Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-07-29

tre9cDmeHt WHICH tneV say excuses
or mitigates the bad and mischievous
character of the Democratic General
Assemblies. /;
The average yearly increase of the
salary account under the twelve years
of Republican rule was 81, ,542, while
during the four years of Democratic
rule the average yearly increase
amounted to SIG, ,275. or nearly eleven
times greater than the Republican.
THE STATE DEBT AND CREDIT.
But it may be said the Democracy.
if they have increased the salaried
offices to this enormous extent, have
been reducing the State debt, and,
indeed, this assertion has several
times been made recently in your
correspondents hearing.
An examination of the figures
shows that,the State debt. which, on
the 18th ofsNovember. 1860, amount
ed to Sl5.s6s,172 35, was reduced
during the twelve years of Republi-
can rule atthe average rate oc $59l,-
119 II. The dates are not at hand
to determine how much the debt will
have been reduced at the expiration
of the present year (1S75), but the
average reduction during the other
three years of Democratic rule
amounted TO but $4l6,5S3 50. or one
third less each year than the Repub
lican reduction.
PRETENsE OF TAX REDUCTION.
In ordersto make something of
showing the late Democratic Legis-
lature reduced the levy for general
fund purposes by one tenth of mill;
they also reduced the levy for asylum
purposes 10 1874 by two-tenths of a
mill. The consequence is that the
moneys borrowed from the sinking
fund for the use of the asylum and
general revenue funds, can not be re-
paid; and, further, while the total
State levies for lS7475 aggregate
one-tenth of mill less than they
would have done had the law remain
ed as it was in 1878, the State levy
this year is actually two-tenths
greater than it would have been un-
der that law; for the burden is upon
this year instead of last, and the re-
allzation of the taxes postponed to
the next, instead of being available
this year when needed. This decep-
tive and rascally reduction of the
levy has this further result, that the
completion of the Central Lunatic
Asylum is postponed for one year,
only about Is per cent. of what the
Commissioners of that institution
asked for as necessary having been
provided; and this still worse result,
that the State will be unable to pay
the interest on the public debt and
to meet and take up the loan that is
redeemable and ought to be taken
up Jan. l, 1876.
The Democratic Legislature was
warned by the State Auditor not to
bring this disgrace upon Ohio, but
they recklessly disregarded the warn
ing, and the deficit that viii exist
Jan. l, 1876, will amount to $780,
043 IL. Such is Democratic econo-
my, for which the shortcomings and
rascally schemes of their General As
sembly ought, say they, to be over
looked. Such is the economy which
the late Democratic State Convention
indorsed. For the first time in the
history of the State will her credit
be impaired and her debt falling due
remain unpaid.
ENORMOUS INCREASE ON LEvIES.
The Democratic decrease on the
State levy amounts tO just STS,362
per year; but while making this fall
lacious decrease at the expense of
the State credit, and to the inevitable
increase of next years burden, they
authorized an increase of local levies
for road purposes throughout the
State of five -tenths Of a mill, aggre-
eating 5000, 900. Thus the burdens
of the people, instead of being di-
minished by the action of the Legis-
lature, were actually increased by
$533, 276. This, be 1t remembered,
is the increase oftaxation authorized
by the last Legislature generally
throughout the State. In addition
thereto heavy levies were authorized,
by special acts, in nearly half the
counties of the State. These special
levies amount to $1,674, ,296, spread
over number of years. Those for
the two years 1S74-75 amount to
$551, 74S, making the total increase
of taxes for those two years amount
to $l.0S4, ,024, as compared with what
they would have been had the Repub-
lican legislation of 1873 continued in
force. For this year (75-76), the
increase will be as follows: On ac-
count of two-tenths of a mill extra,
$313.443; five-tenths of n mill road
tax, $500, 900; special acts, $685., ,426;
total, $1,35S,S69. Such is Demo
cratic economy, and such the impu-
dent pretense that the rascalities OF
the late Legislature should be over
looked on account of its having di-
minished the public burdens!
Democratic Sell.
4 ,o1