The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-07-30
"rME RIaGS THAI RULE US"
Tho RHter.PIpe Ring, the Bank Ring,
the BOND Ring, the Market street
bridge Hing.
FTUW 4t8ItFUuV8 htVUItT.
Editors Of the Register:

From YtItertlav5 Register.
Editors OF the Reglster:
The corrupt tendency oft times ls
shown in no way more distlnctly than
In the common resort TO the nomblnA-
lions called Rings, for the promotion OF
special interests which In themselves
have no claim upon the publlc-which
are often improper and will not bear the
test Of publ scrutiny. Dom Plat says
on this subject, that I'VE have the most
corrupt government In the world: It is
run by rings; not the least dIshearten.
ing part OF this Is TO be found In the
utter indifference with which the public
ut large regard this fact. II IL no longer
u shame ~ steal. It has ceased to be q
dIshonor to defraud." All rings have
y characteristic In common; they seek
their interest at the expense Of the pub
lilo. In plain terms, they seek to plum.
der the public. This corrupt method
Of doing things prevails TO 0 greater or
lesser extent not only In national az
fairs but also In State aud municipal
legislation.
AS yet we have not experienced the
effect OF these corrupt combinations to
q very disastrous extent In this State;
nevertheless, we have not entirely es-
capped them. Every one must have oh.
served their workings In our Legisla-
ture when the location OF State capI-
tai was being considered, and the effect
was even more marked when dealing
with railroad taxation.
10 our municipal affairs We have al
ways been plundered by rings. We
had water pipe ring year or two ago
and their object, as since understood,
was to compel the city to pay from 10
~ cents per pound for o large contract
OF pipe, which could be bought outside
ofthe ring at about 39S cents per pound.
We formerly had bank ring, the OBJ.
Ject Of which seemed to be such q man.
agement OF the city finances that GER
tain banks should have the use OF the
city deposits without interest, but we
suspect that this has been superseded
by Il Savings Institution ring, which Ia
satisfied with making handsome profit
out OF all OF the stock operations OF the
city and with the deposit of the money
Of the sinking fund at such interest
that 1t can divide ten per cent. dividend
every SIX months to Its stockholders.
We hear 1t hlnted that we have what
may be termed city bond ring. The
mild and gentle measure which this
ring wants TO carry Is the issue OF two
hundred and fifty Thousand dollars OF
city bonds, which are to bear nine per
cent. interest, and are 10 De secured
upon the city property and revenues.
It Is expected that all OF the other city
rings will go In for this measure, as
they all expect to share In the plumber.
This job will not be brought forward
very prominently for q few months,
but 1t will be pressed and, OF course,
carried at the proper season. The ex.
cuse for II will be found in the overdue
obligations Of the city and the new
debts which the rings Intend to make,
so as to force the city Into such POSI-
ton that an Issue OF bonds cannot be
avoided,
This article would be Incomplete
Without mention OF The hercest and
most determined ring ever known
here-we mean the Marketstreet Bridge
Ring. This ring carries on its opera
tons with the boldness characteristic
OF those who seek 10 plumber the public.
Six or eight property holders, and
three or four lease holders, who wish 10
make their property and leases more
valuable, united with o stone mason
seeking u contract, TO make u strong
ring, and can readily carry with It In
Council the votes OF all OF that class
who having no property interest at
stake, are always ready 70 vote the
public money freely.
The city treasury has no money. On
the contrary It Ia overchecked and
bankrupt to the extent OF many thou.
sand dollars, and Is threatened With
executions to collect large sums OF
money which have for many years
boen due TO indulgent creditors. Up
wards Of eighty thousand dollars Of
Water Works bonds are due and no
money with which 10 pay them. All
Of the rings mentioned understand this
and intend to increase the embarrass-
ment OF the treasury and then comes
In 1.-The opportunity for the nine per
cent bonds. Look out for the taxes
which will follow. INQUIRER.