The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-06-23

councils are fixing up their local tax
levy for THE ensuing year.
A survey of the state would show
a remarkable decrease in the valua-
tions, pant on personal property by as
SCISSORS in a number of counties this
year. This may he TRACED Ito sever
al causes, nct the least of which
Is she pamic of the last two years.
III is hardly necessary to stata that
this was not q Democratic panic"
I'm a number OF counties the COM
missioneas have found 1t necessary
to increase their local tax rate.
This Is true of Democratic counties
and (RepmbliCan counties alike, so
that there Is no politics in DIT. The
reasons given are In most cases the
same--tbe loss of liquor tax, Cn dry
connties,) THE decennial appraise-
ment, thereafter 10 be quadrennial
appraisament,) assessments under
the new stata road law so as TO
obtain the allotted share of state aid
through the state highway depart
ment, and local improvements. Some
OF the dry counties will get Through
without an increase as other funds
win be shaved Ito make what the
county poor fund heretofore derived
from the saloon tax.
All OF the four larger cities are
threatened with a higher tax rate,
and all of them receive large reye-
| nues from the saloon tax. The
reasons diifea. Cincinnati having
special bond issues for lo,al improve
ments Cleveland for hospitals, To-
ledo for schools and Columbus for
general purposes. Some of the
smaller cities that are wet also will
J have increased taxes for local pur-
poses, others that are dry on ac-
count of the loss of the saloon tax;
still others will pull Through by re-
ducing the police force or pairing
other funds Ito make up for the loss
OF revenue from saloons.
IL 'will he seen therefore that To-
cal taxes will increase In a number
OF cities and counties for reasons
that are entirely local. The state
levy remains the same, (1345 mills
per $1,000 so that no part of the
increase i'm taxes IN the counties
and municipalities is for state pur-
poses. This is an imporcant fact
TO keep in mind.
Not many weeks ago a number od
ReIpnblican papers published the
statement that Governor Har1non's
administration would mean more
taxes and that the governor was
locking about him to see where the
increased taxes could be put on. Oh
course, the charge was false, because
Governor Harmon urged the Leg
islatmre to create one state tax
hoard to take the place OF dozen
ex-officio boards so as to prevent
that very thing by better enforce
ment of the lawa we have to
make up the states loss OF revenues
Ut will be we'll to remember, there
fore when Vt comes time to pay tht
Increased taxes OF cities and coun
ties next year the reasons that wer'
given when the local rates weaS
| VI,
cal and none OF which cam b'
traced to Governor Harmon's admin
ls' ration.
When certain Republican papers
which stand by their state machine
through thick and thin were twit
ting Governor Harmon three week.
ago because he charged graft ant
rotIt tenness' in his campaign speeihey
last fall and hadn't found anything
wrong anywhere, they didn't eNpec
him to call their bluff SO soon.
They didn't expect him to uncov
en- ''sleutIhs from the Atlantic to tn
PACIFIC on the pay roll of the stat
fire marshal. They didn't eNpec
him to uncover the downy nest of III
Davis i'm the state fire nrarshal's OF
fee ait $24OQ salary and $l10O OK
penses as Special counsel" In tn
one year Rogers was fire marshal
They didn't expect other revelation
as to how money has been dealt on
lavishly in the fire marshal's offic
even to newspaper correspond
ents who wrote articles roastin
Governor Hlarmon's administration
and praising ROgers in Republica
papers.
Tney didn't expect Governor Han
mons new penitentiary board to di
up nearly $5e, 900 due the state o
contrants at the penltentiary unde
former administrations THAT cann6
now be collected be,ause the partie
to such contracts are insolvent.
Tthnse machine serving Republi
can papers have not been so clam
orous OF late for Governor Haimo
to make good his charges OF "graf
and rottenness. They don't kno
what hell show mp next.
Little surprise was created by tn
action OF the state bankers associa
tlon in adopting resolutions again'
the postal savings bank ais well
the guaranty OF bank deposits. w
knew last fall that the postal san
ings bank proposition was a. can
paign dodge worked by Mr.. Tai
Nor a1J "A x.sa.o uun,.hh Tn fsrnacit II