Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-03-09

SOME days ago we condensed from the New
York Bulletin an elaborate statistical article
on State taxation, in which the increase of
taxes was shown to have been much greater
under the municipal governments than under
the State governments the increase in the
latter case being 1884 per cent, and in a
given number of cities 1882 per cent The
same paper, in its issue of Saturday, contains
another exhaustive and powerful article on
the same subject, in which is given the taxa
tion in fourteen of our leading cities that had
in 1860 an aggregate population of 1875, 157,
which in 1875 had grown to 4, ,9O3, ,669, show
ing an increase of 1880 per cent. The BnE-
Letin's statement relating to the States, al
ready referred to, showed that the ratio of in
crease in the population of the combined
States, during the same period, was only Al. 10
per cent. This disproportionate determi-
natioa of population towards the cities ndi-
Gates the growth of manufacturing industry
and the increased proportion now employed
in the distributing or trading employments as
compared with 1860; which necessarily i'm
plies loss in the relative standing of the ag-
ricultural industries. The taxable valuation
of these cities was in 1865, 81, ,665, 800, 900,
and in 1875, s., ,279, 800, 900; showing an in
crease of 157 per cent. An increase of 157
per cent. in the valuation of taxable property
accompanied with gain of only 20 per cent.
in population, is not, however, to be taken as
evidence that wealth has increased in a ratio
larger than the growth of population. In 1860,
the valuation of taxable property, in the four
teen cities specified, averaged S579.19 per
head of population; in 1875, it averaged
$S72 n per head, showing an increase of
50.6S per cent. on per capita basis. In 1850,
the total debts of the fourteen cities amounted
to S109, 300, 900; in 1875, they had risen to
S407, 200, 900, an increase of 2709 per cent.
Thus the insrease in debt is nearly double the
ratio of increase in taxable valuation, and
about fourfold the ratio of growth in popula-
ton. Measuring the taxes by population they
are found to have been So SO per head in
1860, and S1S SO per head in 1875, showing
an increase of 171.65 per cent. per capita
during the past fifteen years. In 1860, each
family of five persons paid, on an average,
$34 40 for taxes; in 1875, the taxes were
S93 45 per family. The Bulletin well says,
in conclusion:
'sIf we would regain our former elasticity
| and prosperity, we must cease at once tc
spend hundreds of millions yearly upon
worse than useless outlays, and return to that
simplicity and economy of government which
has been one of the main causes of our mar
velous national growth"
Extravaganza, and vain desire for empty
show, are doubtless the causes of the princi
pal evils from which we are suffering to-day
We are experiencing an epidemic of crime
because we have been passing through an epi
demic of extravaganza, and reaping harves
of scoundrels because we have been nurtur
ing multitude of fools, who have beel
taught to believe there is no success excep
that of money. The whole story may b
summed up in these words-which we find il
country exchange-of blunt working wo
man, who said, at recent school meeting
Erich people know why they lose thei
riches, but what ails the poor and rich alike
fringe and feathers. Twenty years ago q poo
mans wife, like me, put on decent sun bon
net to 60 to market. Every dollar she save,
went to buy home for her children or wen
into the savings bank. Now she keeps ser
want and calls in a sleazy silk and feathere
hat to leave her orders at the grocer's. There
: no money at the end of the year to buy
house or even to pay the grocer's bill. Featt