Smyrna times., 1890-03-12
ESTIMATED SAVINGS
Aggregate annual savings, esti-

! IuaC Guo ABOVE $lS,O0C
can De saved annually by intelligent.
careful and judiciOus management
under our present system of taxation
and give the people and county even
better returns than we have now bnt
we don't believe that the farmerc
should be satisfied or stop here. AS
ne mas been seen, real estate at Dres.
ent pays over SO per cent. of all taxes
Inns Is so manifestly unjust that if Is
astonishing that the farmers have sub-
mitted to 1t so long and we can only
account for 1t by the fact that the svs-
tenn was established at a very early
day, when nearly all property in this
State consisted in the farms and s,oci-
upon them. But this has long since
changed, and at present it is a we'll
known fact that real estate is the least
profitable of all investments. There is
no reason, therefore, for continuing the
burden OF taxation almost exclusiveIv
upon It. 1t should and our farmers 70
willing it should, pay its lust and
equitable proportion, but no more
And 1t IS believed that if the burden
were distributed fairly, it would no.
pay more than one-half what it does
now, But this can only be effected bv
legislation. This We shall insist nnoH
From this statement of the matter Il
VIII De seen that we propose two rem
eoles Tor existing evils. First, econom-
lcaI ana Judicious administration of
affairs under existing laws until tbev
can be changed. Secondly, additional
legislation to equalize the burden that
now bears so unfairly and oppressivelv
upon the farmers as a class. This can.
not be effected until the Legislature
meets. The first, to wit INTELLIGENT
Judiclous, and economical adminiStra'
tion should begin now, and continna
forever after under all laws and svs.
TENS. 20
We have no charges to make against
the integrity of any OF our county Off
GERS. We have faith in our Lew Court
They are farmers
IKE ourselves, aud we believe svmna,
thlze with us under our present ad.
verse circumstances and that heeviIs
we feel and the burdens under which !
we groan, as class, have grown up in
past years, and that whatever NAV he !
lald at the door of the Levy Court is
owing to too easy yielding to outside |
influence of interested parties who |
have sought their own selfish ends Of |
Jhe expense of the tax. PAYERS. and
without regard to the Character of |
heir demands or the reputation of the
court. We appeal to our Lew Court
10 stop all this now and here and we
believe they will do il. From this dav
orth let no allowance be made let no
'lll be paid until full and carefully ex-
lmined and approved not Only an
proved in form, but by their intelligent
Judgement and conscience. Let every
Levy Courtman say, II am here as the
'hOsen and trusted representative of
ny fellow citizens, charged with the
most delicate and responsible duty of
lot Onl y imposing tax on nv NEIGH
,Or and friend, but also of spendino
hat tax when collected without their
lavlng one word to say as to how or
Vhen, and must therefore act in the
matter as II were spending my own
II such a rule had been alwavs oh.
erved there never would have been the
iscontent and complaints that now
xist, and are beginning to manifest
leuiselVes all over this county, and
nth an emphasis that they never did
etore. We will give few instances
y way of illustration of what we
lean.
One OF the most crying evils is found
the bad management of the roads. II
lVldes itself into two branches First.
lany men are appointed OVerseers who
My wish the position to get to handle
lOney, and when they get it. use IL 5
'r their own profit. 1t is within the :
nowledge of one of your committee !
nat II was the habit of one of these
verseers to lOGtk out his allowance I
ltnouC doing any work whatever. /
M the following facts came to the !
ersonal knowledge of another of vour q
ommittee An Overseer was allowed :
resolution 500 to be used on a !
lecihed part Of road. He was urUed :
do the work, bnt failed TO do IL and !
ever spent one dollar on the appro- I
fiatlon OF the road. He then prom
ed TO return it, but when he after 1
ards made his return it was found he n
ad claimed credit for the whole. and q
had been allowed. These are only +
70 Instances. They might be multi d
led. Of incOmpetency scores might q
given. 1t is no uncommon THING 10 =
e roads Ike trOughs, hollow in the n
luule ana raised up on the edges. n
ns holding water instead of shedding q
! ana sometimes matters are even a
ade worse by blowing up the road or n
Iuling loose dirt into IL. and leaving q
there without leveling, narrowing
'lling, or packing in any way. n
another matter we beg our Lew n
ourt to correct. That is, making iobs Ii
r people when the work is not bsdIv n
'eded,. or paying evtravagant prices a
it when it is. II is believed that II
investigation would reveal many n
ses of this kind. We will mentio1 Is
70 or two to which our attention has n,
en- especially called. One is the case =
small bridge, not more than ten q
Twelve feet wide, on level road. for IN
aleh the county paid $50. Another hs
vial OF itself, but very significant as re
index to the way in which thin0s N.
done, we will mention. A ma NJ
anic was employed to nut a latch IA
q spring on light door and strip ct
ruooer round it. For this the county th
IS charged and paid $2.4O. A practi.
mechanic who does similar work. re
q examined this, assures your COM IN
ttee that 1t should not have cost. ar
lterials and work, more than so 10
nts, oriust one-third what Il did or
bnt the case that has called out the ca
)St comment and advarsa c,.;ts,,;,.. 4. | -.