The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-01-11

S17 48; and the total value of the whole
real property S641 19l8151. The lists of per-
sonal property included in the spring valua
ttions. are not yet made. Should they show an
increase during the year proportioned to that
OF the real property during six years, the
amount will not be less than S257, 900 900 /;
and the general aggregate, assuming that the
total valuation of realty will pot be reduced
by equalization, will be about 100000 900.
I'be increase for six years will be about $685.
600 600.
| The Grand List of 1860 will doubtless
show. with reasonable accuracy, the true
amount of taxable property in the State
Returns of exempt property from all the coun.
ties, except Hamilton and Fayette, exhibit an
aggregate OF S10.570,858. These returns are
ldoubtless imperfect. Fhe real amount of this
description of property. in all the counties in
eluding ehattels, dors not probably, fall much
short of $4,000 600. The Commissioned of
Statistics, basing his opinion on reports of &C
tual sales, estimatAs the entire property in the
State at Sl059 600 600 iF
The population of the State is about two
millions and half Such q papulation. grown
up from the twenty-five thousand of sixty
years ago, educated. energetic and indefatiga-
BILE, and possessed Of such mass of means,
created~by the skill and industry of two gen
eratiops. presents as,riking picture of progress
an power. -. g.. .-t-..-,...
venture 10 suggest the expe1iencf of di
trecting the general valuations of@real estate,
after the next, to he mode once in five years
so that the results obtained under State au-
thority, may be easily compared with those
obtained under Federal in the census years
whils those obtained by tie general valuation
in the intermediate years. and the annual esti.
mates will supply the means of determining the
rate of growth and progress each year during
the interval between those years.
The amount of debts, of whatever descrip-
ton, State, corporate, commercial and every
other, is now estimated at $240 900, 900 but
of these not less, probably, than one-third
wonld be cancelled by payment of other debts
embraced in the same aggregate. The whole
texiSting debt, constituting real charge upon
the whole existing property hardly, if at oil,
exceeds Sl60 100000; about one sixth Of its
-alue. If this sum be compared, not merely
with the entire property. but with the entire
products of the State, which according to my
i" estimate in 1858 amounted in 1857 to $261,.
= 857, 500. and doubtless exceeded that sum in
1883 or with the probable net products after
deductipg the consumption. direct and indi-
rect, of the people, the qualification afforded
hy the spectacle. of our general prosperity
will not be sensibly abated.
While this review of the progressive deyel
opement OF our revenue system and of our
material resources, m lst necessarily inspire a
just confidence in the physical energies and
financial strength OF our great commonwealth
1t will also serve, trust, the humber purpose
of contributing to clearer understanding e
the relations oftaxation and disbursement to
means Of contribution, and of the necessity o.
carefully observing these relations in levies an6
appropriations
The fundamental principle of our revenue
? system. that all property, not exempted upon
overriding considerations of policy, shall con
tribute to necessary public expenses in just
proportion to value, is now firmly established
in the convictions of the people, and nothing
is more certain than that they will insist or
its uniform and universal application. Ifthere
be any description of property which hal
- hitherto escaped Just contribution, the Legis
lature representing the people will not hesitate
to subject it to the operation of the genera
principle. .t zcs.s-. -ss3
1t is a great merit Of the system that it il
easily understood, and that the result of any
given late of assessment cannot materially de
ceive expectation. As the Grand List sup
plies the basis of revenue, and as the necessa
ry means to meet all State. County and mu
nicipal expenses are provided by assess
ments for State purposes on the entire list anc
for local purposes on the property listed with
in the respective localities, legislative adjust
nent of levies to the public needs, and of ap
preparations to levies, can never be difficult
The rates of levy being fixed the revenue for
the years intervening between general valua
tions can always he predicted with reasonable
certainty. The equalized valuation is the per
tba oil al 4 bor
riable elements of the Grand List The
fequazed valuation once made remains un
changed until the next saluation year. The
first Grand List after &c 1alization exhibits thu
aggregate subject to contribution and thu
Grand Lists of subsequent years until nav
valuation, will, of course. exhibit the same ag
. gregate, increased or diminished only by thu
increase or dinIinution of the annual valua
ttions. The Grand List of no year except i'm
mediately after general valuation, or in con
sequence of some legislative action, the re
sults-of which the Legislature must of cours
foresee, can differ widely from that of the pre-
ceding year.
The General Assembly convened in an,
year, has, therefore, always at hand the mean
of ascertaining, with substantial accuracy, tht
revenues of that and the next fiscal year
Leyies already made on the Grand List of tn
preceding year will produce the former, ant
levies on the Grand List of the current veal
of rates fixed or sanctioned by the Legislator
i itself, will produce the latter. With give
basis and given rates it is easy to eomput
revenue. -7s e=s szs -,-
With these observations it seems proper t.
submit to you suggestion more than ono
lsuggested to your predecessors that it is in
tdispensable to every sound financial system
that appropriations be limited nv rayenue
and expenditures by appropriations The dc
Engagements which have sometimes embarrass
ed our finances may be traced, almost invaris
bly,, in the absence of crime, to disregard G
this salutary principle Nothing but an ovel
ruling emergency can justify appropriation
beyond revenue, or expenditures beyond ap
propositions. When so justified, the appro
lpriations in the former case should be promptl
provided for by taxation, and the expenditure
in the latter case should be as promptly r,
]ported TO the Legislature for its judgment an
sanction.
embrace this occasion to suggest the e,
lpediency of requiring, under suitable penaltie
for omission, all officers having charge of worl
or Institutions, to state distinctly, in connexio
with each annual report whether any deb
beyond appropriations, were outstanding {
the close of the year, and, if any, their precis
nature and amount For all such debts tn
officers contracting them are, under existiu
laws, personally responsible, and their pa
ment, without express legislative sanction, OF
of any subsequent appropriation, should /
strictly prob ibiled.
In this connection also renew nv recon
mendation of an appropriation for each We.
of sum sufficient to provide against unfo
seen emergencies, subject only to the warran