Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-09-23
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AN
NUAL CONVENTION.
Held at Pittsburg on "Wednesday
and Thursday Of last week.

counties of Pennsylvania was held
at Pittsburg on Sept. IA and 10th
and was represented by over one
hundred and fifty commissioners,
clerks and attorneys. In fact nearly
every county in the state was repre-
sented. Robt. L. Mercer COM
missioner of Allegheny county was
made chairman of the meeting, and
after electing secretaries the roll
was called and over $50 commits
sioners answered to their names. s.
II. Geyer Esq, solicitor ofAllegheny
county made the address of welcome.
1t was brief. but he assured the OF
licials hearty reception. The COM
mittee on resolutions was then an
nounced after which some time was
consumed in discussing the question
of how the resolutions were to be
presented to the convention. 1t
was finally decided that the title of
the resolution should be read to the
convention before it was referred to
the committee. This settled, MIR.
Mercer president of the convention
announced that polling booths had
been arranged in an adjoining room
and some time before the final adj
iournment a test election would be
held. The purpose of which would
be to instruct as many in the new
system of voting as possible. The
convention then adjourned until 2
o'clock P. NJ.
The afternoon meeting was con-
sumed in discussing resolutions and
speech making. Hon. Jerome b.
Niles of Tioga county gave an adj
dress and entertained the gathering
for some time. During the latter
part of this session a vote under the
new Baker Ballot law was
taken which resulted as follows:
Cleveland AZ and Harrison 3S. 1t
was announced that there was only
about swo-thirds of the attendance
present. Several votes were thrown
aside owing to mistakes in marking.
The vote of Sullivan went through
all right, however. If we remember
right Schuy lkill county was among
the black ball list. This little Incl
dent however, should prove to each
and every voter that we can not give
this matter too much attention.
When commissioners who have u
sample Of ballots at their disposal
make mistakes i'll voting, it is high
time for us to investigate, aud learn
for ourselves the correct way Of
casting the ballot. On announcing
the result of The vote the meeting
adjourned until 10 A. NJ. Thursday.
The second days session was
called to order Thursday morning
at 10 o'clock. Joseph ID. Weeks
made an address on the subject of
'taxation," !" in which he said among
other things: "The objects Of
taxation are two. First, to provide
for an income to meet the
expenses of the body levying the
tax. Second to restrict, or prohibit
the production, sale or use of the
article or thing taxed.
"The ordinary taxes levyed on
real or pers onal property BY state,
county or local governments are ex-
amples of the first class. The taxes
and licenses paid by makers or
sellers OF liquor OF oleomargarine
and custom duties, so tar as these
are restrictive or prohibitive, are ex-
amples of the second. 1t is evident
that laws providing for the second
class of taxation will accomplish
their object only to the extent that
the subject of taxation is restricted
or prohibited. The object sought
is not income, but avowedly the de-
strGction or restriction of the thing
taxed. and therefore no thought OF
so levyiug the tax as to produce in
come should be considered. On the
other hand, taxes for revenue or
those to meet the expenses of the
body levying the tax should have
the least possible restrictive or de-
structive effect" MIR. Weeks sug-
gested as a remedy a paramount
statistical bureau that would super
wise the tax in all particulars,
r. +. Mercer, as chairman of the
executive committee, presented the
report of the committee. Its chief
recommendation were To repeal the