The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-23
.GheGt.telIiaet1etr.
,,,,,,,c suggestions in Regard to
S Hnr west Virginia Legislation,
GspeclaIly the Collection and
Disbursement Of Taxes. b..
IDya DemodAuc FAI4eE'

EsneciuIby the COIleettOu uhtA
disbursement Of Taxes. b..
10y Democratic Farmer.l
Editors IntellIgeneuF:
Asthere is great cry for reform heard
abroad throughout the land, and a very
general desire, owing to the depression Of
sbc times, TO relieve ourselves from un-
necessary burdens, / respectfully ask
mace in the columns Of your widely cir
cpIs!ed and valuable paper for n few
thoughts on u subject that may be OF
;nterest, and perhaps assist in some small
degree in producing the desired results:
i'd not propose TO introduce anything Of
PARTISAN character, nor to hold either
nlrty responsible for our existing diff
rnlties but rather to call attention to de-
feet, in our present laws and give an
humble opinion OF how and where to
apply the remedy.
further propose 10 con6ne myself to
our own State and its legislation, the dis.
cusion Of national affairs opening up too
large space for my time, and perhaps
for your space.
The legislation Of this State may be
classified, for our present purposes, into
three classes, as including that which i'm
poses burdens upon the community, to.wlt:
First, the laying or leyying Of taxes; sec.
Ond, the collecting aud disbursement
thereof; and third, the judicial system.
Few people, however, stop to think how
considerable sum is annually expended
on the assessment OF taxes. There is no
law probably in the statute book that
has in the last generation been more reg
ularly amended and re.enacted, and yet
il your readers will examine the old
Code OF Virginia Of 1860 and follow
up the intervening changes to the acts Of
1876, you will be astonished at the
amount OF legislation that occupies the
statute books OF that period, aud yet
wilhal how very nearly IL runs in the
same rut, and, worse than all at the fact
that the great disideratum, to-wit: the
cost, has not improved particle, but on
the contrary that the reverse is the case
during the last quarter Of q century.
| find in acts OF 1875, page so, that
there are II assessment districts in this
State, and, further on, on page ia, that
County Courts are authorized to allow to
each assessor not less than $500 nor ex.
ceeding $500 for annual services, besides
specific fees there enumerated.
have no data for ascertaining what
SUN is allowed by the respective counties
Of the State, but taking this (Brooke)
county as an average, land il is about the
smallest in area and population in the
State,) you will foot up the not inconsid-
cradle sum Of SSO,s00. Or, to take an av-
erage Of the amount authorized TO be al.
lowed, the sum Of $23,lO0-a very nice
annual sum,
now ARE WE TO REFORM IT?
auswcr-By simply making assess.
Ments biennial or, better still, quadren.
NAL. 1t was for many years considered
Indispensable for the Legislature to meet
annually; but who is worsted by our pres.
ent biennial arrangement? And, TO go u
little further, can any statesman calculate
whether any injury or harm would en-
sue, either 10 the public or the individ'
usl, il Legislature met but once during
the term Of u Governor, four years ?. IA
change, by the way, which I believe can
and will be effected before the passing Of
another decade.)
Two serious objections might be urged
to this, to.wit: the change OF ownership
Of property and the increase or diminu-
lion Of It's value, both Of which l am fully
prepared to meet. A party taxed with
property this year and parting with II be-
fore the ensuing year could apply for re-
liet as for an erroneous assessment. :.
The biennial increase Of our tax roll
Is too uncomfortable to merit attention,
For veriication Of this fact refer you
tothe valuation Of personal property In
any district for n term OF say five years
and | venture the assertion that it does
not amount in value to the cost OF ass
essment, F,..
Your readers are well aware that this
State Is almost wholly devoted to agri.
cultural pursuits, and in u community Of
this description the changes in, personali-
ly, and the increase in wealth are very
gradual.
Land is assessed but once in ten years,
and il personality were assessed but once
or AT mos, twice during the term Of each
Assessor -FOUR years. the saving to the
State would amount 10 from fifty to nine.
~ thousand dollars. II permitted l
could easily Gil out the details, and ! hope
will be morc than suficient 10 apply q
remedy
co,, rcr,,,, r,,n,,,,v,,pxr or r,xrs
Ac'''N AM Di' "
Having thus hastliy ana very lmper'
leEi! glanced a. me nrst oiVisI9n' Pro
wed 10 thS second, to.wit. Inc cVI r1s
Vcn and disbursement Of taxes; ina
there Is need for reform in this branch
n, nsSa o9ly eau attention 70 'nS s yas
Ito immol,ts tbsm.sives on the altar" II
their couptry,s service GWhere The car.
caS i. theirs the bnSzards vather" WHY
this grand rusb nm the ShssiFaltyP The
ausEer comes Sn MN from e[ery
citizen, because III" carcass il la and the
pickiur good What ara The deiects n
The exS,iSD lava and how can tbsy be
rsmsliedy On" yorId sunnoss tbSt on,
State, when sbs c mic Loose s from Ola Vir,
gina, would SnvS w. ,atC OUS ,bs good and
escheWed Tho sv;IH NJ. AZ Sowever
We still nIov viii ,bs wno,lon r,onIj,
board, and gnll tbs sboSldsTs Of the team