The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-04-23
BONDS AND TAXEs.

BONDS AND TAXES.
We are reliably informed by a
present member of the County
Court, that ten years ago the county
was out of debt. How comes it then
that they now owe a floating debt of
outstanding warrants, amounting to
some $4,000, more or less? The
answer given us and the one we give
to our readers is, that the cOunty's
expenses have exceeded its income,
per annum, about $4,000. In other
words, the present tax rate on the
present assessed value of taxable
property in the county, lacks about
$4,000 of providing enough money to
pay our office holders, and other in
cidental expenses, including pay for
"eX-ofIicion services to the magis-
trates themselves.
Now these premises being correct,
lets look a little further into the
debt and the bond question.
1t is proposed by those who favor
the bond scheme, to retire $1,000
bond each and every year. How
will they do that? Their disburse-
ments, heretofore, have been $4,000
above their receipts. Not to incur
any more debt, simply to hold their
own, they must either increase the
tax rate, or spend $1,000 less. Can
they run on $1,000 less money than
they have been spending? If they
can, then why havn't they been
doing it, and what excuse have they
to offer their constituents for this
$4,000 mortgage they have put upon
their farms and homes?
But to carry out this bond idea
not only must they cut down their
expenditures $1,000, but another
$4,000 to pay a bond-or else increase
the tax rate. In short, they will be
compelled every year to spend
$500 less than they have been
spending, or the tax payers must be
called upon and will be called upon
to pay more money into the coun'
TVS treasury.
Now which will they do do you
suppose? Is it fair to presume that
a Court, heretofore spending 5000
year in excess of their income, will
suddenly grow so economical anc
virtuous as to spend $500 less thar
their income? Is that the history
of Courts, or Congresses or Legis
latures? With Mr.. Cleveland
1852 100000 bond issues staring then
in the face, did not the last Congress
recklessly and eXtravagantly make
appropriations exceeding one billion
dollars? With a deficit staring
them in the face, has not this pres
ent Tennessee legislature increased
the State tax rate, that they nigh
give $4,000 of the peoples hare
earned money to the Nashville
show?
What reason have we to thinl
that magistrates who will spenc
$1,000 per year from an empty treas
ury, would save a surplus if the.
had it?
We do not believe they would
We have no reason to believe the.
would. Nothing they have done il
the past gives us ground upol
which to predicate the hope. In
deed, we doubt if they could. w
seriously doubt if the business
affairs of this county could be sue
cessfully run under our present con
stitutional government, at cost o
$500 less than we have been paying
And if it cannot, then to raise tn
tax rate would be the necessary anC
inevitable result.
In our opinion therefore, a bone
issue means an increase of the ta1
rate; and that, we are opposed to.
We are opposed to it, because tn
people are not able to bear it; W
are opposed to it, because we do no
believe the emergency exists t
make it necessary; we are oppose
to it because we believe the peopl
are opposed to it. The magistrate
should talk with the tax payers @
their districts; and the peopl
should talk with their magistrate:
and the will of the people should b
obeyed.
I'm II,->-ur,, Lo, ,,-;+l, drou,n fro,