Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-02-10

Also balance dueJudgc
King on salary,....-.. 1000 90 19,s0s ~
Showing balance of................ sg,27i 20
We have not beer able to have a
report from School Comm issioners,
but it Is believed that the collections
yet to be made, on School Tax. added
to the amount to be received from the
State, will pay oil all liabilities on
account of schools.
Having thus set forth the financial
condition Of the County, 1t only re-
mains for US to make such suggest
ions, as are invited by the tenor of
the resolution under which we act.
And in the performance of this por-
ton of the duty assigned US, candor
compells us to confess, that we feel
greatly EN- barrnssrd--for we, nor no
men living, ever saw, and the great
probability is never will see, just such
a combination OF untOward circum-
stances, Us now exist in our county.
Yea, throughput the whole State
every interest of the community pros
trate, County, City, State and indi-
viduals on the eve of bankruptcy.
Owing to a combination OF circum-
stances, now beyond our control, q
large class of our population wofully
demoralized and far from being self
sustaining, yet voting and controll-
ing county atlairs-filling our county
Jail, State prison, School rooms and
court rooms, without contributing,
only to very small extent, to defray
the expenses of SAID institutions,
which are becomming every day,
more and more oppressive. Under
these EMBARRASSING difficulties and
others which might be mentioned,
we are at loss what action to re-
commend, unless it is the establish
ing of Workhouse, where fines, for
FIXTURES, cost, &C., for many misde-
meanors, can be worked out, and in
this way the vicious, irdolent and
Migrants, be made to defray the cost
incident to their crimes, and which
are now mostly thrown into our
courts at great expense to tax payers.
Your Committee, would next call
your serious and calm consideration
to the best and most equitable mode
of assessing property in the county ;
this is now and has ever been diff
cult problem with legislators, and
will call for your careful considera-
! ton. TO see how little of system
and how great departure from even
our present revenue laws, can have
place, we have only to point you to
the last assessment made by this
county-no system being Observed
some civil districts assessing accord
| ing to previous revenue law, Others
/ in accordance with the present law,
and the consequence is unequal tax
alton. Taxation should be shared
and sustained in proportion to our
representation of property, taxed
neither below or above its true value,
and assessments made on such prin-
ciplcs of equity AZ may from time to
time be set forth by the law making
power. We agrcee with Comptroller
Pennehaker, that the present way OF
assessing is in the broadcast sense OF
the term, perfect farce. 1t never
has been the rule in this county, or
State to assess lands at their real OF
market value, which should be the
case. a given sum Of money must
be raised by taxation, and in this re-
spect, so far as taxation is concerned,
| it matters not whether the valuation
upon which the tax is levied be high
or low, provided always that it be
equal-so that n dollar of property in
one portion of the county shall be
taxed for preciselyt the same amountas
every other dollars worth in every
other portion of it, and no more.
Your Committee, not being salts
fled with the present mode of assess-
ing property, would suggest with the
Governor, Treasurer and Comptroller
of the State, the coniiding this duty
to some man Of large experience bus
mess qualifications, sound Judgment,
&c, whose work when accomplished,
shall he revised and corrected by a
committee, to be appointed by your
honorable body, and finally adopted
by a vote of your court. Your com
mittee suggest the appointment OF
standing committees, rs follows: a
committee on finances; a committee
Oh bridges, roads and ferries; II COM
mittee on the Poor-house; n commit
tee on assessment, and one on the
! Workhouse, should one he establish
ed, together with such other commit
tees as you may think would serve
TO expedite and systematic the busi-
ness of the County Court. We would
also recommend for your serious con-
Isideration, the creation of sinking
/ fund to be managed by standing
com mittce. This is important when
we consider how rapidly our bonded
and interest bearing debt is running
to maturity, without any systematic
mode or provision for its final pay
ment.
| This report should only be consid-
cred as preliminary one, approx
mating, as near az possible, with the
! lights before us TO the true financial
condition of the county, which can
/ only be arrived at when more relia-
/ BILE reports or statements through all
/ the officers connected with county
affairs, shall be furnished. We sug-
gest that all officers of the county,
make TO your court, at the earliest
| possible time, say by the April term
of your court, written and specific
reports, particularly should Revenue
! Collectors do so. Then n subsequent
committee to he appointed 10y you,
will have little or no difficulty in
laying before you a complete and sat
islactory statement rs To the iinan-
cial condition Of your county. De-
lays are dangerous, hence the impor-
lance of urging as we do, that, the
committee appointed ut the last term
of your court, should, at the earliest
possible moment, certainly by the
April term of your court, make de-
tailed statement of railroad bonds
and coupons which have been paid
oil, producing the same in open court
ami there to be burned. or otherwise
disposed OF, rs the court may deter
mine, and an accurate statement of
the same entered on your county
records.
We have again TO report that the
imperfect manner in which transac-