Smyrna times., 1890-03-05
Kent County Farmers Institute.
A GATHERING AT THE KENT COUNTY
COURT HOUSE WEDNESDAY.

Wednesday last the Farmers Insti.
tute of Kent County held a public
meeting in the Court House at Dover
to discuss the subject of county ex.
penditures and taxation.
). ALEXANDER Fulton presided and
County Treasurer Ridgely was score
tary. Before opening the discussion
that called the meeting together, Chair
man Fulton invited those farmers
present who had not yet Joined the
Institute to become members and some
thirty names were enrolled. among
whom were the following Thos. 3.
COursey, Alexander johnson, VIM.
Dyer, E. H. Bancroft A. G. Mensch.
Thos. P. Hanson, Jacob G. Brown
Geo. w. Collins, VIM. G. Postles, A,
7. Hoffecker, W. B. Parmley, l. K.
GoOdeD, G. D. Jackson, A. D. Green.
w. b. Bowman, VIM. T. Case, VIM.
Hutchins, and others.
J. Alex. Fulton then read the report
of the committee appointed at FELTON,.
on the finances of the State and county
The committee in the preamble stated
That they were satisfied that they were
satisfied that the county affairs Of Kent
could be conducted for $4,000 less per
annum than they now were, and bet
ter service be obtained
The States finances were then briefly
summoned up as follows:
1859 total receipts, $l2I, ,22I.7O, ex-
penses $91 ,841 .06; two loans were paid
in this year which reduced the ordi.
nary expenses of the State were but
S20, ,O4l .O6. In 1869 the receipts 1882
O37, actual expenses $42, ,384.56; in 1879
the receipts were $168,98I, actual ex-
penses $50, ,491 Al; in 1888, the total re-
ceipts were $184, 1924, actual expenses
$1l6,60363.
The expense figures given above
must be understood as representing the
cost OF running the State, and do not
include the interest on loans and etc.
A comparison was then given in de-
tail to show the vast increase that has
been made in the thirty wears. The
receipts and expenses of the State
were given in detail, the increase made
in the salaries of Judges, Governor.
Chancellor and other State Offices.
Then the paper took up the Legisla-
ture and its allowances and expenses.
The allowances and expenditures Of
Kent COunty's finances was then
taken up in detail, the tax rates, etc.
compared and a general summary of
the COunty's affairs given.
The figures for l889-last year. were
listened to with most interest.
The total valuation of real and per-
sOnal property in the county was
given at $l4, 4,847 ,556. The tax on this
at As per cent. amounted to county.
S41 676.O6; road, $l4, ,S47 "a; poor, SO.
1893 8S.
The county officers fees were: Clerk
of the Orphans Court, $500; Clerk of
the Peace, $4,000; Prothonotary, 81, 400;
Recorder of Deeds, 81 200; Register OF
Wills, 81, 800.
At the close of the reading of the
paper series of resolutions looking to
the remOdeling of the system of taxa.
tiOn so that real estate might be re.
lieved ofsOme of the burdens it now
bears, were adopted.
Rev. J. S. Willis, ex-senator Sauls.
bury and others discussed the resolu.
tions, endorsing the sentiments con
tanned in the paper and advocating
strongly the taxing of investments
The sentiment of the Institute wal
that that the same subject should bC
taken up at future meeting and fur
ther discussed.