The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-01-10

mainly in tho cities and large towns. 1t
is certainly a great evil. How to govern
cities well, consistently with the princi-
pies and methods of popular govern
ment, is one of the most important and
difficult problems of our time. Profit
gate expenditure Is the fruitful cause of
municipal misgoNernment. Ii means
can be found which will keep municipal
expenses from largely exceeding the
public necessities, its adoption will go
far towards securing honesty and etli.
cheney in city affairs. In cities large
debts and bad government go together.
Cities which have the lightest taxes and
smallest debts are apt, also, TO have the
purest. and most satisfactory govern
ments.
The following statement, showing the
increase of municipal taxation and in
debtedness in the cities and large towns
OF Ohio, ought to arrest attention:
In 1871, in thirty-one of the principal
cities and towns of the State, the aver
age rate of taxation was twenty-three
and one-tepth mills on the dollar. The
total amount Of taxes levied for all pur-
poses was $8.9SS,064. The total indebt-
edness was 81. 1877 ,082.
In 1915, i'll the same cities and towns,
the average rate OF taxation was twenty
eight and three-tenths mills on the dol
lar. The total amount of taxes levied
for all purposes was $l2, 1861 1874. The
total indebtedness was 500, 800, ,49l.
The salient points in this statement
are, that in four years the rate of munich
pal taxation has increased almost twen-
ty-five per cent, the total amount of mu-
nicipal taxes has increased over thirty
seven per cent, and municipal indebt-
edness has increased about one hundred
teen and half millions of dollars. If
this great increase of burdens affected
directly the whole people OF the State,
they would give their agents in the
legislative and executive departments
of the State Government no peace until
effective measures to prevent its con-
tinuance were adopted. But, in fact,
the whole people of the State are deeply
interested in this subject. The burdens
borne by the cities and towns must be
shared, in part at least, by all who trans
the neighboring country have common
interest, and, in many respects, must be
regarded as one community.
1t has been said that the discretion
committed to the local authorities, how
ever limited and guarded, must be nee
essarily large; that i'll respect to the i'm
position of the largest proportion OF the
burden imposed upon the citizen, they
constitute the real legislature; and that
for the prevention OF the evils we are
considering, the people must exercise
the greatest care in the choice OF citi.
ztns to fill the important local offices
Experience docs not seem to justify the
expectation that an adequate remedy
can be obtained in this way.
/ submit that to the subject of local in.
IA hl II
should apply the principles of the State
Constitution on the subject of State in.
debtedness.
1t is not enough to require in every
grant of special authority TO incur debt
as "A condition precedent, that the people
interested shall approve it by tIieii
votes. 1t Is well known how easy such
elections are Carried, under the influ.
ence of local excitement and local rival.
ries. II the rule Of the State Cons titu
tion which forbids all debts except In
certain specified emergencies, is deemed
too stringent to be applied to local af
fairs, the Legislature should at least ac.
company every authority to contract
debt with an imperative requirement
that tax sufficient to pay oil the indebt.
edness within briet period shall be i'm.
mediately levied, and thus compel every
citizen who votes to increase debts to
vote at the same time for an immediate
increase of taxes sufficient to discharge
them.
The wisdom of the policy long since
adopted, of placing judicious Hmita
tiOn on the power OF municipal authori.
ties to levy taxes, has been yindicated
by experience. 1t must, however, ulti-
mately TAIL to accomplish its object, il
the increase OF municipal Indebtedness
Hon No. h.,
10 contract a debt, whose expenditures
already require taxation up to the limit
allowed by law, Is in its necessary ef-
feet tantamount to a repeal of the llmi.
Lation.
Under the provisions OF the eighth ar.
ticle OF the Constitution, already refer
red to, the State debt, Notwithstanding
the extraordinary expenditures of the
war, has been reduced from over twenty
millions, the amount due in 1851, until it
is now only about seven millions. An
important part of the Constitutional pro-
visions which have been so successful
in state finances is the section which re-
quires the creation of sinking fund,
and the annual pigment Of constantly
increasing sum on the principal Of the
State debt. Let requirement analo-
gous to this be enacted in regard to ex-
istIng local indebtedHess; let a judicious
limitation of the rate Of taxation which
local authorities may levy be strictly ad-
hered to, and allow no further Indebted
ness to be authorized except in conform
ity with these principles, and we may, l
believe, confidently expect that within
few years the burdens Of debt now
resting upon the cities and towns of the
State will disappear, and that other
wholesome and much needed rerorms in
the whole administration OF our munich
pal government will Of necessity follow
The adoption of what may be called the
cash system in local affairs.
Among the most interesting duties
you will have to perform are those which
relate to the guardianship ana care OF
the unfortunate classes OF society, and
to the punishment and reformation OF
criminals. According to the latest Off
cial reports, the State is responsible for
the support and care Of about fifteen
thousand Of her dependant citizens.
The State is also bound 10 see that many
thousands more, who are Imprisoned
for longer or shorter periods, on account
of crime, have just and wise treatment
There ID annually expended in the per
formance OF these duties sum exceed
ing two and half millions of dollars
Tho peOple OF Ohio feel profound In