The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-09-26
TO T4E CITIZENS OF RALr1nroRE

was prepared by me; and hence | have though
myself justified in an attempt to answer the com
| munication Of Mayor Swami to the CITY Council
In doing so, express my individual views.
THE OBJECT OF THE REFORM ADDRESS.
1t will be seen that the main point and object O
the Reform address are shewn by two dstinc
sentences in it, which are omitted in the co;nmuni
cation OF Mayor Swami, and which will now bt
repeated They are follows: at should be tn,
cardinal policy of the city not to increase its deb
Tor any purpose whatsoever, and taxation should b,
as as low as proper regard to our obligations, will
| tMmS M strictest economy in expenses will admit -
lhe city tax for the present year is one per cent
ana II Is as much as can be borne without inctino
great inconvenience and distress on the people bu
1t manifest that unless there is an entire chang
| IN the management of our finances the debt will bt
largely increased, and the taxes raised to n pont
beyond the endurance of the communitv'
| In this form, the views were declared and tho
potcy exhibited In support of these views it ha,
been ascertalned since writing the address, that it,
leading feature in relation to the rate of citv taxa
ton has heretofore met with the appreciation Of
Mayor Swami, and also of the City Council o
1883. In the annual message Of Mayor Swami tc
the Council in the year 1859, will be found the
following at is my earnest desire, in furtherance
| OF the financial system which | hope to establish
| with the concurrence of your honorable BODY that
a joint resolution be entered into that hereafter
no teUy ShdH be made an any gear erceedinJ ht
Lmt Of one hundred cents in the one hundred doliars
with rigid adherence to a rule of this Sort and a
nXed determination on the part of the representa-
yves OF the people, to iorego all appropriations
| likely to interfere with its operations and to re-
duce the estimates as much below this standard as
| the extraordinary wants of the city from time to
time will justify, it cannot be doubted that capital
VIII De attracted to our city, and fresh impetus
gwen 10 the march of Improvement" 1t will be
| found that on the 4th Nav, 1889 an ordinance was
accordingly passed declaring that the taxes for all
! CITY purposes should not in any one year exceed
| ninety cents IN the hundred DOLLARS
1t is true that in 1850 this ordinance ia nracti
cally repealed, and the tax for CITY purposes raised
from ~ cents to 100 cents in the hundred dollars
| The address insisted that at one per cent the
taxes shall stop, and that here shall be the resting
point, and that no debt shall be contracted no ex-
| penditure incurred beyond what one per cent.
will bring, and that if necessary, all expenses shall
be curtailed and essened so as to prevent an in
crease OF taxes beyond one per cent. After what
had been said and done by the Mayor and CITY
Council, as already shown, the inference might be
fairly drawn that far from disappearing of the
views expressed in this address, they would have
peen pleased to lind so close approximation of
OPINION on the most impOrtan point involved there
in. The increase of the basis of taxation to the
amount of nearly $50 600 600, which has taken
place, and on which the taxes for 1859 and 1850
were imposed, would seem to Justify the views once
held by Mayor Swami, that the rate of taxes for
city purposes should not exceed ninety cents in the
one hundred dollars and tortiori the opinion in
the address that this rate should not exceed one
per cent.
great
apparent satisfaction that the taxes in Baltimore
compare favOrably with those of New York, Phila-
delphia and Boston. In order, however, to make
Just comparison, it is essential to have the full
details OF all the systems. In New York and Phila-
delphia the valuations of property for taxing pur-
poses are low and far less than the actual value
In Philadelphia it is said that the population is as
certained to be 100000, and the manufacturing
capital $50, ,00O, ,000 The real and personal prop
erty of Philadelphia is estimated at $500, 900 600.
and the manufacturing capital, as already stated
at Sl50OOOO0O, while the assessed value upon
which taxation is based amounts to Sl55, ,G97 G69
little more than One-third of the real value. In
New York the assessed value of property is said to
be low, and falls principally on real estate-trade,
paying little or no tax, and of course, the basis is
narrowed and the rate OF tax increased. gen.
teman from New York who was lately here, in
formed the writer that his dwelling was valued for
taxing purposes at So 500, while its real value was
$4,000. In Boston the tax of 90 cents, it is said
includes both State and city taxes In Baltimore
the assessed value for taxing purposes is upwards
of Sl30 900 000 and it is known that the valuations
are full, and in many cases far beyond the market
prices OF the property taxed Independent of these
considerations it is true that looking to the great
difference which exists in the population, wealth
and resources in favor of these cities as compared
with Baltimore, that a tax which they NAV bear
must be most oppressive here.
1t is also known that, under the Baltimore svs-
TEN there are many cases of double taxation, some
times, indeed, they are three-fold, and in a COM
munity where the practice of leasing for 90 wears,
renewable forever, prevails to the extent it does
here, these taxes fall for the most part upon
the tenants the parties least able to bear them. IT
| is also known that an increase of taxation must
cause the rents to advance and that in the present
condition of business and value of property in this
city, the taxes now imposed are as great can be
| borne.
The next step is to review some OF the promine en-
! points connected with the expenditures of money
! for city purposes.
PRESENT SESSION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
The City Council has been in session for $50 DAYS
The appropriations by this body for the year 1860
! including general and special appropriations
have endeavored to get, but have failed in the ef
fort and can only give an approximate estimate OF
them They will not be far short of s., 400 900. 1t
| is not intended to charge that the expenditures
! equal these appropriations, but the statement is
that the appropriations for all purposes will ap-
| proXimate the above mentioned sum. | have been
| unable to extract those which are legitimate ex-
penditures from those which arise from other trans
| actions The only purpose now is, to show how
vast are the interests cOnfded to this body, and
how important it is that they be intrusted to hon
est, able and upright men, who have an interest in
preserving and taking of the finances of the
| city. The session of the City Council has at this
| time, as have sad been continued for $50 DAYS.
| This session still continues. The circumstances
under which many of the members were elected
are fresh in the memories of the people, and it will
| be long before they are forgotten. The con.
| duct of many of them will also be long remember.
ed They have held on to power and still hold on
and may do until their successors are appointed
| The time will come, and that shortly, when full
| examination will be made into all that has been
done, and when will be known exactly the condi-
ton of this city-but it is doubtful if it ever will
be known to what extent contracts and sub-cOn
tracts have been made, connected with the differ
ent operations of the City Government. This ses
sion still continues, and the expense still goes on
All that ought to have been done might have beer
done and we'll done in from 40 to 80 days; in proba
bly, about one-fourth of the time they have been
Ir,t4 IL. Il.
cular change is required, that reform is moi
needed in this matter, and that the expenditure
for city purposes ought not, as far as they arise
from prolonged sessions, to be lessened?
CITY JAIL
The people of Baltimore are familiar with the
proceedings which have taken place in reference t
this building. The Jail as originally designed wa
! to have cost Sl02, $50, and contract made t.
build it for that sum. The amount actually ex
pended, including cost of furniture, amounts t
S29l ,940.72. The work is not yet finished
and the above must yet be increased. TC
what extent is unknown. The Messrs. Reynold
have obtained judgment against the city on ac
count of this a for S29, $685. with interest from
l9th July, 1859, and costs, which is ex
lusive Of the amount of the above $29l, $40. 72
The verdict in their favor was for S35,
| 1853, but this was reduced by order o
the Court to the above amount. Mayor Swami il
his communication about the Jail does not refer t.
this judgment, as is supposed because the city ha
entered an appeal in this case. Such are the fact
| about the Jail. They speak for themselves. Sucl
a case has, it is believed, never before occurred
and it is hoped that nothing like it will eve
hereafter have to be recorded.
WESTERN RAIL ROAD.
The city of Baltimore has guaranteed the bond
of the Western Railroad to the amount of $500, 900
and hence may arise addition to the city debt
| have not space or inclination to enquire into tn,
future Of this railroad, and will not denounce it il
advance as certain to prove unproductive, but ou
past experience must show the uncertainty tha
| exists on this point. The city of Baltimore ha
sunk in the Susquehanna Railroad the sum of 5000,
000 in the Tide-Water Canal the sum of $3.50, 900
in the Connellsvile Railroad the of 81 900 0G0
and, it is feared, in the Parkersburg Railroad tn
| sum of 81 SOC, ,000 The city of Baltimore becam
| responsible for the York and Cumberland Railroad
| Company to the amount of S500000 on which, VI
to this time, there has been loss. The city o
Baltimore subscribed SO, 100000 in the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, on which, for. many years, NJ
| dividends were paid-at this time these dividend
| are being paid. The loan sto the Baltimore ant
Ohio Railroad by the city amounts to S., ,0OO, 900
| The liabilities of this city for railroad purpose
prior to that assumed for the Western Railroad
amounted to Sl2, ,250, ,000 and, adding this $500 OO
now amounts to 2,750, 900. The loss in the Sus
quehanna Railroad, Tide-Water Canal and Con
nells vile road and the apprehended loss from
the Parkersburg Railroad-were understood
when it was determined to assume this re
sponsibility for the Western Railroad to TIL
extent of 100000. 1t was also known tha
Baltimore had assumed in proportion to her popu
ation, wealth, and resources larger responsioilitie
for railroad purposes than any city in the Union
unless it may be some of the Western cities who d.
not pay. If this action on behalf of the Wester1
Railroad can be justified where are we to stop
where to pause? where to have n breathing spell
The guarantee for the Western Railroad is for $780,
nlk kIr-. r II.