The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-04-06

TOR GOdman-Duty OF Land Appra1s-
ers, Ske.
MARCH, 1870.
ED DEMoCRAT-Dear Sir:-In peru
sing your issue of March 9th, we noticed
an address by Messrs. Schaefer, Clark and
Harter, as a committee appointed by the
Stark Co. Agricultural Society, to the peo-
pie of said county, upon the agricultural
interests of the same Right glad were
We to see this move in the right direction,
for perhaps no interest Is so in need OF en-
couragement as the agricultural interests
of our country This branch of industry
at the present time is depressed to a de-
gree almost unheard of in our day. You
speak of the hard times in the far vest
Sir, you need not 60 to the west to find
such state of affairs. You can find it in
our own county, in our own neighborhood.
at home Again. the address mOurns
over the tendency of the young men of the
rising generation to leave the blooming
fields and meadows, las they are pleased to
call it, their native homes and 90 to the
city to become doctors, lawyers, book
agents, saloon keepers, &c, and seek a
| remedy for the evil; this evil, and great
one 1t is, too, will continue so long as ag-
uculture remains in so depressed a condi-
ton. So long as moneyed monopolies con-
tlnue to exercise so potent an influence in
! the government of our country. Banking
| and manufacturing corporations are ever
being favored with special laws and class
legislation, and agriculture, the great
| branch of human industry, on which the
millions of earth depend for subsistence,
Is not so provided for, but is fleeced and
ground down to the earth by exacting
laws and oppressive taxation.
Gloomy as is the prospect at present,
the picture looks doubly SO if the revalua-
ton of the real estate, which takes place
the coming spring, is made upon the basis
laid down by State Auditor Goldman in
his circular to the district assessors, that
is valuing according to the selling value of
said real estate. Mr.. Goldman tries to
whitewash facts so the people or farming
community will be at ease. But hear
| him, he says: THAT to double or increase
the valuation the levy would not be 50
great, and things would remain the same
| that is, the levy would be reduced as the
value of property would be increased
But l ask, would not that be reducing the
levy to favor the moneyed power at the
expense of the land holders Verify so.
And you, Mr.. Goldman, next time try some
| dodge not so fimsy, but if the district as
SCISSORS are determined TO value land ac-
cording to the prices it brought in an in
tiated currency, and not take in consider
alton the former valuation or the decline
in lands as we approach specie basis If
regardless of all precedent, they go to
work valuing land at from so to $75 per
acre, prices it brought when wheat was
81 so per bushel, and an inflated currency
the order of the day, we of the laboring
class will have to suffer for the next ten
years the most grievous taxation But
let the assessors look well to all and ev-
erything and not suffer themselves to be
the willing instruments of the monied
power, IN forging chains of endless taxa
ton for their fellow their man. Revalue
the lands at the maximum price as above
| given as several assessors we could name
would like to do, and you blight what
little prospect is yet remaining to the far
mer. With such taxation as would ensne
and wheat, the staple production Of the
farmer, worth 90 ctS. he would Aot clear
three per cent on the monies invested in
farm and machinery, &c. But may JUS
tice to all be done. and the farmer asks nc
more.
Yours truly,
A VOICE FROM THE FARM.