The Democratic advocate., 1879-10-25
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Need we make any comments upon the above
showingG Do not the figures speak plainly enough
30 satisfy any one that change in the conduct Of
Affairs In this county ought TO be made.
The Sentinel then beniguly inquiries
"Need we make any comment upon the
above showing?" We frankly answer that
self-interest, no doubt suggested that no
comment should be made, ard accordingly
none was made. The first comment that
common honesty would have demanded Of
any ordinarily honest person would have
been to say, that in twelve years the Re
publican party increased the tax burden
Of the people Of this county from $40.
695. 5.8S in 1856, to s69, ,722.74 in 1867, a
difference of s4S,026.s6, whilst the
Democratic party increased the assessment
of s58, ,4S5.99 in 1868, to $50, ,595. .32 in
1879, being a period Of twelve years and
difference of s25, 1898, thereby saw
ing s22,917.53 as compared with the in
crease during the l2 years of Radical rule
The next honest comment would have been:
If you deduct the amount levied for public
schools in 1879, to wit, s2l 900, from the
amount of the whole levy Of SS3,595.32 Of
that year, it will be ascertained that the
sum of s62 2,595.32 remains, which is just
Sc, ,127 AZ less than the Republican levy Of
1867, when they paid not one cent out Of
the levy for the expenses of public schools.
The wisdom Of the "no comment" dodge
being sufficiently apparent, we will pro.
ceed to do that which our Republican
friends not only have failed to do, but
which they cannot reasonably be expected
to do, and that is to give detailed state
ment of our stewardship as Democrats,
and let the people sec for themselves where
and how their money has been expended.
That there should exist large difference
in the gross amounts levied from 1856 to
1867, against the amounts levied from
1867 to 1879, is but reasonable, as will be
seen from that which follows hereafter.
To expect that with vast increase 10 pop.
ulation, in wealth, in material prosperity,
and in all that goes to give this county its
position Of prominence in the State, there
should have been no increase in the de-
mands upon the County Treasury, is too
absurd to need comment at our hands and
is an insult to the intelligence of the peo-
pie Of our county.
We will preface our statement with the
undeniable assertion, that when the Dem
ocratic Board Of County Commissioners
assumed control in 1867, their Radical
predecessors left them not one dollar In
bank, and their account overdrawn they
left them an indebtedness of $4,000, which
has since been paid; they left burden Of
public debt for bounties paid, which still
in part weighs heavily on the people, but
which has been reduced by payments
made to the extent Of s67, ,5S4.00 on the
principal and interest due on same. From
1868 to 1879, for public school purposes
alone, the taxpayers of the county have
been compelled to pay the sum of s2l9,-
230.1s This the largest item Of expen-
ditures since 1867, is burden the Radi-
cal party did not have to carry. But, for
the amount thus spent, our people have
received more than an equivalent Old,
dilnpidated aud badly-ventilated aud worse
furnished school houses have been replaced
with new ones, built with due regard for
health, comfort aud convenience, and fur
nished with many Of the modern applian-
ces that conduce to mako teaching effec-
tive aud learning pleasure. Our teach
ers, too, are Ladies aud Gentlemen, and
will lose nothing by comparison with
those Of any other county 10 the State;
and the intelligence Of our people and the
spirit Of emulation so prevalent among cur
boys and girls, alike bear testimony to
their competency and ability as educators.
The Democratic party Is alone responsible
for this outlay, aud so long as We are in
power win onr public schools be continued,
and we appeal TO the people for our vindi-
cation.
Since 1867 the county has been COM
PEELED to meet expenses which could,
in no sense, be regarded as ordinary; as,
for instance, in 1870, in pursuance of an
act Of Assembly, the County Commission
ers paid for tho destruction of the Demo-
csdt Office by Radical mob, the sum of
So, 3,250.00; large number Of indict-
ments for treason, the offspring Of Radical
fanatieism, lost their foster father when
the Augean stables we're cleaned in 1867,
and the cost Of which had to be paid out
Of the county treasury. The registration
Of voters during the last twelve years,
when every qualified voter was permitted
the free exercise Of the right Of suffrage,
has cost the county the sum Of 81 1868,
which does not include the cost Of printing
lists and bills. The Court expenses for
the year 1872 reached tho enormous sum
Of sl0,744.51, and IN the year 1878 the
still greater sum Of sI2,Tl8.26. This
cannot bc charged TO the Democratic
party, or to any party, for il was caused
BY the unprecedented cost Of the Davis
Lynn case, which alone reached nearly the
sum Of 5000.
That our Court expenses are in excess
for the past twelve years to the extent Of
uesrly 100000, Is true, aud for this neither
party is responsible, as The dockeis cf our
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