The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-09-01
TotAD..............,.. A.571. .g72 10 h72224O 40
AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED BY THE REPUBLICAN,
TEnTsT ARuRR
Totalv. 659 756 90 ASA 947 %

Legislature was 89S047S0 93 against 80 29A 2SS 9S
appropriated by Democratic Legislature, leaV'
ing q balance against Fosters Legislature OF
s7,49765, This sum in favor Of the Democrats is
not large, but is just large enough 70 prove the
falDIty OF the claim Of economy made by Foster
In his Cleveland platform and his speeches. This
table Of figures is given that every tax payer may
make his own comparisons and arrive at honest
conclusions.
HIGH TAXES AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL LEeIsLA
TIoN,
In 1876 q Democratic Legislature made the last
reduction in the levy Of taxes for State purposes
fixing the rate ct two and nlne'tenths mills on
the dollar. Our system Of taxation is very cruel,
unjust and unequal In Ia operations; while the
burden Of taxation for State purpOSeS iS very
light, the burden for local purposes and ques
tionGble improvements has grown greater from
year to year, jumping from $4,000 900 in 1878 to
Al 100000 In 1881. The last Legislature passed
fCFtyeght laws during its first session and eighty
three laws during itH last session. one hundred
and thirty'One In all, which increased the burden
Of taxation O5,S4090O Fortunately the Supreme
Court declared some eighty Of these pernlCious
laws unconstitutional, but not In time to prevent
q heavy burden Of taxation being placed upon
communities that can hardly sustain the lead,
The citizens Of Ohio irrespective Of party, be-.
came alarmed at this reckless violation Of the
Constitution. II is notorious and humilisung
fact that the Governor Of Ohio, Charles Foster,
encouraged this perniciOus legislation because
corporations Ir which he is large stoCkhOlder
were solely benefited by donations under these
laws The Republicans Of Clark county, having
been made victims Of this atrociOus prostitution
OF the legislative power, adopted resolutions de.
nouncing an such legislation as dangerous
These undIsputed facts will certainly explode all
the bOAsta Of economy made by Governor Foster,
... THE STATE DEBT.
The Foster platform adopted at Cleveland care.
fully avoids ell reference to the late Leglsa ure
Its own party was ashamed TO mention and In
dorae IL There is one deed, however, that is
singled cut as the text for song Of thanksgiving,
and that 10 the re'uuding OF the State debt In
1861 the LeRlslaure contracted S4.oOO,ON debt In
twenty year bonds ct SIX per cent interest. A
levy Of eight tenthp Of Q mill on dollar was
made IN accordance with the requirements OF the
Conriitution to provide fund SUFFICIENT to me, ,
debt at maturity. In 1875 DemoofAtiC LegiSlA
ture reduced tue tar levy OF the State one Bsv.
e1th, but ala NOT touch the levy for the Sinking
Fund. The next Republican Legl1lAtuRe reduced
the levy IoF the Sinking Fund to ave.Senths Of a
mill, Dr. wnhamh, the Republican Auditor Of
State, immediately warned the LesIsla9uHe thas II
steps WsrS not taken to restore the levy, there
would not be money enough In the Sinking
Fund to pay the debt. he called upon the BE.
publican Legislature to keep "the faith Of the
State sacred thing" HisAdvIee was ignored
The last Legislature under Governor Fosters
guidance passed q bill to borrow enough money
at four per cent to pay the debt due on June 80,
1881 By this bill the State Issued It's note at
hand, payable in ten years, to meet its matured
indebtednesa This 10 the first time In the his
tory Of Ohio that the State ever failed to meet Its
indebtedness at maturity. Fortunately the
States credit was good and money plenty, and
there was no trouble In saddling the indebted
ness on the State for ten years longer But this
triAing with the states credit is certainly not
matter that any State oficlal can boast Of. On
this subject General John Beatty, a well known
Republican and q prominent banker, speaks al
follows: ...r.
1.-THE third plank glOEiheg Foster, and claims
credit for funding the State debt at 81 per cent
| per annum. The new bonds are subject to taxa.
ton In Columbus. We pay from TO 21S per cent
| in the WRv Of taxes, 90 that II No were tI buy
these bonds we would get Il per cent per Annum
Ia the way Of interest. The people )f other
cities in the State are taxed from 10 81 per cent
| II they were to buy these bonds they would get
| nothing for the use Of their money. The only
| effect, theTefoTe, Of not exempting these bonds
nom taRatinn waa IN drive them fFOTn tho State
/ In other words, BY making them subject to taxa.
tIOn, the state gains no revenue, and the people
are deprived Of . safe Investment Gould demR'
ROgeFy conceive Of more absurd proposition
than that the State should tax the people on
what II owes the peoplef"