Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-06-03
from the Columbus Journal
OUR WHTTEWASHED LEGIS-
LATURE.

LATURE.
We propose to day to give more in
detail, and with more particularly Of
specification, plain statement of
some of the demagogical subterfuges
OF the late Democratic Legislature, in
its treatment of the State finances, set
forth more generally in our article of
Saturday. AS the great Democratic
leaders have resolved to adopt and de-
fend the doings of the Legislature it
becomes important to examine the
records and see just what it is that
they propose to indorse. They claim,
first, that the session of 1874 reduced
the levy four tenths of mill, making
q saving to the people in taxes OF
S474,000; second, that the session of
1915 again reduced the levy one tenth
of mill, further saving of S15S, 900 ;
third, that the appropriations made by
the Sixty first General Assembly for
revenue and asylum purposes were
1928, ,8S2 IL less than was made by the
Sixtieth General Assembly.
Now suppose all these alleged
claims upon the thanks of the people
are conceded what are the underlv-
ing facts
On January IA, 1878, the State levy
was increased six tenths of mill, to
meet the imperative demands for the
completion of the Athens Lunatic AS
ylum and the blind Asylum, which
were in progress Of construction, and
TO rebuild the Central and Northern Lu
matte Asylums, which had been con
sumed by fire. This increase was to
be levied upon the duplicates of 1873
and 1874, but was not available until
1874 and 1875, and in view OF
this fact, provision was made in the
general appropriation act, passed May
5, 1873, for the temporary transfer
OF uneXpended balances from other
funds to the Asylum fund, said trans
fers sin no case to extend beyond the
time when the benevolent and refor-
matory institutions now in process of
constru ction. or authorized to be con
structed, shall be completed" Trans
fers were therefore made Rs required,
from the Sinking Fund, to the amount
OF $3.50, 600. The transfers were
made in strict accordance with law,
and whatever were the technical OBJ
iectlons in the Constitution no blame
has attached to any officer acting un-
der the law in making the transfers
and it is we'll known, that had it not
been for the transfers, the progress Of
the buildings would not only have
been delayed, with great consequent
loss. but the funds aCoMld haze lair
IN the State Treasury, to ae0oit tbt
maturity Of the debt falling due a.
December 1875. The transfers effect
ed a soufng of Upacards Of $4,000 a.
interest alone These are some of tlit
facts.
The whole tendency has been to
ward any thing but retrenchment, anC
yet some show of economy must b.
made, and so the plan was conceived
of reducing the levy for State purpOs
es. Such plan only could be popu
lars and that was the cheat that wat
sought-not practical economy or 8
maintainance of necessary levies.-
| The, proceeding was in striking con
| traAtwith the action of the State An
ditof, who courageously and with bus
mess honesty recommended an increasl
Of the levy in 1878, and notwithstand
ing its unpopularity and the yehemen
opposition of the Committee on Fl
nance, he stoutly maintained its neces
sity, and demonstrated by incontro
vertible facts and figures that th
amount must be raised in some way
and that the increase of six tenths O
a mill in the levy was at once the hon
est and business-like mode of accom-
plishing the object But the levy wa
reduced three tenths Of mill in 1874
notwithstanding the efforts of the Au
ditor to preserve it, and the PROPOSE
tion was so popular (or such was TIN
want of courage of the members
that but eight votes were cast agains
the reduction. Yet, the consequence
of the reduction are that it will be i'm
possible for the Asylum Fund to re
turn the $450,000 it owes to the Sink
ing Fund in time, if ever, 70 meet th
demands upon that fund next Decem
ber, and the result will be that th
Sinking Fund must rely upon its ow
-levies; the debt falling due in Decem
ber, 1875, can only be paid in par
and the reminder be deferred unit
the taxes of 1876 are collected. Wins
is this but violation Of the faith c
the State
While the credit of the State mn
not be materially impaired in tn
minds of those who know its prompt
ness heretofore in paying its bonds 6
maturity, it will be lasting stain upo
its honor that for mere partisan end:
the afectation of retrenchment an
economy, for political effect, a Demo
cratic Legislature reduced the tax lev
to such an extent as to leave it i
doubt when the maturing debt of th
State can be paid, with a certainty ths
a portion of it must be postponed uu
til the year after it is due.
The following clear and exact statG
ment made by Auditor Williams i
his last annual report (page 29l b.
not been and cannot be success full
controverted
The State debt due and falling due
January 1, 1876, including $50 ZOO
not bearing interest, amounts to-. 81, ,5I5 665
The estimated interest Tor same period
The estimated interest on
the irreducibe debt to 80, $50 GOO 90
--- I,lgG, ,O28
Total to january l. 1915 .......... 81, I'll ,59I
To meet this are the followir
items
Balance in Treasury No
: Vember H. 1874 49,. 80. S45O569 50
Z Estimated collections on
duplicate OF 1874. -. ], ,es9 ITO Os
Estimated collections from
| miscellaneous sources 10000 CO
---l, ,T52, ,TgT
|
Estimated deficiency in the amountre re-