Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-05-11
THE BOUNTY TAX AGAIN.

gan" attempts to answer our article on Tax
atom by sort of quasi defense OF the
Commissioners, endeavoring as usual to
throw dust in the eyes of its readers, by di-
verting attention from the real points in is
sue We charged the Commissioners with
saddling debt of over SIS, COCOON the eoun-
ty, by their neglect or refusalto offer boun-
ty when men could be obtained for mode
rate sum, having waited from the 18th of
October 1868, until the 4th of March, 1864.
To this there is no answer and no explana-
ton We charged them, also, with pro-
ceeding, for partisan purposes, to levy a tax,
before they knew the amount of the debt
they had incurred, and what sum would be
necessary to liquidate it. On this subject
the ''organ" is equally silent. We charged
them, moreover, with distributing their
bonds in such way, and doing their bust
ness in such a manner, that they could not
pay the bonds when the taxes were collect
ed, nor get them back if the men We're not
obtained. To this the organ deigns no reply
But we further charged them with having
iOfAS0 tOO idi oi Va IDA pics
ent year, being five per cent. on the entire
valuation, and this charge the organ endeav-
ors to explain away, reducing the amount
from $50, 953 rs as we gave it, to Sal, 49,
q To do this, it says, first, that our state
ment of the total valuation of the county,
is incorrect. It may be SO, as we took it
from the Clearfeld Republican, of the Sth
of January, 1862, which l,rofessed to pub
lish the triennial assessment made that year.
If they will turn to their files, they viii find
the total valuation given at 81, 694, ,933 IF
it is erroneous, therefore, it is their own
fault, and is only on par with everything
else published in their delectable sheet.
Next they say that ten per cent. should be
deducted for notwithstanding SS, 49,
90. Then 333 per cent. for unseated lands
Then per cent for soldiers generations
Then q for Treasurers' fees They had
better deduct it all, and be done with it.
What amount will be deducted for exon
erations, we confess we are unable to say, as
it must depend entirely on the discretion Of
the Commissioners themselves, which we do
not conceive TO be Of very high order.
For instance, one of their number recently
consented to an 'exoneration" under the fol-
lowing circumstance One of our wealth
lest citizens invested two thousand dollars
in the bonds furnished to the township TO
which the Commissioner belonged. Hethen
applied to that fuhctionary to have the two
thousand dollars of money at interest with
which he was assessed, exonerated, which
was accordingly agreed to be done What
amount of the tax, therefore, will be exon
Grated, it is impossible for any one TO say.
It may even reach the full extent of the
eighteen per cent deducted by the organ. 1t
ought not to reach ten per cent, including
the property Of soldiers exempt BY the laW
Then as to the tax on unseated lauds-
why deduct this? VIII it not be laid again
next year, and will not the whole amount
if it come into the Treasury? The fact that
it will not be paid for two years, does not
affect the amount Necessary to be laid. It
only affects the question of the time when
the bonds should be made payable If it is
not collected for two years, then more of the
bonds should de made payable in two years.
Itdoes not follow, that other property should
pay the whole debt, before the taxes ON the
unseated lands come due.
Where they get the authority to deduct
. per cent for Treasures fees, " is a
mystery to us. The bounty law explicitly
provides that the compensation of the Treas
urer for receiving and disbursing this fund
shall be zone half Of one per cent" He has
no right to charge or retain any more than
this, land we presume will not attempt to $50
We reiterate, then, our former statement,
that the amount of taxes laid for the pres
ent year, is more than half of the whole
debt incurred, assuming that our entire quo
ia is filed. We say, moreover, that the
levying of such a tax was injudicious, I'M
necessary, and unjust-that it was done fot
partisan purposes the manner in which
the whole business has been transacted is
loose and discreditable, and that the num-
Der of men obtained will cost the county
more than twice as much as they should
have done. 1t is extremely doubtful, more
over whether after all this expense and trou-
bic, the quota will be filled
Chairman of the State Committee.
We announced last week that Hon.
C.n,o,, T.,,,rsuo., lol boo,