The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-01-15
the amount Of property from which to

VIZ "AAAOuus "a PioPSssy ~
raise means of payment. | am well con-
Il WINGED that taxes are paid most promptly
by our farmers and BY men of comparative
! ly small means, and that there are very
flew Of us who do not spend yearly for
articles Of luxury which do not promote
either our health, our prosperity, or our
happiness. more than the sum required
from us rs taxes for the support of the
government that protects us. The sub
ject of revenue and taxation assumes q
graver interest and Importance at this
time for the reason that our State is called
upon for the first time since its admission
to pay direct tax for the support of the
General Government We may expect to
be called on TO pay during the present
year Federal tax of from 5000, 900 to
100000. This is rendered necessary by
the heavy expenditures incurred by the
General Government in preparing to put
down the Rebellion IN certain States of
the Union. A resort to loans has been
and must continue to be necessary to
meet these expenses, and prudence and
sound economy require that the General
| Government shall not be compelled to
borrow money to pay the interest accruing
upon its loans. The interest upon loans
made and to be made must be met by ac-
tual payment, and not by mourning fur
thcr indebtedness. The capitalists Of the
country have thus far responded noby to
the calls made upon them by the Govern
ment, and have gwen it assistance and
support as necessary as that rendered by
the soldiers in the field. Six hundred
thousand gallant men, of whom twenty
thousand are from our own State, are in
arms, giving their labor, their health, and
their lives, for the country. and now the
call comes to us who are at home, and we
arc asked to give little of our substance
to the same good cause,
l have caused to be prepared from docu-
ments in the Office of the Auditor of State
table, hereto appended, giving some in
teresting information touching the taxes
paid by our people. II will perhaps be a
matter Of surprise to many that the taxes
for the support of the State Government
bear SO small proportion to the entire
amount of taxes paid 1t appears from
this table that the whole amount of taxes
for all purposes for 1861 was S1,700,0 900,
and that ofthis amount only $500 900 was
expended from the State Treasury for
State purposes, while 81 400, 900 were ex
pended from the several County Treasur-
ers, for county and other purposes, /
regard this table as useful, for this among
other reasons, viz: that the people have
been led to believe that the great bulk OF
taxes was caused by the expenditures OF
the State Government under apprepria
tions made by the General Assembly, and
they have been taught to look to reduc-
ton Of State expenses as the means oil
relief from taxation. This table shows
clearly and conciusiyely that of every
$500 paid by the people of the State as
taxes, but one dollar reaches the State
Treasury or is used for State purposes
while the other 81 GIG are retained in the
county and used for county and other pur.
poses. would not desire our people to
relax their vigilart supervision OF State
expenses. but am of opinion this infor.
nation may lead them to give as yigilan,
supervision to the expenditures of their
respective counties, where equal vigilance
is, in my Judgment, equally needed |,
} is evident from an inspection of the table
! showing the amount of taxes paid and
\ the purposes for which paid, that if it be
deemed desirable to decrease our present
. expenditures by an amount equal or ap
| proximating to the amount of taxes re
, quired by the General Government, mucl
) the greater amount of such reduction
must be made ia the taxes levied for othe
than State purposes.
; In some particulars the expenses of tn
State may be materially less for the mex
9 than for the last two years. The appro
, priation Of Sl9, 500 for the Revised Statu
: ties was temporary and will not be agai
required. The amount appropriated 70
e past Indebtedness of the Penitentiary
: SIS, 500, has nearly paid that indebted
: ness, and but nominal sum will be need
t ed for that purpose. The amount afpro
K priated for the general support Of tn
: prison has been SO well managed that til
< amount thereof unexpendea is deemed b
a the Warden sufficient for the next tw
b years, 60 that the amount of s35, 900 ar
y propriatsd at the last regular session fc
0 that purpose need not be renewed i
! whole or in part. OF the. amount {
g us 900, appropriated at the last scssio
! for finishing and. furnishing the cent?
/ and East wing Of the Insane Asylun
J. about SIS, 900 remain unexpended, whic
! balance, with $50, 900 now asked for,
n deemed sufficient to complete the Hhol
! building. So that the appropriation necd
= ed Sd .ss construction account in that inst
= tuition may be SIS 900 less than at til
= last session. The Blind Asylum at Viz
>. ton is now under cover, and not liable I
E, injury from the weather. aud if 70
"a aLa..ld daa.,a l. llo ..aA n. =.