The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-04-02

Taxes-LO0k at the Figures
Intelligent men seldom give vent to their
spite or prejudice when it can only resnlt
ia ipiuring themselves. Wesometimes hear
of individuals willing to cut off their nose
to spite their face, but are confident that
not many of that class are visible in this
latitude We are very sure they are toe
scarce in Evansville to afford Mr.. Johnson
the slightest hope of being elected. The
bulk Of our voting population are property
holders, owners of small homestsadg, who
work for their livelihood, and are vitality
interested in having the city taxes reduced
to the lowest possible limit, and yet furnish
funds necessary to meet the liabilities of the
city and sustain the public Improvements
required By its growth and expanding pros
perity. To these men we offer for their
consideration a few figures, that they may
realize what they are to gain or lose by a
change Of Mayor at this juncture Of effairs.
As general principle, the taxes imposed
upon community, are fair commentary
upon the manner in which the financial af-
fairs of that community are managed.
When we see city, county, or State burden
ed with excessive tazatA,aE W. LET IN.
has charaGta 6dShE TO be said of people,
However, who would thrust aside man
proven to be competent and faithful for one
whose only recommendation is a pleasant
exterior aud oily manners2
The city has bean presided over By two
AayOrs-each Of whom held the reins of
government three years in succession. The
Administration of Mayor HewsOn, we have
no hesitancy in asserting, may safely be
taken as sample Of what may be expected
of Mr.. Johnson if the city should be SO M
fortunate as to witness bis election We
honestly believe this, for the same infuen-
ces and men that controlled and guided the
action of Mayor HewsOn, have combined to
defeat Mr.. Baker and secure the election of
Mr.. johnson. Besides, Mr.. Johnson has
never given evidence Of possessing that f.
nancisl tact and energy which would lead
as to place his qualifications for that posi-
ton much above those Of Mayor Hewsop. !
The taxes for 1856, Mr.. Hewsen,s frst
term, amounted to $50, s45 AZ; the rate of
taxation being one dollar and fifty cents on
every one hundred dollars worth of prop-
erty assessed. The taxes for Is59-Mayor
Bakers first term-was $5I,54I as; the
rate being one dollar and five cents on every
hundred dollars or forty. fee cents per hun
dred dollars less than ia 1856. The whole |
amount of taxes was So, 303 81 less in |
1853 than in 1856, although the wealth of |
the city had undoubtedly largely increased. |
The difference between the years 1857 and
1860 was thirty.JfUe cents, and between the
years 1858 and 1861, tscenty-aine esnts on
every one hundred dollars of assessed
value. The average levy of taxes on the
property ofthe city while Mr.. Hewson was
Mayor was one dollar thirty sir and one third
cents on every hundred; the average for the
past three years is one dollar only, being a
saving to the tax payers of the city of
thirty-sir and oHe-third cents on every one
hundred dollars worth of property in the
city each year, or one dollar and ssias cents
for tbs thres years. The assessed value of
taxables for the last three years is, in the
aggregate, SI63l2,s54 Multiplying this
by 363, the per cent. saved every year and
we have the enormous sum OF Jffty.fostr
thousand tioo hundred and sizty dollars and
t"rte cents, 1854, 26O O3) saved to the city
" having an honest, energetic, and capa-
Ole Mayor. 10 other words, had the affairs
q the c'ty been managed during the psst
three years as they We're ia 1853 1887 ana &
1858, and the rate Of tarattoa ye,ao;ns5 u. 9
same, the people Of the city ,o-dav -
be S54, 26o o3 poorer than thew resI,v 80
Is not this fact sufficiently clear to convi-...
the people whom they ought to sunnor.
for Mayor if they regard their own hest i
terests c
This may seem strange to some. when
the difference in the amount of taxes levied !
as set forth in the report of the Clerk is c
only $3.50 l6, but the difference can be Z
accounted for by the large increase in value !
Of the property of the city, which the report '