Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-01-12
crease for six years Vii be about 80

crease forsix years vii be about 33,
IO0u, ,GuO. aiel taf D tl.l. .h..
a The Grand List Of 1860 will doubtless
show, with reasonable accuracy. the
|, true amont Of taxable property in the
; State. Returns Of exempt property
from all the counties, except Hamilton
} and Fayette, exhibit an aggregate Of
, Io,57O,8J8 These returns are donbt
less imperfect. The real amount Of
) this description of property in all the
J counties, including chattcIs, does not,
. probably, fall much short of 500 o,000
The Commissioner Of Statistics, basiDg
his opinion on reports Of actual sales,
estimates the entire property in the
State, at l,050,00O,0o0.
The population Of the State is about
two millions and half. Such a phpu.
ation, grown up from the twenty hve
thousand OF sixty years ago, educated,
energetic and indefatigab'e, and posses.
sed Of such mass of means, created
by the. skill and industry Of two geuer-
, ations, presents striking picture of
progress and power
1 venture to suggest the expeiiency
of directing the general valuation Of
) real estate, after the next, to be made
! once in FIVE years SO that the results
Obtained under Stale authority, may be
easily compared with those Obtained
under Federal in the census years |;
while those obtained by The general
valuation in the intermediate years, and
the annual estimates, will supply the
means of determining the rate of growth
and progress each year. during, The in.
terval between those gears.
The amount of debts, Of whatever
description, State corporate, CONNER.
cial and every other, is now estimated
at "a, ,0U0iu0d., but Of these not less
probably than one third would be can.
celed by payment Of other debts embra-
ced in the same aggregate. The whole
existing debt, Constituting a real charge
upon the whole existing property, hard
ly, if at all, exceeds 1890 0,OOo; a.
bout one sixth Of its value. IL this sum
be compared, not merely with the entire
property. but with the entire produce of
the State, which according to my esti-
mate in l. 5S, amounted IN 357 to
81, i67, 800 and doubtless exceeded that
sum in, B59, or With the probable net
product after deducling the. consump.
ton, direct and indirect, Of the people,
the qualification afforded by the specia-
Gle of our general prosperity, will not
be sensibly abated.
While this review of the progressive
development of our revenue system and
of our material resources, must neces.
sarily inspire just confidence in the
physical energies and financial strength
of our great common wealth, it will also
serve, trust, the hupble purpose OF
contributing 10 clearer understand
, ing OF the relations aud disbursement to
means of contribution, and of the me-
: cessty of carefully observing these
relations in levies and appropriations.
The fundamental principle of our rev.
enue system, that all property not ex'
empted upon overruling considerations
of policy, shall Contribute to necessary
/, expenses in just proportion TO value. is
now firmly established in the cOnvic'
tions of the people, and nothing is more
certain than that they will insist on it:
: uniform and universal application. u
there be any description Of property
which has hitherto escaped just conlri
button, the Legislature, representing the
people, will not hesitate to subject it to
the operation Of the general principle.
1t is a great merit oil the system tina,
J it is easily understood. and that the
. | Of
! cannot materially deceive expectation
: As the Grand list supplies the basis o
revenue, and as the necessary means to
I meet all State, County. and municipa
expenses are provided by assessments
: for State Purposes on the entire list, ,and
for local purposes on the property list
. ell within the respective localities, leg
a islative adjustment OF levies TO the pub
:. lie needs. and of appropriations to lev
v les can never be difficult. The rates oi
!; levy being fixed, the revenue tor the
r years intervening between general valu
a ations can always be predicted with
reasonable certainty. The equalzec
n valuation is the permanent, and the
. annual valuations are the variable ele
- HiCulb " tuc 1Iuuu LtTIs nc Cquui
9 lied valuation once made remains un
s changed until the next valuation year
y The first Grand List after equalization
exhibits the aggregate subject to con-
= tribution; and tie Grand List Of sub
9 sequent years until new valuation
s will, OF course. exhibit the same aggre
! gate, increased or diminished only By
n the increase or diminution Of the annua
valuations. The Grand List OF no yea
i except immedlA lely after a general val
b uaiion, or in consequence of some Leg
e islative action the results OF which III,
Legislature must Of course foresee. cal
g differ widely from that OF the preceding
u year.
n The General Assembly convened il
o any year, mas. therefore, always at han'
/ the means of ascertaining, with sub
slantal accuracy, the revenues Of tha
!. and the next fiscal year. Leviss aread,
is made on the Grand List OF the prece
e ding year will produce .he former, ant
IS levies on tie Grand List of the curren
e yepr of rates 6xed or sarctioned h,