Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-01-15
The Aaditor,a Report.


The Report of the Auditor of State, for
this year is one of the ablest yet made.
The most Important Of all the Executive
Documents, 1t makes a thorough ex-
pose Of our State Finances, and deals
with the questions german to that sub
ject with great force and clearness.
The General Revenue Fund is claim
ed to be Inadequate TO meet the de-
mands against it for the coming year.
To avoid the necessity Of q loan or an
increase of taxation, Auditor God
man recommends that he be authorized
to transfer, temporarily, the sum of
100000 from the Sinking Fund, to be
repaid to that Fund in 1870. This will
enable the State to complete the Idiot
Asylum, make improvements at the
Reform Farm, continue the work or
the Athens Asylum, and mako fair
progress In reminding the Central Asy-
lum at Columbus.
The Report recommends that the Ie-
gal rate ofinterest be raised to at least
seven per cent g
The passage Of the finance bills pre-
pared by a Commission two years ago is
also urgently recommended, and it is
claimed that they viii cause great
saving to the State by the reforms they
will effect in the levy, collection, and
management Of our revenues. There
is certainly great demand for legisla-
ton upon this subject.
The abolition Of the State Agency at
New York Is a measure which affects
unfavorably the credit Of the State, and
its re-establishment is therefore recom-
mended.
The total taxes levied for 1867 were
over twenty millions, and those for
1858 amount to over tsOeaty-one millions.
This is an enormous rate OF taxation,
and various measures are reeommend- :
ed to secure its reduction. There is
great room for retrenchment, and little
doubt but $500, 600 a year might be
saved 10 the taxpayers Of the State by
wholesome and vigorous measures Of
retrenchment.
The Report shows that In cities espe-
eially the rate Of taxation is very large,
in some cases exceeding three per centg
The Report recommends the sale Of
the public works OF the State, which, If
returned to its charge, would cost an
immense amount over and above the
receipts to keep them IN repair. Their
sale, the Auditor thinks, would place a
million and d halfin the Treasury.
The diseontinuance Of the quadrenni-
al enumeration Of male inhabitants Is
recommended. It's only use is as. . basis
for the computation of the salaries Of
county auditors, which can be as wen
computed on the basis Of the Federal
census and the expense OF the emu
uperation saved.
Fixed salaries instead Of the present
compensation by fees, Is emphaticaliy
urged. Under the present system It Is
dihicult for the people TO know what
their public servants actually get for
their services, and it is notoriously true
that in some counties their emoiuments.
are enormous, and the Office itself
equivalent to fortune In Hamilton
county for example, the Auditors Of
Gee is worth sixty Thousand dollars,
net; the Sheriff's about forty Thousand,
tbe Probate Judges, thirty thousand
net, per anuunn, and others In like pro-
portion. 1t is BY this system Of exces-
sive compensation that large amount
of the hard earnings Of the people are
swamped, while many seem TO suppose
sAe Ereat burden consists in the allow
ance.of i've dollars day to members
etensEAl assembly, who are In
me most meaEsrly compensated
cf the State. The Auditor be-
eyars thst q fixed salary in
nf per diem would
n the Legis-
~ f1t Ger
the Ca alie has on