The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-05-18
jacksonville Union. May 81

JackbonYlue Union MAY q.
The Republicans are so hard put to it to find
any reasonable or Just fault against the Demo
cratic management that even in their Conventions
they resort TO absurd Misrepresentation, which,
upon their own face bear the impress Of untruth-
fitness As an instance Of this we give the fol-
lowing resolution, OF the Jefferson county Con
vention
ResOioed, That The so-called reduction of State
taxes is but subterfuge; that there has been an
actual increase in the assessed valuation Of prop
eriy which more than affects the reduction Of per
ceniage.
To show how absurd this resolution is we
note that the assessed value of the property in
the State in 1874, was $31 ,9O1 ,917 In 1870 1t
was $32, 704, 1888, an increase of only $500 ,468.
The tax levied by Republicans in 1874 was 1922
247.e0. The tax levied in 1879 by the Democrats
was 9249 $3.50, or a difference of $172 $500
Taking the three years of Republican rule,
1874, 1875 and 1870. and the three years OF Dem
ocratic rule, 1877, 1873 and 1879, and the differ
ence in the assessed taxes in favor of the latter
years was &S45, 424l4. That Is TO say the Re-
publicans in the three last years of their rule
laid q burden of taxation of e345, 424 II more
upon the people than the Democrats did in the
first three years of their rule II matters not
what the difference Of valuation might be- the
total sum demanded from the tax payers of the
State by the Republicans was over hundred
thousand dollars year more than the Demo
Gratis asked. But with this large assessment the
Republicans were constantly increasing the pub
lie debt and the promises Of the State TO pay
were then only worth go 10 20 cents on the dol
lar. The Democrats, with more than a hundred
thousand dollars less every year, not only pay
al expenses but have paid over quarter of
million of floating debts left by the Republicans
and the promise of the State to pay all at par.
These are Jacts from the record and show the res
olution of the jefferson county Republicans 10
be superlAtively absurd.
Our Contemporary ascribes the paternity of the
resolution 20 cruelty criticised to the Republican
Convention of Je6srs0n county. This lie unjust,
Tor however foolish may sometimes be the utter
ances Of the so-called politicians among the Re
publicans Of that county, they have not as yet
put themselves on record as denying what their
own tax receipts 90 abundantly prove. The resolu'
ton 10 the product of the Republican brain Of
Orange county and was adopted at solemn
Convention held at Orlando on Saturday, April
"a, Ammo Domini 1880. Lei us be exact as to
dates, while doing justice all round. Tie Repub-
licans Of Orange county are entitled to the dis
covery " that the so-called reduction of taxation
ais bat Q subtefuge; that the increase In the
assessed valuation Of property more that offsets
"the per cent. Of reduction" OF course the
6nanciers who speak 90 confidently on subject
which Il IL plain they have not studied must
be presumed to have intended to limit their
charge to the operation Of the revenue laws
within their own county, although their ACCUSE
tioa 10 general. Taking The whole State together.
the allegation made By these ngurers would not
only be absurd bat absolutely ialse. Let us sect
The annual average Of taxable properly IN the
Etase for the three last yeAfs Of Republican rule,
VIZ: 1874, rs and &c, was -, ioo e5S, and HE
annual average Of State taxes assessed thereon
was eos $3.50. On the other hand the annual
average Of taxable properly during the Tires
yeam sipce The Democrats have been IN charge
a The government, tarwlt; 1871, 70 and n, has
ben es1o61, 60, o. elAk 80 - than during The
lsEmsr psliod, uhIle ths amount q taxssimpoaed