The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-06-29
From the Clarksburg eonservative.l
Deddridge County Statistics.

Last Monday was court day in Dod-
bridge county. We spent short time
at West Union, mingliDg and inter.
changing view with the substantial
citizens of the county. They seemed
cheered with the prospect of an abund-
ant harvest, but depressed at the
thought that the proceeds thereof was
to 90 into thehands ofthe tax-gatherer.
While at the depet, we observed a
quantity of corn meal and other pro-
duce lying upon the platform that had
been imported from abroad. This ar
rested our attention. We knew that the
soil of the county of Doddridge was
productive, and its people industrious
and frugal. Upon inquiry, we ascer-
tained that the State and county taxes
collected the previous year had been so
onerOus as to require an immediate sale
of the product of their last years har-
vest, not leaving sufficient anennt for
the subsistence of the people of their
county. Truly may the people say of
the Radical party as the men of l776
said of George Ill" They have erected
a multitude of new offices and sent
hither swarms of officers to harass our
people and eat out their substance"
No people can long endure the grind
ing and oppressive weight of taxation
now resting upon the people of that
county. They seem to feel and knew
this, and are anxiously awaiting the day
of their deliverance from Radical mis-
rule. The people Of that county know
that they are unnecessarily, unjustly and
oppressively taxed-taxed beyond their
capacity to pay; they know whence this
tax cometh but they do not know whith-
er il gOeth.
the people of Doddridge county amount
ed to the sum of s634O oO
In 1853 it amounted to 1889 SO
Excess in 1867 over 1856 Sl95l q
In 1867 the taxes levied and collected
from those people for county purposes
was S3547 As
In 1857 il was only ll66 ~
Excess of 1867 over 1857 S239l %
So it will be seen that the State tax
alone of this county for 1867 is more
than equal in amount to both the State
and county tax for the year 1855. And
that the county tax for the year 1867 is
more than three times as much as 1t
was for 1857.
We could not learn the amount col
lected in the several districts for school
purposes, but in one district this tax
was fifty cents on the one hundred dol
lars worth of property. Taking the tax
in this district as criterion, the school
tax of the county for 1867 was S6,659 50;
and at the same time bounty tax was
collected from this people of S26,H1 44
And so it will be seen that while in 1857
the county of Doddridge levied upon its
people a county tax of only 81, loo 20;
in 1867 the same county levied upon its
people the enormous tax of s36, ,393 "a.
and in 1857 the entire tax for both
county AID State purposes amounted to
S., ,555 ~, and in 1867 the county and
State taxes for the same county amount
cd to the appalling sum of s42,S34 o.
complain of the crasEiIHHg sEEIH f g.ss. this county
atisn that under Radical misrule has
been imposed upon them, and resolve
to free themselves from the burden.
Our Object has been to draw a COM
parson between the taxes paid now
and those paid ten years ago. Wewere
not able conveniently to find State
Auditors Report for 1857, and have
taken the Report of 1858, in lieu of it.
1t will he seen that the little county OF
Doddridge, under Radical misrulo, is
made to pay S36, l6S 50 more taxes in
the year 1867 than the same county
paid under Democratic and Whig rule
ten years ago. Let such an investiga-
ton be made of the statistics of every
county in the State and it will be found
that what is true in Doddridge, is true
Of each and every county in the State
of West Virginia. Citizens of Dod-
bridge county and of the State at large,
look to these things. Your property is
taxed each year nearly equal to its
annual restal value! What equivalent
do you receiver Are your roads and
bridges in better condition. Your fam
lilies better clothed and fsdi Your
children better educated, or is justice
better administered In 1857 the coun
ty of Doddridge levied for $50 fox and
6 wild cat scaIps, and in 1853 for l2O
fox and IL wild cat scalps-75 cents for
each scalp. But under Radical Repub-
lican rule, foxes, wild cats, negroes and
State, county and township officers do
much abound, while dogs are taxed and
killed to foster and encourage these
"varmiHts" that they may "harrass cur
people and eat out their substance