BY reason Or
law or that sense of right would dictate
their future course. Their action in this
matter ofrepuliation is clearly a result of
their belief that wrong has been done them
in the State and County apportionment OF
taxes, wherein their taxes are made consid-
erably higher than last year,and in belief
that the legislature has exceeded all rea-
songble bounds in extravaganza. We DO not
understand them to charge the county ex-
penditures OF this year as extravagant, nor
do they really wish to repudate on school,
town or poor taxes. Their purpose is to be
heard by the Legislature, by the wicked
state equal cation committee, by the as
SCISSORS who met in the fall to equalize the
assessments and by the public generally
heard in sovereign tones, warning leglsla-
lures, equalizing committees, officers aud
all, that taxation like other necessary evils,
has certain bounds, beyond which to en-
dure would be unmanly and scrfish.
We believe we fairly present the motives
and inlents of our MilIvile andPatch Grove
friends. Fully sympathising with them
thus burlhened with taxes, we lave no
wish to tnisrepresent and no desire to chal-
lenge their conduct. The question with
them 10 solve and for us to discuss is, will
their movements accomplish the several
ELECTS aimed at, and more important than
all, will the mole destitute of chat vicinity
be the gamers. To the last named point
we offer few remarks: Procrastina! ion
in the payment Of taxes is accompanied by
too much additional expense to ever jas IL
fly it; we cannot see how these Towns are
to avoid paying the whole amount charged
to them, sooner or later, as there is no pow
er to exonerate them-at least, no author
lied power whose favorable action can be
expe cted; other Towns paying their taxes
this year, their supervisors would not feel
like generating Millville and Patch Grove,
and hereby shoulder the taxes for their
Towns; the legislature would not act Tor
their special relief-indeed, it is more than
probable that a special act of the legisla-
ture would be called for 10 compel pay
ment of the taxes due from such Towns;
the County Treasurer's duty is clear, he
hating no power but to act promptlyy,so as
to secure the state schoo, money and save
the county the 25 per cent. forfeiture and
interest. The Town Supervisors of Mill
vile and Patch Grove, with the Clerks
and Treasures, however much they may
evade the law, cannot be expected TO VIC
late their oaths of office. Such and more
reasons are presented to our min! against
Republication by those Towns. We do not
consider the damaging effects in the future
thu. snch repndiation would cause against
individuals, towns and county, or whether
such effects would follow.
The sky appears clear all over for less state
taxation in future; we see an iron will ex-
hibited by legislators and people all lhro'
the state to stop legislation, stop building
asylums and capitol extensions, and to
hold short, very short sessions of The legis-
lature. About half the stale tax this year
is for buildings, Improvements, contracts,
debts snts expenditures authorized by leg
islatures three to four years ago,and which
there is no power to evade. The:state is now
clear and TO our miud sure Of being man
aged in future at less than half he expense
of this year. Upon such consideration do
we make up our mind for this year to 60