The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-08-22
The Great Wbig Meeting.'

The "Great Whig Meeting" came off in thi
place, according to appointment on Thursday O
this week. To the great disappointment, howev
er, Of the assembled whiggery, Mr.. Bebb, tn
whig candidate for Governor, was not present.
He was detained, as the meeting were told b,
State Auditor Woods, ex-Prssident OF the broker
Bank of Hamilton, at Cambridge, by an attack o
fever.
For want of time we cannot devote much space
this week, to review of the speech of Audito
Woods, ex-President of the broken Bank of Ham
ilton; but he made some such glaring misrepresen
tations that we cannot overlook them.
In the first place the ex-President commenced
his speech by an euogy on Mr.. Bebb. This W,
suppose is all well enough; for, if our readers will
recollect, welast week published "shin-plaster,
signed "WM. BEBB, Prest.," which correspon
dent Of the Ohio Press" says was sold at so cen
on the dollar; and the notes of the Bank of Ham
ilton, which failed about the same time with the
ditor Woods President, also sold at so cents on
the dollar "Birds of feather flock together''
We now put this simple question to the people oil
Monroe county; Have they not lost more money
by failure of banks and the depreciation of the pa.
per of such banks as the banks of Hamilton, Ur-
bana, Granville, Gallipolis, Cincinnati, and host
of others, than they have ever lost by frauds upon
the State Treasury? We ask this question as a
set off to Auditor Woods charges of frauds and
peculations committed by democrats, and which
no democrat, in this section Of the State, to our
knowledge, approves.
The Auditor of State spoke, at length, of three
things, of which, he said, the people of Ohio might
well be proud, and in which they should glory
These were, the Ohio Canal, the Miami Canal, and
the act passed February 4, 1925, denomnated by
him, the Financial Act. Now, we are under the
impression, if the people of Monroe county will
carefully examine these three things, and of which
the Auditor of State is so uery proud, and especi-
ally the act of 1925, they Will there find the COM
mencement Of thatsystem of fraud and plunder and
peculation and robbery of which the speaker so
much complained Who does not know that if we
have canals in one portion of the State, the people
may, with justice, demand them in other portions.
Hence the enormous increase of our public debt
And although Auditor Woods could not tell the
people of any improvements that had been made
since 1895, we think we will be able to show some
in our paper of next week.
We wish it distinctly understood that we do not
approve, neither will we defend any person or per-
sons guilty of frauds in the management Of our pub
lie works. And ifthere have been frauds, which
we do not doubt were they the result of any meas
ure or principle ever advocated by the democratic
party of OHIO. We answer emphaticay, MOI
Did the whig speakers or whg party, by any exer-
tions or efforts of theirs bring these frauds to hght
No! Auditor Woods says that JOHN BRoUGH
and EDWARD ARcHBoLD, both democrats, were
the men who took the lead in bringing these mat
tiers 70 light. What praise then is due to the whig
party? None! After the mischief has been done,
and after has been erreted by democrats, then
it is that the whg party can raise great hue and
cry about frauds and robberies When we find
time we will tell the people of this county some
thing about the sacrifice of Ohio State Stocks by
Alfred Kelly and his whig friends!
Why did not Auditor Woods tell the people,
whenhe spoke of the amount our State debt had in
creased from 1886 to 1913, that during that time
the wings had the power several times. and ought
to have put end to the plundering of the treasu-
ry, they are sincere in their professions Of econ
omyl But this would not have helped his case.
The next thing we shall notice Is the statement
Of Auditor Woods, of the per centum levied in this
county on the valuation of real and personal prop
erty. He stated that in 1874 the average per cent
was II mills and tenths; in 1916, 10 mills and
tenths; and in 1876, but II mills. Now this is true
as far as it goes but it is not the whole truth, and
in the eyes OF honest men, Auditor Woodsis guilty
of preyaricaton equal to the telling of positive
falsehood. Why? Because in lSi5 we had load
tax in this county Of mills, and this year we have
none consequently the per cent is less this year.
But had the Commissioners of this county levied
a road tax Of mills, which they could have done,
the per cent, this year would have been 81 mills,
being 1nili and tenths than it was last year.
In 1874 we had aroad tax OF mills; add mills TO
this years levy and 1t would make it 10 mills, or
mill and tenths more than il was in 1874. Thus
it will be seen that whatever of credit due on ac
count of our taxes being less this year, Is due to
our Commissioners, and not TO Auditor Woods, or
the tax law as he tried to make US beeve-he knetc
that we had road tax last year and none this year.
The truth Of the matter is this; What we usually
call, in this county. the smoney part" Of our tax
es, higher this year than in either 1874 or 1915.
Another matter we will notice, and then close
for this week. Auditor. Woods says the whole
per centnm, for all purposes, next year will not ex
ceed6 mills. Now, in 1874, (Which is Auditor
Woods fayorito year for comparisons,) the land in
ths county was appraised at 456 s9s or about l,5o
per acre; this gave in that year about $soH tax.
The new appraisement will not be far from'S per
acre. or about 81 1913, ,sl2 as the apprasement for
The same number Of acres aswere retcrne a in 1914
This will give ajax in Is47, at levyofe mills, Of
slc,Ss2, or one third more than the tax Of ls44.--