The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-28
Democratic Refreneilment in
West Virginia.
lr4ton County JoufnaLl

Preston County J0urnaLJ
Over $4,000 we're in the State Treas
ury when the Democratic party came into
power in 1870. Three years after We
have Jonathan Bennett laundering in the
Senate that the state Is bankrupt, and the
S.ate at the same time borrowing money
Of Hon. c. n. Bishop and the banks.
The figures in the Governors message
transmitted to the Legislature that Assem-.
bled in January, 1875, show deficit in the
treasury Of S3,726 16. In his message TO
the adjourned session which convened in
Wheeling last November, the Governor
said the expenditures were S2s,745 II
more than the receipts Of that year.
A few days before the adjournment OF
the last session, Mr.. West, the Democrat.
ie nominee for Treasurer, said deficit Of
100000 would show itself At the end OF
this fiscal year. We know not how that
will be, but we do know that the So 900
appropriated At the last session, to pay
criminal charges, was exhausted over q
month ago.
The Democratic party saw in 1873
that something must be done, or else the
State would Be bankrupt, sure enough.
More money was necessary, and must be
had. There are three ways to accom-
piish that: First, iDcrease the rate Of
taxation; second, increase the amount Of
taxable property, and, third, increase the
value Of the taxable property. ltWould
have cost nothing 10 have Issued the FIRST
two. methods; but with it, usual blind.
ness, the Democracy decided to adopt The
latter method very costly one; and
they passed an act At the session Of 1928
providing for the re.assessment Of all the
real estate in the State. Instead Of Civ
ing this job into the hands Of the regular
assessors, whom the people bad elected,
and who were acquainted with the busi-
ness, the act provided that the Auditor
should appoint As many Commissioners
a. there we're assessors to do the work.
Well, what did this job cost the tax.
payersi The Last session Of the Legisla-
tire appropriated S20,750 70 pay the
Commissioners, and the printing Of books,
&C., &c. will cost, a. baSt, SIC, 900 more
30 the total cost TO the taxpayers Of the
State Is not less than so, 000l But there
was no call for the expenditure Of this
sum-it was absolutely wasted. The
former valuation Of the real estate wa
made in 1866, we believe-right in the
time when prices were inflated. And
sure il Is that real estate was worth
more then than il Is noW-considerablY
more.
Again: This expenditure was useless
because the revenues could hsye been in.
creased by simply raising the amount Of
the levy. II the levy OF 80 cents on the
500 yaIuation was not enough 70 run the
State, II could have been increased TO IS
cents without its having cost the people
$50, 900 to do it. And Why was not the
latter inexpensive method adopted? Sim.
ply because that would have been in.
creasing taxation directly, while To raise
the value Of the article taxed Is TO do it
iAircotly.
But What is the effect Of tho re.assess-
nent upon the reyehues7 are they In
creased or diminished! The real estate
Of The State l. increased in value by this
assessment, 70 the amount Of 81, 2lS, 4b7.
81. The State tax Is, and has been ever
since the State was organized, 50 cent? on
the 800, or 3 mills on thSdollat. Asthe
value Of the real estate ia increased Sll,.
2l3, 1917, % tAs ta10 ore iaaeaaei 70 DC
Gss0amt Of THREE HUNDRED AND Thirty
SIX THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED AND