Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-01-05

refcreuce to an Act of Assembly, which appeared |
in your last raper, and which is intended to |
change the present modes of collecting State and !
county taxes The bill is similar to the law |
which at present prevails in Ohio on the same
subject, 1t has been in operation IN that State
for q number of years, and has met with the full
and eutire appreciation of the people. The sys !
tenn was first introduced into this State during !
the session of the Legislature of 1851, but was
only made local in its application, being confued !
Venango county; hence the law is faniiarly
spoken of as s.the Venango county system for
the collection Of taxes" The advantages Of the
law became apparent, that since 1851 it has
been extended, by various Acts of Assembly, to
several other counties in the State, viz to
Clarion, Lawrence and Crawford counties, in
1852; to Franklin, Beaver and Mercer counties,
1858; and to jefferson county, in 1S57--in all
of which, so far as | have beon able to ascertain
it has fully met the most sanguine expectations
of the people. The bill which you published
was offered during the last session of the Legis-
lature, for the purpose of making the law appG-
cable to all the counties in the State. 1t was
strongly advocated by some of the most inteli-
gent and influential membe of the. House but
:
ous to the close of the session, it failed to become
law. vigorous effort in favor of its passage
will be made during the present session. If it
fails to become general law it will still afford
| those counties that desire it an opportunity of
having its provisions extended to them. The
! object of publishing this law in the papers of
this county, is that the people may fully under
stand its meaning before they called upon to
sign petitions in its favor Its provisions are so
brief and plain, that no man can fail to under
! stand exactly what the law means. That its
cnactments would prove to be great advantage
to tie people af the county, does not admit,
think of q reasonable doubt.
The law has worked admirably iu every county
in which it has been tested. and could not there
fore fail to produce the same results in this
county. 1t is infinitely simple than the
present mode of collecting taxes and in adiiiti
is doubly as certain. Uuder its operation TAX
ing its practical effects in other coun ties as our
guide the County Treasurer would always be
prepared to meet auy demands upon it, and the
county would be enabled by promptly paying
her quota Of State tax into the State treasury,
to receive the benefit of five per cent. deduction,
as provided for by existing laws. Bcsiles this,
the expenses of collecting the lakes under that
system, would be thirty three per cent less than
under the present mode as is stated in the an
nexed intelligent letter from the Treasurer OF
Be eaver county, where the law has been in oper-
alton since 1853.
am well aware that there is no subject upon
which the people are sensitive, as upon the
question of taxation. Especially in Pcnnsyva-
mia. where the people borne down and op.
pressed by the present enormous rates of taxa
tion it is to be expected that they will look with
suspicion upon any effort to introduce new
system. But it must be remembered, that the
proposed law acW not increase tie rate Of taratiom
but is only designed to change the mode Of collec
ton. Its evident effect will be to reduce tn,
burden of the people, 5y decreasing the price o
collecting their taxes, and as has been stated
it will enable the county to avail herself of th
abatement of. .fce per cent. for prompt paymen
into the State treasury, which is a very impor
tant item to the taxpayers of the county.
In view, then, of the present inefficient ant
expensive system of collecting State and count,
: taxes, the question presents itself-will not tn
, interests of the taxpayers of Cambria County b
promoted by extending the provisions of the lay
to this county? If the system has met the ex
pectations of the people of Ohio, where It wa
first introduced, and if it has worked well in a
counties in this State in which it has been i
. operation, is 1T not fair to presume that tn
same causes will produce the same results elst
where Besides, if the law should pass and the
fail to realize the predictions Of those who advc
/ cate it, it Can easily be repealed and the ol
u method restored.
|, Intending to follow up the subject in futul
S number Of your paper, | will close this con
munication by asking your readers to give IL
law careful perusal, satisfied that if they vi
N do 50, and make themselves familiar with its pr
d visions, its proposed extension to this count
l. will meet with their approval.
ALLEGHESY.