Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-10-27
of finance wrought BY Missouri Demo

Of finance wrought by Missouri Demo
Gratis.
Under Republican Rule
That there mav be no mistake about
it I give the tax rate year by year
since the close of the civil war as tab
ulated by Auditor James NJ. Seibert,
with his comments:
Sixty cents on the 500 was levied by the Re
publicans in 1855, and, in addition thereto, 81
poll tax and 81 military tax.
Ninety cents on the 500 was levied In 1855,
and In addition 81 revenue POLAND g military
poll tax.
Sixsy-ave cents ON the 500 was levied in 1867
and 20 cents revenue poll tax.
Fifty cents on the 500 was levied In 1855,
with 80 cents revenue poll tax.
Fifty cents ON the s10o was the rate levied
in 1859, 1870 and 1871.
Forty-ive cents on the 500 was levied in
1872, 1873, 1874 and 1875.
Forty cents on the sioo was levied in 1876,
ISL. 1873, 1873. 1880. 1881, 1880, 1888. 1884 1885
1856 1881 and 1855.
Thirty cents on the 800 was the rate levied
In 1888, 1880 and 1891.
Twenty-Five cents on the 500 was the total
levy for state purposes in 1889, 1893, 1894, 1895,
1896 and 1891. OF this 10 cents on the 800 Is
for state interest tax to pay principal and in.
terest on the state debt and the remaining Is
cents is fer state revenue tax.
II u the experience of nearly every state in
the American Union that expenses Of govern
ment increase in about the same ratio as the
increase Of taxable wealth. Missouri, under
Democratic control, is an exception to the
rule. The figures just given show that the
rate OF state taxes has steadily decreased since
the time the Democrats took control Of our
state government, and is now exactly one-half
OF the lowest rate levied by the radical Repubr
hcans during the years they were in power.
This decrease of 50 per cent in the rate Of
state taxes has been made in the face Of the
fact that IL has been necessary to expend great
Sums annually in the erection of splendid
buildings for our educational, eleemosynary
and penal institutions, making them equal, II
not superior, to those Of any Of our sister states;
enlarging the capitol building, supreme court
building, etc. In addition to that our Demo-
cratic legislatures have for the last ten years
appropriated one-third instead of one-fourth
of the state revenue for support of the public
schools.
The Republican legislatures appropriated
one-fourth of the 25 cents on the 500 state rev
enue tax for support of the public schools,
leaving 1881 cents On the 500 to pay the ex-
penses Of our state governments. Tn Demo-
cratic legislatures appropriate one-third OF the
10 cents On the 500 state revenue tax for that
purpose, leaving 10 cents on the s100 to pay all
the expenses Of the state government.
The County Taxes.
Up to 1865. when the Drake constitution was
adopted, the limit for county taxes was fixed
at the rate levied for state purposes.
After the adoption of the 1855 constitution
the Republican legislatures removed the bar
riers and permitted the county courts, with
out the consent of the people, to levy oppress-
i've taxes and saddle upon the taxpayers enor
nous debts.
oE--a
10 per cent interest were issued right and left
by the millions to pay for stock in mythical
railroads. There was no limit on the Issue Of
county warrants. The burden upon the tax
payers became too heavy to be borne. The
people couldn't pay their taxes and the county
papers were filled with Gland delinquent
lists" notifying owners that their property
had been tforfeited to the state" Many Of
the fairest counties in the state were bank
rupt.
Tn people saw proper in 1873 to restore the
state government to the control of the Demo
cratic party. In 1875 a new constitution was
adopted limiting strictly the powers of tie
general assembly, county courts and city
councils in leyying taxes. The maximum rates
of taxation were fxed at less than one-half the
average rates levied by the county courts and
city councils from 1866 to 1878. This compelled
wholesale reduction in the expenditures Of the
municipal governments, and experience has
demonstrated the wisdom of the constitutional
limitations.
Taxes Levied by Missouri and. Ada
cent States.
The rate given below is that fixed b. the
states to pay the expenses Of carrying on the
state governments and supporting eleemosy-
nary and penal institutions, exclusive Of the
tax for support of public schools and for pay
ment of state debts:
Illinois ....-. 80 cents on the 500 valuation
Iowa.......... 2s cents on the s100 valuation
Arkansas. 80. 22115 cents on the 500 valuation
Kansas ...,.... IS cents or the 500 valuation
Missouri. ...... 10 cents on the 500 valuation
This rate of 10 cents on the 500, fixed by the
Democratic legislature every year since 1892,
has met and paid all the expenses of our state
government, the erection and improvements
OF public buildings, including a liberal support
Of three great 1natic asylums, Reform School
For Boys, Industrial Home For Girls, School
For Deaf and Dumb, School For the Blind,
three normal schools, Lincoln institute, State
university and School of Mines.
During this same period of Demo
cratic supremacy the permanent endow-
ment of the State university has been
-s<&smantad- by ahnus 81, Mis-
souri-Democratic Missouri-has the
largest per capita school fund of any
state in the Union. This is ssapp1ied
Democracy in imperial Missouri. / say
to the people of those states which are
groaning under a heavy burden of taxes
and public debts, brought about by Re-
publican extravaganza and Republican
misrule: $50 and do likewise. Follow
the wise and glorious example of Mis-
souri,. Try the beauties of applied De-
mocracy.' It will do you good and make
your hearts glad"