The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-08-22
Jacksonville Union. August ISL
Ahoma Read HG.


takes every occasion to show that our taxes are
good deal TOO high, all of which he attributes TO
the failure of the Drew and Bloxham admins
trations to do their duty. We agree with him
that taxes are too high, and that n revision Of
the Constitution in several important respects
would aid in reducing expenses and consequently
in lowering taxation, but only to limited ex-
tent, and we think the Constitution can be re-
vised better and far cheaper by legislative enact
ment than by a Convention. But waving that
for the present, we propose to show that it will
be impossible to bring taxes down to the ante
bellum standard, which the EconOnsist seems TO
think could be done without resort to open re-
pudation of our debts. Let us take what the
EconOmpist says of taxation in Jefferson cOunty
before the war, compared with the present,
as basis. 1t says:
II will be some satisfaction to taxpayers in
Jefferson and other counties similarly situated
io compare present with past burihens. The
property of Jefferson in 1860 was $5.8 .86S, 788
nearly four times as much as now. Her taxes
then were $14, ,9O5 .O5. good deal less than hall
what they are now that is 10 say, on much less
than One-thrd oil the property which she had in
1860, Jefferson pays much more than twice as
much taxes now rs then. But this is not the
worst. Shall we say il {? the taxes of Jefferson
in Ibis, the seventh year of Democratic rule, are
actually more than in 1875, when Radical misrule
had reached its climax. Then, with Stearns as
Governor and McLin as Organist, the taxes OF
Jefferson. as shown by The Democratic text book
for our Florida campaign of 1876 were $S7 ,O73.-
48 now, with Bloxbam Governor and Dyke or
ganist, they have swollen TO $38 7694S.
The E cOnomist would, of course. have us be
lIeve that Democratic rule" is responsible for
this increase of burdens. But is this the h"'
Let US analyze this -'"ich Is certainty very
b;,b and see whence it comes. OF this total
sum, $11 ,997.S1 is all that is levied for State
taxes the remainder, $26,7716 so, is levied to
meet county expenses OF the Stale taxes,
$3O2S66 is imposed 10 pay interest on the leg
acy of debt lefl by the Republican party An
other item included in this is 81 51433 general
school tax. There is no one who would have
this latter item cut down in the least. and with
out We Iepudiate il, which no one will advocate
we are compelled To pay the interest on our
bonded debt These two items, ihen could in
no case be made less They aggregate a 542. :
so. This deducted from the total State tax
leaves 81 ,45482 as the actual burden levied upon
the people of Jefferson county for State puT-
poses; certainly not an exOrbitant tax II
shows that the State Government is run upon
a very economical basis. The reduction possible
by cutting of one or two ctbinet officers, and
even the reduction of The salaries OF the remain
der, proposition that will not be endured by
the people, would not make a very perceplible
reduction in the tax
The greater burden under which the people o
Jefferson find themselves, is to meet county ex
penses Let US see in what these consist. The
total county tax is $26.77162. OF this sum 3d.
69951 is TO pay The interest on the railroad bonds
and a judgment for an old debt against the
cnunty; $5,SO3 81 is for the support of the pub
lie schools. The county could not be relieved of
the first item by new Constitution, unless repu
diaiion was one of its provisions, and this. even
were il resOrled to, would he annuIled by the
higher power of the United States, because it
would be an impairment of contract. The Sec
ond item, for schools, neither the EconOnia nor
any other sticker for low taxes would have re-
duced These two items which in any event would
remain the same. or larger, aggregate &19 OO2 05.
Subtracting this from the total county tax, we
have $7,769.57 as the levy for all county ex-
penses out of which any saving could be made
This analysis shows that of the total tax levy
upon the county, $SS, ,769. 43. there is only g.
45482 for the present running expenses of the
State and only $7,76957 for the actual running
expenses of the county. exclusive of the amount
raised for public schools. At the period OF which
the EconOmist speaks Gs6O) there was no public
debt Of any consequence. and very little. if any.
tax levied for public schools, 80 that in compar
ing the expenses ofsihe Government fnr the two
periods, il would be fair to exclude these items.
Doing this, we find that their Stale and county
government cost the people of Jefferson $14,-
9O5 O5 in 1860, as against &15. .22439 in 1882
difference of only $S1s.S4 These figures will
doubtless surprise Judge Hilton. As well as Others
who have fallen into the habit Of crying out
against The extravagance of the present State
Government aud of the Onereus burdens imposed
by our present carpet. bag Constitution. They
will also convince all calm thinking men that
we are now doing very well in the way of econ
Omy in public expenditures and that without
ownrigbt Reputation here is no chance, by new
Constitution or any other method, Of reducing
expenditures 10 the extent some claim N be pos
sible Governor Bloxham has expressed the
opinion that the State tax prOper would SOON be
reduced another mill, or more, and as the differ
ent counties In the State pay of their debts their
tax levies will decrease, 50 thai We shall soon
have iaxes as low Throughout the State as any
reasonable man can expect But, says the EoOno-
mist, the value of the property in Jefferson
in 1880 was nearly six millions OF dollars.
and now is but q million and . half Yes, but
by far the greater part Of the value in 1890 was
10 slave property These slaves are now citi-
zens, some of them taxpayers. and all cOntribu-
ting by their labor the resources Of the county
90 the ability ofthe county TO pay taxes is pretty
much the same as It was then. We 6nd on cx-
animation that Of the total assessment. eS8 .7oe-
q, there was against ihe whites eS3 .484 10 and
against the colored 95.s05.33 or ihis latter
81 $50 Is for poll taxes Of those who own no
property, and e3 71s 50 b against property owned
by this cIass And just here II win not be ont OF
place To remark that although ne whites of the
county own about nins-ssnths of the property