The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-01-13


hbitod an aggregate of S4lo7e3, lGo. The
Increase in six years had been almost in
credible. 1t was 2Sl ,409,503.
Before the time for the second valuation
under tho act Of 1916 had arrived, u now
Constitution had been adopted. The prin.
ciplo of that act, extended in its application
to all property whatever with some specific
exemptions, was now Incorporated into the
law; and tho first General
Assembly under the Now Constitution, pro.
vided for general valuation and cqualza.
ton of property in 1853, and eyOry sixth
year thereafter. In pursuance of this act,
tho fifth general valuation took place and
was cqualzed in 1853. Tho aggregate OF
tho cqualizsd valuation WAS 558, ,725, ,542.-
Tho personal property listed tho following
spring was valued ht 297 06l ,572 The
Grand List for 1854, including with these
values those Of tho lands and new improve
mcnts listed in the spring, was SEC 929 902.
Tho Increase in sovon years had boon again
startling. 1t was 456, l66 S22.
The apprisa, now moro closely approached
tho roal value,and no such apparently rapid
augmentation Of the list could bc in future
expected.
Tho sixth valuation took place during tho
past year, under an act of ihe last General
J,
completed. According to tho returns made
by tho County Auditors, under tho act OF
April last, the aggregate number of acres
taxed is 253l4, $50, the average valuc OF
each acre, l74S, and tho total value of the
whole real poproty SG4l, ,9lS,l5l. Tho lists
of personal property included in the spring
valuations are not yet made. Should thoy
show an increase during the year proper.
toned to that of the real property during
six years, tho amount will not be less than
257 ,000, 900 and the general aggregate, as.
sumiGg that the total valuation of real
property will not DO reduced by equaliza-
ton, will be about 900,000,000. Tho in
crease for six years will be about $4,000 900.
| Tho Grand List of 1860 will doubtless
show, with reasonable accuracy. tho true
amount OF taxable property in the state
! Returns of exempt property from all the
counties, except Hamilton and Fayctte, cx-
hitit an aggregate of l0,5I0,S59. These re.
turns nro doubtless imperfect. Tho real
amount of this description of property, in
all tho counties Including cbattels, does not,
probably, fall much short of 50,000,0OO -
The Commissioners of Statistics, 5asing his
opinion on reports of actual sales, estimates
tho entire property in the state at l 900, ooo,-
900,
The population of the State is now about
two millions and a half. Such population,
grown up from tho twenty-five thousand OF
sixty years ago, educated, energetic and in
dofatigable, and possessed of such mass
of means, created by the skill and Industry
!; of two generations, presents striking
picture of progress and power
I venture to suggest tho expediency OF
directing the general Valuations OF rea
estate, after tho next, to bo made onco II
five years; 30 that the results obtained un
der State authority, may be easily compared
. with those obtained under Federal in the
. census years while those obtained by tho
general valuation in the intermediate to years
: and the annual estimates. will supply th'
= means of determining tho rate Of growth ant
, progress each year during tho interval bo
u tween those years.
o Tho amount of debts of whatovcr dc
o scription. State, corporate, commercial an
o overy othor is now estimated at 2iO, 900 ,OOC
D but of these not less probably, than one thirc
y would be cancelled by payment of othc
, debts embraced n tho same aggregate. Th
n whole existing debt, constituting a re'
charge upon the whole existing propert.
y hardly, If at ALL exceeds l60 100000; nbot
h one sixth os its value. If this sum be con
y pared, not merely with the entire propert.
d but with tho entire products Of the Stat
d which according to my estimate in lS5
70 amounted in 1857 to 26l ,S67 500; an
0, doubtless exceeded that sum in 1858, {
10 with the probable net products after d,
n Quoting the consumption, direct or indlrec
of the people, tho qualification afforded b
tho spectacle of our general prosperity, wi
% not be sensibly abatod.
It While this review of the progressive d.
e velopmcnt of our revenue system and OF oil
d material resources, must necessarily inspi'
'e just confidence in the physical encrgi
It and financial strength of our great Common
,t wealth, it will nlso serve, | trust, the hun
D. bier purpose of contributing to a clear,
u, understanding of tho relations of taxatit
of aud disbursement to means of contribute
and of the necessity of carefully obsorvir
" these relations in levies and appropriation
y The Fundamental principle OF our revenl
10 system, that oil property not exempted upt
10 ovorrulng considerations of policy, sba
p contribute to necessary public expenses
or Just proportion to value, is now firmly
10 tabished in tho convictions of the poop!
and nothing is more certain than they W
o. insist on its uniform and universal apple
IN ton. II tbore be any description of pro
OF erty which has hitherto escaped just CO
by trbpion, the Legislature representing q
K people will not hesitate to subject il 20 Il
ad operation of the general principle.
nc 1t is q great merit Of the system that 1t
u easily understood, and that tho result Of al
given rate of assessment cannot material
nu deceive expectation. AS the GrnnG L.
:. supplies tho basis of revenue, and rs I!
l'S necessary means to meet all State, coun
~, and municipal expenses arc provided
'or assessments for State purposes on the entl
!" list and for local purposes on the proper
listed within the respective localities, leg
o. lative adjustments of lovies to the pub
needs, and of appropriations to leVies c
'h never be difficult. The rates of levy bel
'ut fixed, tho revenue for the years intoryenl
oi between general valuations can always
TO- pl edicted with reasonable certainty. I
~ caualizGd valuation is the permanent, a
IN the annual valuations are tho variable Q
OF monts of tho Grand List. The equaliz
na, valuation once made remains unchanged
ieu ,e the next valuation year. The first Ora
me List, af;er equalization exhibits the agg
VI ut gate subject TO contribution and tho dra
,ns Lists OF subsequent years until new vail
ior ton, will, OF course, exhibit tho same agg
a., gate, increased or diminution OF the ann
all valuations. Tho Grand List of no ye
ION except Immediately after the general val
cry ton, or in consequence of some legislat
action, tho results of which the Leglslat
.oy must of course, can differ widely from I
,Is, ,hn, of the preceding year
'ro' The General Assembly convened in