LECTURES AND ESSAYS READ AT INSTITUTES. 



219 



OfiEicers' salaries . . 

 General expenses. 



$6,500 

 13,000 



Total county tax $27,518 



Total State and county... 55,062 



In view of this large outlay for taxes, would it not be well to look at this 

 question in its various aspects, and if possible ascertain what we may reason- 

 ably expect for the future. 



To ascertain whether or not our taxes have increased in the past, I have 

 tabulated the tax upon a piece of land in my own township, beginning with 

 the year 1857, and ending with 1S83. This piece of land was all under culti- 

 vation in the year 1857, and there have been no improvements by way of build- 

 ings or otherwise added since. It seems to me that this must tell the story. 

 I have figured this tax by the acre, thinking it will be more easy to under- 

 stand : 



1857. 

 1858. 

 1859. 

 1860. 

 1861. 

 1862. 

 1863. 

 1864. 

 1865. 

 1866. 

 1867. 

 1868. 

 1869. 

 1870. 



Cents Per Acre. 



11 



11 



14 



12 



19 



25 



27 



50 



72 



53 



36 



50 



62 



52 



1871. 

 1872. 

 1873- 

 1874. 

 1875. 

 1876. 

 1877. 

 1878. 

 1879. 

 1880. 

 1881. 

 1882. 

 1883. 



Cents Per Acre. 



61 



31 



30 



28 



31 



- 28 



32 



32 



35 



30 



35 



28 



42 



You will see by this statement, that the taxes on this piece of land for four 

 years before the war, was on an average 12 cents per acre ; during the war 

 from 27 cents to 72 cents per acre. From 1872 to 1883 the tax is very oven, 

 and we may presume the tax has settled down to its normal condition again. 

 We find the tax for twelve years since 1871 to be on an average 32 cents per 

 acre ; almost three times as much as they were before the war. 



Shall our taxes increase in the future as they have in the past? If I had 

 given this subject thought before testing it by facts and figures, I should have 

 said that the improvements in this country would advance as fast as there was 

 any need of an increase in expenditures; and I believe they will do so in the 

 future. You know that a parcel of land in a state of nature pays but little 

 tax, and yet when this land becomes improved, and is well stocked, has good 

 buildings and is well supplied with teams and tools necessary for its cultiva- 

 tion, its capacity for taxation is greatly increased. 



Then, again, think of the manufacturing establishments that have been 

 built within the last twenty-five years, all over our land, together with capi- 

 tal brought into our State in other business pursuits, and the rapidity with 

 which the northern portion of our State is becoming settled and improved, 

 would warrant us in believing there would be no necessity for an increase of 

 taxation in the future. Again, our State is well supplied with nearly all the 

 public buildings needed, and they are mostly new, substantial buildings that 



