The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-06-05
The Work House Project
WHEKIHe, June 4th, 1873.

EditOn Intslhssnor:
You were right when you intimatsd In
this mornings issue Of your paper that
the people Of this community would be
surprised at the action Of the Board oi
Commissioners yesterday, in aPproprist'
iug sir thousand dollars for something
covered up under the name Of a Work
House. You were only too mild, however,
in your rsprobacy Of the act. Hitherto
90 far as have observed, the reports In
the papers Of the transactions Of the Board
Of Commissioners, and 90 far n 1 have
heard them commented on by the public,
seemed 70 indicate that we were having
an economical and efficient administration
Of county Affairs. 1t has been the delight
OF the taxpayers 10 contrast the common
sense management Of the fiscal Affairs Of
the county with tbs reckless mismanage-
ment, the waste, the exirayagance and the
utter disregard Of the first principles Of
iudieious expenditure that have char.
aeteriLed the legislation OF the City
Council. Hence the greater surprise at
the action upon which you have COM
mented.
Not only the desire Of the people but
their necessities, arising from the de-
pressed condition Of all their productive
Interests, demand the lightest taxation
consistent with the preservation OF their
material interests. No new projects for
expenditure Of public money, even for
that which is good in itself but not aetu-
ally necessary for the proper adninistrs.
ton Of the eounty's affairs, will receive
the slightest favor from the people.
The act Of the Board Of Commissioners
In making the unWArrAnted appropriation
OF six thousand dollars in the interest Of
. pet project OF one or two members Of
the Board, has never been seriously
entertained by even respectable moiety
OF the taxpayers. It cannot be charact.
erired as anything else than wicked
usurpation ot the rights OF the people.
The leading AgitAtor Of the scheme, l
venture the assertion, has not the reno.
test organized conception Of what he
wants or what would meet the idea Of the
tar payers II they even favored the estab.
lishment Of a we'll organized penal and
reIormatory institution, which ! contend
they do not want, at any rate not At this
time. The present bent Of public senu-
ment, especially among the laboring mas.
e., is virulently hostile TO convict labor
which comes 10 conflict with their own
employment, blocks the wheels Of
honest and honorable trade, and re.
duces them to q competition with
conyicts which Is even more igno-
minious than the conflict with the
miserable panper labor Of Europe. Ev.
eryWhere, our own city included, public
sentiment il against convict labor as
competitor in the marts Of trade. The
workingmen, the manufacturers and all
others who have the ssgacity to perceive
the baleful influence Of convict competI.
tion with free honest labor. are petition
log the legislative authorities for rem
edy. Yet in the face Of these adverse In.
dica,ions Of public opinion, and against
the best interests Of public policy, the
Board Of Commissioners Of Ohio coun.
~ have allowed themselves, some of
them, no doubt, against their better
Judgment, TO be hArrassed BY the per-
sistence OF one or two members into yot-
ing an appropriation OF SIX thousand
dollars for q project that is . mere pro.
toplasm in the brain Of its anthor.
Whatever may be their power in the
case, under the Law, the public sense, go
far rs / have heard it expressed, is, that
a Board governed BY proper sense Of
public duty, or BY q proper sentiment OF
regard for the interests Of the taxpayers,
would no more venture TO foist such q
scheme on the people without an
expression Of their approval At the
polls, than they would to make an
appropriation to railroad outside Of the
forms provided by Law. II the Board Of
Commissioners had made the last appro-
priation Of fifty thousand dollars 70 the
P. W. & Ky. z. 3. in direct violation OF
the law, or without submitting II to
vote Of the people, they would not have
half equalled the presumption Of the act
Of yesterday, passed with but the slightest
color Of law and totally without warrant
Of right a. matter OF public policy.
And now, Messrs. Editors, would
respectfully suggest that II the Board
have not the grace to recall the sppro-
priatlon, that they be made TO feel the
weight Of public opinion BY an emphstic
remopstrance from the taxpayers Of the
city and county, and il they remain dead
10 this that the use OF the appropriation
for any such purpose be stopped by in
junction.
Workipgmen who are opposed to fur
ther competition from convict labor,
manufacturers who feel the depressing in
auepce OF penitsntiary and work house
products upon your trade; business men
who do not propose to have the life
ground out Of your financial interests by
onesous taxation, and all men who are
opposed to this aAgrant usurpation OF
authority, arouse yourselves. Let It be
tested whether an irresponsible agitator
can start the people OF this city and coun:
ty upon the shoreless sea Of waste and
robbery against their known wishes and
interests. A.
RknnATn nR0RCRATl0N