Montgomery County sentinel., 1875-01-29
The County Taxes.

MR. EDIroR. II observe by a perusal of youl
paper OF last week, that correspondent ol
! Crackiin District, signiog himself g Late Col
levior," finds some fault With ilIe suggestions
thrown out 10y me in my communication oi
| Janunry 9Th, on the sniliect Of the collection
and disbursement of county taxes lie starts
out with he assertion thai in his dslriei
/ there is no tronble in collecting The taxes and
that no person is . shaved who may have
a bill agafnsi the county While this may he
| The case nthat highly favored district, am
| sure from personal knowledge and observation,
that itwill not hold good as regards other
! portions Of the county. We will take for in
stance the county seat, and ask any one who
s at all familiar with the business transacted
| in that locaiis during Term of Court, II NOT
| frlly one-half the certificates granted TO wit
nesses are not sold 10 aud shaved by outside
|, parties, no make n regular business Of IT,
and ever employ others both white and black
10 buy up the certificates for them AT u reduc-
ton Of at least 25 per cent. 1t must lie re-
membered that The money TO pay the expenses
OF Court Is levied in 0dc0nce, and should be
paid in full on application 10 the Collectors
Surely any new system that wonld remedy
this evil would he benefit TO The community
and especiallv 10 those persons who are COM
pelled 10 leave their homes and business for
the small sum Of one dollar per day.
. Late Collector says man has a right
to charge the county more for services becmse
he has TO wall for the money. This is certain
~ strange doctrine. 1t is well established
fact in all kinds of business that ready cash
will always buy The cheapest goods and no
man of ordinary intelligence will pretend to
say that he can afford 10 furnish materials or
labor, and do work credit Of six or
twelve months as cheap as he can for cash.
The county must not expect to buy goods or
labor on better terms than private indigidu-
ais, and II they have TO pay per centage for
credit, the county must do The same.
fully agree with vonr correspondent thar
everything should be done to reduce the rate
Of taxation, and think that The first step in
that direction would he TO have the taxes coll
lected as cheaply and promptly as possible. so
that all debts of the comfy can be paid when
due, TINS securing the benefits Of cash sys-
tenn. That the present plan of collecting the
revenue Of the county has provedalmost a fail
ure think no one will deny who has watched
It's workings for the past few years. The fact
is the county is paying more for the collection
of taxes than ii should do, and also more
for everything needed by II than il would have
TO pay If the e waiting and shaving" system
were abolished
While am not af all welded to the idea Of
one collector for the county, or county
treasurer ] find in conniies that have adopted
it no complaint against the system. There
every man knows that his taxes mnsi be paid
By a certain time or his property will be sold,
and he makes his calculations accordingly.
When person has q claim against The county.
he considers il as good gold for he receives bis
money in full on application at the Treasnrer's
| office.
! hope the hints have thrown out may in
| duce others in the county, more abe than my
! self, 10 discuss This important matter. to give
your readers their views on this subject.