The Grange advance., 1874-01-14

current and ordinary expenses Of the gov
eminent increased enormously.
For instance these items Ordinary ex-
penses Of the government, in 1861 were
SIS, ,21229.
In 1872 they amounted to $242, ,234.95
In 1861 our population was nearly two
hundred thousand; in 1872 about 527 200.
In 1861 100000 people had to bear the
burden of sustaining a State Government
In 1872 this burden was divided among 527,-
600 people, although there had been no very
great increase in the number of officers;
and yet we find that the pro rata of taxa
ton in 1861 was So. 76, while in 1872 it had
risen to $4.O5. 1t should haze fallen to
about So SO. Be it remembered that all
this does not include the building or sup
port Of the State Institutions, the interest
on the public debt, the support OF public
schools. The comparison is simply con-
fined to the ordinary and legitimate expen-
ses Of the State government, and the ex-
penses Of the Executive, Legislative and
Judicial Departments, and the Public Print
ing.
For instance, the cost Of the Executive
Department has increased from SIS, $50 in
1861 to $37 ,566 81 in 1872; the Legislative
Department from $24, ,O55.82 in 1861 to
$64,735 in 1872. The Judicial Depart
ment increased from 19, 200 in 1861 to $39-
533 in 1872. But the worst feature Of all
this matter is
THE PRINTING ACCOUNT.
In 1861 the public printing cost ST.
510.96. In 1872 this was swelled to the
grand total Of twenty-four thousand, nine
hundred and fifty eight dollars and eighty
four cents.
MIR. McIlrath in his last report as State
Auditor (see Ex. Doc. 1873, vol. l, pages
4O3-4), summarized all the disbursements
Of the State for the past twelve years, viz ::
from January, 1861, to January, 1872, and
he makes the very surprising statement
that in that time the State has spent for
public printing one hundred and ninety
three thousand, eight hundred and thirty
five dollars.
If we add to this the disbursements for
printing, last, winter, $24, 655. .55, and the
deficiency claimed of So, 900, total $27, ,655.-
IS, it will make grand total of $22l, AGO.
IS in twelve years!
In other words, printers and paper
makers have received in the past twelve
years nearly twice as much as the entire
cost of the State government in 1861.
Of this great sum $52,6l4.39 were ex-
pended in 1ee years 1872 and lS7s S;v VIZ: a;o 0.
Printing, 1e73........................ 24,655 IS
Deficiency 5000 OO
Total. al...........................S S52, ,6l4 SO
But even this tells but half the story
Besides this State taxation. we have upon
our shoulders an enormous and crushing
burden Of
LOCAL TAXATION.
Town taxes, county taxes, city taxes,
heaped mountain high, Ossa on Pelion
piled. In this direction the increase has
been simply enormous.
In 1868 the total of all such local taxes,
township, county and city, amounted to
five hundred and fifteen thousand, six
hundred and seventy four thousand
dollars. In 1872 they had risen to two
million, six hundred and nine thousand
dollars. The total taxes assessed for the
support of the State and for local purposes,
was as follows:
In l25, 800 90
lit was still more in 1873.
Showing an increase of taxation in nine
years, of two million, four hundred and
sixty thousand dollars.
The population Of the State had doubled );
taxation in the same period had quintupled :
No people on earth can bear such burdens.
This thing must stop. We were sent here
to apply the knife and we will be false to
our constituents if we do not reduce ex-
penditures, and stop extravaganza here and
in our towns, counties, and cities.
Our notice last week Of the movement to