, 1873-04-23


ednoss Of eaoh county nud oaoh tovn-
slip; tho ratio of intoroat tlloroon; tho
amount Of tax levied for county, town, district,
mud city purposes, and tho amount collected.
Tlloro should bo distinct statomont OF tho ooHt
to oach county and city for Tho aaaesamont
md collection Of the taxos tloroin; tho amount
Of unpaid taxcs ,slother OH personal or real
property. There Should DO alao q statement
showing tho amount of money received by each
county, city, or town for 1iconBoH, and tho NUM-
bor Of licenses and tho occupationB liconHod.
It would also bo right to include tho number Of
Ill chartered companies, atating their huainoaa.
Aa tho property Of tllcno establishments is taxed,
It would DO but pmall additional labor to gather
and compile all.tho othor atatihtics at tho aamo
timo.
Wo doubt whether there Ia mcmbcr of either
House of tho Legislature who can toll what taxcs
are loyiod in hts own county, and tho towns
tloreof, either for stato, general, or special rur
pouos, or can givo tho least ldoa Of What Is the
cost Of collecting md assessing such taxes. Tho
fact that these officers aro al nov paid nalartes
renders it very oasyto gather tho particulars on
these points. "
Tho Constitution Of 1llino1a provides t7vo
modes Of taxation for stato purposes. Tho first
tB by "tax on pcddlorH, nuctioneors, brokers,
hawkors merchants, commission merchants,
! showmcn, jugg1ers innkeopore, grocory-kcer-
ors, liquor-doaorH, toll bridges, forrioH, tnsur-
ance telegraph, md oxprosp intorosts or business,
vendors Of patontB, and persona or corporations
owning or naing franchHoa md priyilogoH." Tho
second provides t1int for auch rovonuo as may
DO peeded,-in addition to Wllnt is received from
othor aourcos, tho State shall levy Tux by
valuation on properly. Tho State of Illinois
wtl1probably bo wholly out OF dobt by tho time
the next Legislature mcotB in 1876. It will DO
in tho receipt Of q largo revenue from the ILL
noa Central nallrond and tho canal mud, by a
judicious and worry moderate ratio Of 1conacs,
| might raise ali tho rovonuo required for stnto
p1rpoBou without tho loyy OF any tax whatever
on raa1 aud personal property. But, for
| tho e1orclso OF this powor conferred by
| tho Conatitution, information is needed /;
mud IN tile reports Of county officers thoro
|
saloons, 1iquor-doalors, merchants, and tradora,
aa we'll rs Of the corporations md porsons own
ing or using special frnnchiaos and privileges.
Theao returns arc nude to. tho State officers In
many states, md very systematically in Ohio.
In Wisconsin, tho system Of licooses in lieu Of
taxes on property, in the caaes Of large corpora
tions, is working admirably the amount from
that source largely increasing every yoar, and
tho amount required to DO raised by tax on
property is rs rapidly decreasing. But whether
tho state ahal ever rcaort to this mode of getting
revenue or not, tho information la desirable,
The stnte Auditor has nrgad upon the Logia1a"
turo to provide for it's collection and carly n the
seasion Dir. Halpin. Of this county, introduced q
bill providing for the collection Of all this infor.
nation go noelful for Intelligent legislation,
but tho bill las not been acted on. Tho House
ought not to ndjourn without passing this o,
somo other bill authorizing tho Auditor to col.
loct and compile this valuable information With
his reports.