The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-01-13


on gross receipts Of railroad companie,
sl44, 1850; from State tax on nv taxa
Die public debt of the State ard f;,aItinior,
city S4o, l24OS; from tax on Incorporated
institutions s95, 1852; from State sobac.
co inspections Sl39,354.3S, which latte,
Is % ,620.27 more than the tobacco ware.
house expenditures. Other sources ot
receipts were Theland Office 81 35052.
nay scales in Baltimore S1,155 N; live
stock scales s., ,296l5 (over and above ex-
pendituresi) State wbarfnger 81. .425 .63.
grain weighers Ss,707.16. From inter,
est ea on accounts of sundry officers 1920
20; from tax on protests So, ,019;; from fines
snd forteitures So, 1898; from licenses 10
Iorelgn insurance companies s23 .99961
Ihe balance due from tax collectors far
the fiscal year was S441 i 130. .2l and from
Io4o TO 1875, inclusive, S64O 74O.0T of
winch 1913 ,3Os.28 is due from collectors
~ Baltimore city. The balances due from
.ne .ns city OF Baltimore for tho years from
1913 to 1874 are very small, and clearly
demonstrate the diligence and fidelity II
tne oihcers of the tax department az That
city There are also due from sheYiAs
s5z,964. .O5; from clerks of courts. regis
ters OF wills, notaries public and other
othcers 6O,S5931; from the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad for one-ffth Of reeeints
from passengers on the Washington branch
road S7S6, ,466.85, exclusive Of interest.
from sundry Incorporated institutions t,,r
tax on capital stock s39, ,046.57.
In reference to the new assessment The
comptroller says:
"The general valuation and assessment
oi the property Of the State under the act
OF 1876, chapter 260, is not vet completed.
ana 1t is therefore impossible for me 10
lay before you the result of the labors of
the assessors and boards of review. Tn.
formation received from the different conn.
ties and city of Baltimore leave no doubt
however, that the basis Of taxation wiIbe
largely increased. Much property which
hitherto has escaped taxation has. under
the operation Of the law, been added 20
the lists, and although values have mot
generally increased, and in fact in many
instances have diminished, the volume Of
new property added, it is believed. viii
largely oyerbalance any diminution in value
which has accrued. The assessment will.
no doubt, be completed in time to be the
basis OF taxation for the current year. It
Is hoped that if an uniform and accurate
valuation is attained, steps may be taken
by the Legislature to perfect system by
which the assessable basis may be annually
corrected and perfected, so as to dispense
with the labor and expense Of general
revaluatlon in future. Our system Of de-
cennial valuations | cannot but believe
would be vastly improved by substituting
a plan Of annual correction by trained
officers, skilled by education and practice
IN arriving at true and impartial values,
In several Of the counties the ussessable
basis is larger III 1876 than il wasin 1867.
Immediately after the completion of the
last general valuation. In other counties.
however, and notably in the city Of Balti-
more, the falling of in the basis has been
very marked since that time. Many ad
ditional guarantees of the maintenance of
correct Dasis may be adopted, the ex-
pense of which will be insignificant in
comparison with that Of periodical general
reyaluations without incurring the same
liability to loss from omissions on the part
OF unframed assessors, or involving the
whole mass Of property owners in simulta.
neous confusion over the state Of their ac-
counts. iia
"The validity of the law taxing the gross
receipts of railroad companies working
their roads by steam power has been es,
tablished by the decisions Of the Court of
Appeals in the cases of the State VS.. the
Northern Railway Company and the Phil.
adelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail-
road Company. | have received iuforma.
tlon from the counsel of the latter company
that preparations are being made BY that
company to settle its indebtedness to the
State under that law for the years from
1879 to 1876 without further litication.
1t is hoped that the Northern Central Rail
way Company viii soon adopt the same
course. The case against the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company for the re-
covery Of its Indebtedness for State taxes
on its gross receipts will be brought BY the
attorney general to an issue at the January
term OF the Superior Court for Baltimore
city. These companies can hardly fail to
be convinced that their best interests will
be consulted by submission to the laws of
the State" is,s
Among miscellaneous matters of public
interest the Comptroller says that the
House of Correction win be completed at
a cost less than the appropriation made
for it, and that the new tobacco warehouse
will be finished for considerable less than
the S59, 900 appropriated therefor. The
Comptroller concludes his report thus:
81 take pleasure in calling the attention
of your excellency, aud Of the people Of
the State, to the satisfactory, and, | may
say, prosperous condition Of the States
finances. Our State securities are eagerly
sought after in the market at the highest
rates. While the money 6f the people has
been literally expended by the Legislature
for educational purposes; in improvements
of various kinds; in the erection Of costly
buildings; in rendering assistance to char
liable enterprises, set on foot BY associa.
tions of benevolent individuals for the
nelioration Of the condition Of the poor
and afflicted, as well as ID the maintenance
of similar institutions reared by the State,
the treasury has been enabled to devote
large amounts to the reduction Of thepub-
lie debt. The State taxes have been ma
terially reduced and Notwithstanding the
universal depression IN the business Of the
country, the credit Of The State is at the
highest point Ifthe governments Of the
country, national and State, can al DO re-
stored to a constitutional basis, confidence
re-established, and general prosperity
thereby induced, the financial condition Of
the State Of Maryland can hardly fan 70
keep pace with that Of any other State in
the Union.
The men who were arrested some weeks
since for an attempt to steal the remains
Of President Lincoln from their tomb are
| now t~..I C.-s.-cl14 m