The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-09-16
A Word 10 Farmers.

The Republican farmers who think |
OF voting against the Republican
ticket should reconsider and take an
other and careful view of the situa-
ton. Every Republican vote for the
candidates on the third or farmers
ticket will be half vote for Demo-
cratic candidates. The third ticket
has no probable chances of election
this fall. 1t follows that, no matter
what the intentions of the Democrat
ic gathers up of that ticket were, it is
a movement mainly in the interest of
the Democracy. and not in the inter
est of reform either in State or county
affairs. A political party's action in
the future can be Judged only by its
past history. The Democratic party
is now conglomeration of factions,
without settled principles or uniformi
ty OF action. In the management of
county affairs there is more uniformi-
ty in policy than there is in State and
national affairs. That uniformity in
policy relates only to high taxes. 1t
is not the State tax in Indiana that is
burdensolne. It is the taxation for
local self government that is op-
pressive. The local taxation in JET
terson county under the able admins
tration of Board Of Commissioners
three farmers-is niDety-eight cents
on the hundred dollars; the State tax
is only 15 cents. In the Democratic
| county of Martin the local tax is 81 13;
in Bartholomew, 81 II; in Brown,
81 "A. The average Of county taxes, IN
AS Democratic counties, is Il cents
| higher than the average in Repub|i-
can counties; out Of A Democratic
counties "a, one half, are taxed over
81, but out of A Republican counties,
but II, or one-fourth are taxed over
81. The difference, or greater, has
existed for ten years. In 1866 the
averare Democratic county taxation
was about 80 cents higher than the
Republican. In 1868 it was % cents.
In 1870 it was 20 cents. In 1872 it
was % cents. Now it is 81 cents 1t is
evident that vote for the so called
Peoples ticket" so far as it aids the
election of the Democratic ticket. is a
vote to increase the local taxes to the
average Of the take paid toy citizens of
Democratic counties, which is equal
to twenty five per cent. more than the
average pow is. We may add to this
general statement that the expendi-
lures of Jefferson county were less be
fore the Democrats got possession OF
the Board Of Commissioners, a few
years ago, than it has been since.
The salaries paid county officers are
ut present out Of the reach of the
voters. They can be reached only
through the Legislature. The Re
publican candidates for the Legisla-
ture have pledged themselves to give
attention to reform in regard to high
salaries. While the allies in the OPP
position have contented themselves
with railing against high salaries, dis.
cussing the currency problem and
Breckinridge Democracy.
The Democrats have resolved
against the new assessment law which
has increased the valuation of prop
erty almost fifty per cent. This Ii
80 worded as to convey the impression
that the value of the property hal
been increased for the purpose OF in
creasi ing the rate of taxation. Th'
truth is, the new assessment Law
will reduce the rate very much. Tk'
taxable value of railroads under thi
old law was, $7,024 ,2O4; taxable valu'
of railroads under the present law
$39, ,279,755. The difference betweeI
the two is Just S32 255, ,54S. upon whlcl
the State tax is SAT 900. The amour
would have to be added to the take
of other taxpayers, if the new Law
did not take it off of the railroads.
There is another feature Of tn
present law which the allies wish t.
repeal, that favors the farmers; tha
is the charge of time of assessmen
from January to the first of April
In January the farmers usually hav
the most of their surplus, all the pro
| ducts Tor wintering stock and tor tn
subsistence of the family on hand
Under the old law, all this had to b
returned for taxation. In April tn
surplus has been sold, the stoel
wintered. and the taxables reduced S
much. Do farmers want this featur
of the assessment repealed? Tn
Democrats, if they adhere to thei
platform, do.-Madison Courier