The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-01-12
WHOLE NO. 1919

cities IN 1885 seems respectable. Il
the management of few of theu
Justice has simply been Knocked. tax
alton meant contiseation. and debt
were accumulated with such raoidit,
that the annual interest thereon /,
now greater than was the whole Lar
levy for all corporate purposes ffteeE
years ago. The aggregate Of ID,
debts of the cities of the United
States, according to competent an.
thorlty, reaches the eaermuus sun
of seven hundred sud sixrv-uin.
millions, aud this amount is believed
TO be rather under than above tbe
actual Indebtedness. Is it strange
that the annual tax levy, instead Of
being a few mills, now averages in
our most important cities two aud q
half per centum upon the assessed
value Of property? Itis with rea.
sonable apprehension, therefore. that
the people are earnestly addressing
themselves to the study of the cause
of this evil, and the conviction is be.
coming widespread that some rene
dy must be provided that win 90 to
its very core and work a radical cure.
A tendency to extravagance began
to manifest itself in this country 10
1867, and was exhibited most con-
spicuously in the innumerable prOpo-
sItions for public Improvement Of
every conceivable kind. Mag iif-
cent parks, extensive water works.
splendid city buildings, vide streets.
with new and improved pavemeuts,
are some ofthe projects upon which
lavish expenditures were made. In
the frequent and immense outlaws of
moneys thus authorized, numerous
ues,,for fraud and peculation were
opened, and officers connected with
the disbursement of these great
amounts, suddenly grew rich, aud
having, by reason of their control ofI
these expenditures, scores of adhe-
rents, they soon became the arbiters
of the taxation of these cities. IRE
sponslble themselves, they aimed To-
secure the election Of irresponsible
men to city council, that their corrupt
practices might have the forms Of
law, and emboldened by impuuity
and the supineness of respectable /
citizens, they endeavored to control. /
and it is alleged in some municipali- |
ties did corrupt the channels ofius- ]
tice and shaped its decrees to suit
their nefarious ends.
Our cities formerly had but few |
wants; their charters were simple 10 /
their provisions; easily understood. |
and conferred all the powers necessa-
~ fer local government. Within |
the last few years, however. every |
Of local government from
the great city TO the small school |
district, has been constantly apply
ing to the State Legislature for ex-
tensions Of authority. The rights Of
taxation and appropriatIng private
property for public use, are extraor-
binary powers that no government
should delegate, except in cases ofI
absolute public need, and the use off
the power should be limited by the
necessity that invokes its exercise.
and yet the Legislatures of the vari-
0us States, in the last few years. have
scattered these extraordinary powers
broadcast over the land, and in the
hands of inconsiderate and irrespon-
'ible men, they have been made, un-
Ter the specious plea of public i'm
,rovements, the engines of Oppres-
lion and robbery Many of the
our people have to bear,
lave been created by the vicious
lablt OF Issuing bonds at high rates
If interest for contemplated improve
nents. Multitudinous national, state.
.ity, county, ward and school bonds {
laye been issued, the smaller imita-
ing the larger local interests in ma {
ting these drafts on posterity at rates a
f interest ranging from four and a
lalf to ten per centum per annum,
md the payment of the interest on
hese bonds, and Of the bonds them a
elves, as they mature, necessitates
N annual taxation that is oppressive,
nd a constant drain upon industry I
Id enterprise. The contrast afford
d by a comparison of the government '
f the Commonwealth of Pennsylya- Q
10 with the government of ber cities
) curious and instructive. Twenty .
We years ago like spirit Of extrava- L
.ance and mania for public improve /
lents prevailed throughout the State, Il
nd her policy was marked by tre- o
lendous outlays in behalf Of canals ID
nd other public works, and was the u
aren't Of debt of forty millions OF 6
ollars, and of the cOrruptiOns and u
vii practices that aroused the peo- d
lie to the extraordinary effort which d
esulted in the constitutional amend p
lent prohibiting an increase of the c
ublic debt, and providing sinking ?
aud for the psy yment of the interest, >
nd an annual reduction of the princi- IL
al How different and gratifying is S'
be spectacle to-day. With a yearly G
lcome scarcely exceeding six millions d
{ dollars, and q State with four mil u
ons of inhabitants, the taxes have q
ecently been decreased and annually e
large portion of the debt paid off, so "
hat now the Indebtedness aUounts q
, but twe1ty-three millions Of dol
rs. OF the revenues for some years It
asst, two million FIVE hundred thous- d
nd dollars have been allotted to the Q
syment of interest and the reduction 4"
the public debt, leaving three mil =
ems and half TO be devoted to the y
ayment OF of the expenses of the gov .
-nment, which include provision for ~
ar magnificent system Of charities y
ld schools, upon the latter of which .
one, common aud soldiers orphans,
he million five hundred thousand ~
pillars are expended each year. The (.
,bts of our municipalities, on the u
'utrary, have been increasing enor-
ously, and apart from The public hi
lprovemelts for which large bon al
ID Indebtedness has been created, ar
e expenses of our cities and towns e'
I'VE been growing annually with th
ice that seems out of all proportions ST
itb their necessities. One source Of "
is additional expense is he increas- di