The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-01-18


croase in tho quantity of land Of I9O, 1868
acres.
Increase in the value oflaud,
not in cities and villages, of S54 l53. .9S7
Decrease OF value of real cs-
tato in cities g. villages, Of S,373,GS0
Total increase in val. of real
estate, 45,7sO, 1907
Total decrease in tho yaluo of
personal property 3 3S7 657
Tho basis of taxation being 1855. 3O2 COL
and the State levy for all purposes thirty
nine and a half cents on each ono hundred
dollars of valuation, the total amount OF
taxes FOR State purposes on the duplicate
OF 1860, to be collected during tho year 6l
is s., 500 1928. This sum is distributed
among the several funds IN tho following
proportion, viz:
Tho gen'l revenue, 8 cts. on
each 800, 500 1876, Oh
The sinking fund, II 2 cts.
on Zach 300. 1851 ,575 IL
The Common School Fund,
II cts. on each $lo0, l,242sll,7e
Tho taxes leviod by local authorities
amount to sS7,3l3 963,4l, making total oI
$!0,Sl7,676,Si leyiod on the duplicate OF
1860.
From those exhibits, it will bo seen that
the taxes lowed for local and municipal pur.
! poses far exceed in amount those levied for
State purposes. ! cannot doubt that with
proper vigilance and economy, the local
! taxes might be considerably lessoned. The
property holders of our cities most particu,
larly feel these burdens, and with great jus.
| tice ask for somo prescribed limit to local
taxation. Ample authority is given by tho
Constitution to the Legislature to restrict
tho lovies of municipal governments. re.
spectfully call your attention TO this i'm
portant subject, and trCst that you may be
able to provide somo relief for tho pcople
from tho oppressive local lakes with which
they arc now burdened. | invite your at
tention to tho suggestions of tho Treasurer
of State, relating to the description o! funds
to be received in payment of the public
dues. The law establishing the Indupond
ent Treasury. whio providing for tho grad
ual prohibition of payments in paper money
by tho State and County Treasurcrs, and
restricting tho payments to gold and silver
after the 4lh day of July, 1868, does not
prescribe, nor does any other law prescribe,
tho kind of funds TO be received by those
officers. This is mauifestly defect iG tho
and purpose, Tho responsibility ought not
to no imposed upon the Treasurors, to pre-
scribe the kinds of funds to be received in
payment of tho public dues. This should
I.be done by tho General Assembly. My own
opinion is that the public interests would be
promoted by restricting such payments to
specie and the notes of tho specie paying
Banks of this State, and l respectfully rec
ommond that the law be amended accord
ingly.
The subjects OF banking and currency ad-
dress themselves with equal force and di'
rectness to the people of the State. What
ever theories we may entertain on these
subjects; whatever ingenious and beautiful
visions of people without banks, and gold
aud silver their only currency, the practical
realities are boforo us: we haVe banks; VIC
have paper money. As matter of fact,
banking is but Que of tho divisions of labor
into which commerce is subdiyided, and
among every commercial people tho bust
moss of tho banker is as Indispensable as
that of the shipper, transporter or consgn'
or, in transacting the business of tho coun-
try. The practical question which addresses
itself to the legislator is not, whether the
State may or may mol dispense with the use