Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-04-26

Tile Condition of the Sto,o Treasury.

4 nc tONutttON ~ tNt CUft IftOSWUs
There is ono fact known TO the people
of the State Of Ohio, Gnd that is that
there is annually collected from them an
enormous amount Of money for the sup
port Of the State G government. Whether
the earth yields her fruit in due season or
the crops fail, whoAhcr the business of the
people be prosperous or otherwise, the de-
mands of the tax gatherer are made, and
the people are compelled to meet thom.-
The whole amount must be paid without
abatement, and <, all know that there
has, been a grGdtal augmentation of the
taxes annually collected from the people.
OF this fact we need present no proof to
the ax.payers. They all know it, in
their own experience, to be true. Every
man in Ohio who owns piece of real es
tate, is aware thst the demands upon him
in the shape Of taxes, amount to fair
rent upon his own property which he is
compelled to pay for its use.
What disposition is made of the enor-
nous sums drawn from the people in the
shape Of taxes, is.not so well known. In
deed there appears to be a mystery about
the expenditure of the public money not
easily unravoled. The people know that
they pay their taxes, but they do not
know how all the money is expended.-I
Official statements and investigations
seem to be successful in producing contu
sion and nothiAg else.
The Republican party has claimed, and
/ Gov. Chase, Gov. Dennison and others
have asserted thnt in the four years end
ing November 18th, 1859, (thc four years
/ Of Gov. Chasc's administration, the
! State Government was managed with re-
markahlc economy and integrity. They
have all claimed for this term that it was
model to be followed in the future, and
when compared with the extravaganza Of
the Democracy for the four years preced
ing it--a term ending November 10, 1855
it contrasted most favorably. We are
assured by these Republican authorities
that in Gov. Chase's four years there was
expended in the administration Of our af-
fairs, E540l 1865 so less than in the four
years Immediately preceding. If this
claim be founded in truth, there can be
no reason, that we cal imagine, why the
public Golfers should not now be full,
since during all Of this term the total
amount of taxes was regularly collected
from the people, and in addition thereto,
there was paid into the Treasury in 1856,
bank taxes which accrued prior to Novcm-
Der 10, 1850, bnt the payment of which
was suspended, because of the suits pend
ip,r hnt,r tbn Cf,t opl I, l.. l.,
sum Of $50, ,06I 20. 1t being an admit
ted fact which no man can have the har
dihood to deny, that the taxes of the peo-
pie were regularly collected from them
during Gov. Chase's term-that these
taxes were as large if not larger than they
were ever before, and in addition that
there was paid into the Treasury in 1856
suspended Bank taxes which accrued pri-
; or to November Is, 1865, the amount o
$50, ,96l 20, how does it happen thai
t the Treasury is now bankrupt? Why
should it be so, and what is the cause o
it? 1t is alleged by these Republican,
that the Democracy were very eXtrava-
tgant for the four years Immediately pre-
,ccling Gov Che,-o's term, but vet they
ipaid as they went and they collected nc
greater sum annually from the people
than was collected during his term. The
, claim for extraordinary economy set M
, by the Republicans for Gov. Chase's ad-
miniStration cannot be true, or if it be-
then large amount Of funds belonging to
the State of Ohio must have mysterious
t ly disappeared, or tie 7reasmy ,could no,
now be compelled to Mrn array tie publ,
creditors mithompaytng therjust demands
against Il.
= The announcement which we mad,
s some weeks ago that the Treasury of Ohio
n was unable to pay the current demand
d against it, has induced our cotcmporar,
% of the Ohio State journal to attempt al
explanation of the extraordinary condi
o ton of the Finances, and it has unwit
ting made scme singular developments
" In that paper of the 18th instant, it is sal
:, that
"Lost year (lS59) the legislature ad
" journcd on the 9th of April BY the mid
'i die of that month the general revenue fun
5. was exhausted. The Comptroller, on tn
ID 10th of April, drew upon the Treasure
~ of Hamilton county for 500, 900, whic
y was paid. On the 7th of June anotho
1t draft on the same officer for $4,000 wa
s made and promptly met, BY the 25th {
n June, drafts on various county treasurer
20 to the amount of $l05, ,44S 27 had bee
- made, and the proceeds paid ont. An
p" before the county trcasurers came in
settle in August, (under the somi-annu,
We system, there had been drawn from thei
T., and used in the treasury, the sum of SlS(
" 557 %. This was all in aaoance of II
'e period where it properly belonged. [
n course, when in August, the county treas
s. urcrs made their settlements, they pr
!, sented the drafts of the Comptroller upo
ho them in payment OF the general cevenl
fund, due from them, which they Ia
al previously paid; and at the close of tt
he settlements the treasury was in about Il
RI same condition twas in April.
lis $50 soon as the full payment of tax,
,o commenced, the Comptroller again bcga
to draw upon the Treasurer for gener
revenue. On the 2d of November he Dire
, for 81, 900. On the 2Sth of Novemh
" he drew for Sl57,0 900. And before Fo
w. ruary settlements began, he had draw
80 from the County Treasurers the sum
~ $2lO, ,2iO 90, ar nearly a quarter of
of million of dollars. These sums were +
M quired to pay the appropriations of Il
Democratic Legislature of 1859 tn,