Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-07-02

z DLlEs
poses. The increase of taxation fol
State purposes during the last few yearI
has been small, but many items of ia K
alton for local purposes are increasing
rapidly. The taxation for example. in
the thirty-three cities of the State has
increased until, according to the report
of the Auditor of State, uiu several
the rates OF levy exceed three pel
cent, and the average rate in all is but
little short OF three per cent" In this
condition of the financial affairs of the
State, and in the EN- barrassed aud de.
pressed condition of the business oi
the country, the duty Ofthe Legislature
was plain. They were to see that nc
unnecessary adiGiOnal burd ems were I'm
posed upon the people-that all whole
some restraints and Limitations upon
the power of local authorities to incur
debts and levy taxes should be preser.
we'd and enforced, and especially that
no increase of Liabilities should be au-
thorized except in cases of pressing nee
essity.
Now cousidert the facts. These gen
tlemen protessed 10 be scrupulOusly
strict in their observance of the require
ments of the Constitution. Yet under
provisions which contemplate one legis.
latiye session in two years they held
two sessions in the same year, and
three sessions in their term of two
years. They were in session two hun.
dred and sixty days-longer than was
ever before known IN Ohio, and at ar
ex pense of $3.50, ,624. 10-more thar
double that of their Republican I'rede-
cessors.
They created between thirty and for.
ty new offices at a cost to the peOple
for salaries, fees and expeBses-of al
least SIS, 900 per anuum. They added
to the State liabilities for various pur-
poses about 81 SOC, 900. In order tc
sawrr M an Trara fsfN Nea~r
State purposes they diminished the
sum levied to pay the State debt, and
increased the levy for other State pur-
poses almost $500, 900.
The acts of the last Legislature in re-
latiOn to local debts and local taxes are
of the most extraordinary character.
These acts relate to raising money for
county purposes, for township purposes,
for city and village purposes, and for
special purposes. These taxes or debts
are levied or incurred under the direc-
tion of county commissioners, town
ship trustees, or of city or village cOun-
ellis, who derive their authority exciu-
siveIy from S ate legislation. The
Legislature has therefore the control OF
the whole matter. Now, the general
statement " hich I wish to make, and
which I believe is sustained by The
facts is, that the late Democratic Legis-
lature authorized greater local pecuni-
ary burdens to be imposed upon the
people of Ohio, without their consent,
than were ever before authorized by
any General Assembly, either in peace
or war, since the organization OF our
State government.
Sixty or seventy different acts were
passed authorizing debts to be contract
ed, amounting in the aggregate to
more than S25, 100000. A large part of
them bear eight per cent. interest, and
a very small part bear less than seven
and three-tenths per cent. interest.
And they passed seventy or eighty acts
by which additional taxes were author
lied to the amount of over $4,000, 600.
Now it is to be hoped, as to a consid-
cradle part of the local debts and local
taxes authorized by the late Democrat
ie legislature, that the people Will not
be burdened with them. 1t is to be
hoped that County Commissioners,
City Councils, and other local boards,
will show greater moderation and econ
omy in the exercise OF their dangerous
and oppressive powers under the laws
than was exhibited in their enactment.
But in any event, nothing is more GER
tain than that the people of Ohio have
great reason to apprehend that the evil
consequences of these laws will be felt
in their swollen tax bills for many
years.
to which 1 have alluded creating addi-
tiouaI of1ces, mourning State liabilities,
and authorizing local debts and taxes
were required by sound policy. But a
candid investigation viii show that the
larger part of these enormous burdens
of expenditure, debt and taxation
could and ought to have been avoided.
The last Legislature AFFORDED ex-
amples Of many of the worst evils to
which legislative bodies are liable
long sessions, excessive legislation, un-
nece ssary expenditures, and reckless
ness in authorizing local debts and To-
cal taxes. These evils ''have increased,
are increasing, and ought to be dimin-
ished." Let there be reform as to all of
them. Especially let the people of all
parties insist that the parent evil-long
Legislative sessiOos-shall be reformed
long sessions, set by the last Legisla-
ture, be condemned, and the practice
of short sessions established. With the
average rate of taxation in the cities
and large towns of the State-nearly
three per cent.-legitimat business
and industry cannot continue to thrive,
if the rate of taxation con inues to in
crease. With the rates of interest foI
public debts, ranging from seven and
three-tenths per cent. to eight per cent,
the reckless increase OF such debts must
stop, or will seriously affect the pros
perity of the State. These are subjects
which deserve, and which, trust, will
receive the profound attention of the
people in the pending canvass.
It is said that one of the ablest Demo
cratic mem bers of the last Legislature
declared at it's close that "enough had
been done to keep the Democratic party
out of power in Ohio for twenty years.
Let the Republican press and Repub'
lican speakers see TO it that the history
of the acts of that body be spread fully
before the people, and ] entertain NJ
doubt that the declaration Will be SUD
stantially made good.
1t is probable that the discussions o.
the present canvass will turn more up
on State legislation and less upon ma
tional affairs than those of any yea
since 1861. Neither Senators nor Rep
resentatives in Congress are to be chOs
en-. But it is an important State elec
| ton, and will be regarded as having
/ bearing on national politics. The Re
pubIicans of Ohio heartily approve o
| the principles of Gen. Grants inaug
! raj message, and are gratified by th
/ manner in which he is dealing witt
1 the leading questions of the first thre
months of his administration.
! Under President Johnson, Secretar,
! McCulloch boarded millions of gold I
/ enable him to maintain a wretche
/ =
| York city. The nation was defraude
/ of its Just dues, and the national deb
| increased from November 1st, 1867, t
November Ist, 1868, $35, ,625, ,1O2 50. Ger
Grant began his financial policy b.
revoking his predecessors pardons {
i revenue robbers, and by cutting dow
expenses in all directions; and Secrets
ry Boutwell, disposes of surplus gol
i in the purchase of interest bearin
bonds to the amount of two millions
week, and in his first quarter reduce
the national debt more than twent
millions of dollars.
i The two Democratic Johnsons, Al
drew and Reyerdy, furnished thei
ideas of foreign policy in the johnson
Clarendon treaty. They undertook
settle the American claims against Ems
: land on account of the Alabama oul
rage by the award of Commission
one-half of whose members were to
chosen by England and the other hA
by the United States, and in case of
: disagreement an umpire was to
chosen by lot. That is to say, gre;
} National controversy involving gray
: questions of international law, an
claims of undoubted validity amoun
ing to millions of money, was to be d,