The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-12-08
IsaIlroad question In tho House


EsDAY MORNING, DEC. 8.
sHiirOad Question In tho House.
question of assessing railroads
up in the House yesterday and
nernoon was spent In It's discus.
Mr.. Ferguson led or in a lengthy
IN of considerable zeal in favor OF
rovisions reported by the Commit
xcept that clause providing that a
equal TO that paid the State shall be
tIbuted. to tho Counties. This he
led TO strike out SO there should be
tccal taxation at all. he was fol-
ed by Mr.. WEIGH who favored the
ort of the CommIttee'as 1t stood and
unwilling to surrender tho right OF
Letting tax for the Counties. Mr..
ere made the closing speech, in op.
Biiion TO the report of The Committee
in favor of an adherence to the
Institution and the maintenance OF
istlng legislation. The discussion
Ii be continued to-day ard we
IIevo 1t Is understood that Mr.. Par
r OF this city Will reply to Mr.. Fergu-
IN.
dr. Ferguson and rho Newspapers.
In the House or Delegates yesterday,
discussing the subjec. of taxing rail-
pads, Mr.. Ferguson took great pains to
neer at thencwspapers which had ex-
rsssed opinions adverse to the propo-
iuon brought forward by the Commit.
ee of Revision on that subject, refer
ling frequently to 1.-THE constitutional
lawyers who control them," and to
tho provincial press" with other un-
kind and, we think, 'uncalled for re-.
marks. So far as we. know, no news
paper has said anything of Mr.. Fergu-
sou to justify this attack, and we think
upon reflection he himself must see
that IL gave neither strength nor digni-
y TO his argument. For ourselves, wo
have no quarrel with that gentleman,
though we have with the measure Of
which he Is the reputed author and
which he advocated in his speech yes.
terday. While we differ with him in
regard 10 this measure, wo recognize
his perfect right to say and do in regard
TO it Yhntever may DO his pleasure.
We claim the right aud consider 1t our
duty TO exercise similar liberty; and
we had supposed in this day public
journal might do such thing without
being publicly sneored ut as "provIn-
cal" and without being reminded that
ills editors were not constitutional
lawyers" WecHnnot NIL be consIitu-
tional lawyers. The gentleman ought
to remember that in the economy OF
creation nature is never lavish OF her
great deeds; aud that, therefore, great
men, and especially great constitutional
lawyers, are scarce. Even whole Leg
islnluTc can sometimes boast but one.
IL Is the province of greatness TO be
magnanimous; and knowing this, we
had hoped our feeble efforts might be
permitted to pass without ooutumely.
We had no idea that an table constitu-
tional lawyer" could be disturbed by
them. We can only say. by way of
apology, that we think these sneers
would have been bette< directed If
launched at the facts and arguments
adducsd by the "provincial press .
than they nTe when leyeleti at the I'M
tutored editors.
Nor do we understand that constitu-
tiOnal lawyers alone can comprehend
the English language. Any one who
understands the meaning OF words
knows when constitution declares
expressly that "Taxation shall be
equal and uniform throughout the,
Z" State, andall property both real and
: personal, shall DO taxed In proportion
to its value" IL does not mean that
the property of a rolling mill company
shall be taxed at its full value and the
property of n railroad company at half
Its value. We consider that PROPOSE.
ton which, even very ordinary com.
prehensiOn can take in. And we con.
slider this another; " No one species of
property from which tax may be
Z" collected, shall be taxed higher than
ANY other species OF property OF equal
value" We understand that "a rail.
road bed. its depots, bridges, machine
shops. anu rolling stock arc zone species
Z" OF property" Weunderstand a farm
to be another" and we understand
the Language quoted TO mean that, dol
lar for dollar, they shall be taxed alike.
II a Q Institutional legal education ena-
blcs a man TO understand this different
~, that shows the advantages lawyers
have over other folks. The language
we have quoted is from the Constitu-
tlon Of West Virginia, and the oath a
member of The Legislature takes is that
ho Will support and maintain tina. Con-
stitution. From all which we are led
To suggest whether in this enlightened
day it isnot possible that people may
be able to understand the palmer parts
oftheir own State Constitution without
It's being first filtered through tho brains
Of constitutional lawyer" and
whether the members of the legislature
may not sometimes be trusted to do
their duty intelliEently without a ike
Interpolation.
Tho Case or ZEN. Davis.