The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-01-17
STARK AND COL LUMBIANA-"READ
AND BECOME ENLIGHTENED" .
Some books are lies frae end to end,
Said Robert Barns, the poet:
And some newspaper men wont tell
The truth, when they must know IT,

COuuIlbb,
The Repository of last week copied the
article of the Buckeye in it's own way,
evidently thinking they had a mares
nest fit for a Washington, John Sherman
horse to sit upon and hatch out.
It is true, there is much that is "stri-
king in the Buckeye article, so far as
Stark county is concerned. For instance,
it says "McGregor, that prince of refor-
mers, receives $Sl4,44 for advertising the
delinquent lax list" This is not all lie,
like the old lady's soap, but it is at least
half lie, the German paper, printed and
published at the Repository office, without
circulation or standing, getting as much as
the Stark County DEMOCRAT, whose exist
ence does not depend on official patron
age. The Buckeye knows, for it also ad'
vertises the delinquent tax sale list, that
there is a special statute therefor, and
that the Republican Auditor Of State
makes out the bill and Issues the vouch-
er. In fact, we do not get our usual rates
for it. The whole truth is necessary to
correct understanding.
Three years ago the Democrats got the
majority on the Board of our County
Commissioners, and they found a legacy
or two of their Republican predecessors
that should not be forgotten. Money
had been borrowed for bridge purposes,
and bonds of the county were out for
over ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND
DOLLARS. The whole debt of the county
now is only little over $4,000, and the
rate of taxation has also been reduced
from 4 4-1O mills three years ago, to 8
2.1O mills of levy this year. During
this time the Childrens Home has been
built at a heavy expense.
Another legacy was Ditch debt Of
SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, which bonds
have been paid by the present Board of
Commissioners, This Ditch debt was
wholly illegal, the ditch law requiring it
to be assessed upon and collected off the
lands benefited but the Republican
Commissioners paid the amount out of
the Treasury to favorite, and then bor-
rowed the money and issued the bonds
therefor. Our ablest lawyers who have
examined into the matter, say there was
no law whatever to sanction the doings
of the then Commissioners.
The Buckeye compares the amounts ex-
pended in the two counties for bridge
purposes, $14,9l4.2S in Columbiana, and
$50, 72O,18 in Stark in 1876. OF course
the Buckeye was not aware that in the
last amount was $1S, ,420.5O paid on the
bridge debt left by the Republican Com.
missioners, bonds having been redeemed
to that amount the past year. Another
fact the John Sherman organ fails to
state, namely, that in Columbiana coun-
ty wooden bridges are the rule, while in
Stark iron superstructures are the fash.
ion. We hope in the long run that iron
will be the cheaper, though it is not at
first
The pay of the Columbiana county
Commissioners last year was 81 ,83S. 40,
and of our Commissioners 50, lis IS and
the wealth and population
Of the two counties, the Stark county
Commissioners work the cheaper. As
% the item of $5l6 for Boards of Equal.
sation, it does not belong to the Stark Co.,
Commissioners at all, but was for paying
he city Boards throughout Stark count.
y. Our Commissioners sat only two
lays to equalize, and this is counted in
heir regular bills. The Columbiana
'rgfOm" Commissioners took four days
o equalize.
Cities of the second class are required
~ law to have special Boards of Equali-
alton, and the city Boards of Canton
nd Massillon, in their equalizing last
pring, added near two hundred thou.
and dollars for taxation, which brought
nto our Treasury, in the shape of taxes,
yer So 800. Columbiana county having
10 cities of the second class, had not this
Expense nor this benefit. These special
ocal Boards, as will be seen by what we
tate above, benefit the honest taxpayer
y placing on the Duplicate for taxation,
moneys and credits, that would other
yise escape paying taxes. We doubt not
few such Boards in Coumbiana county
yould do good work, and might even find
here some Stark county bonds not re-
lrned for taxation, for we know CoIum-
lana citizens, officials included, delight
, invest in Stark county, in various
rays, even to buying tax titles.
The item of$9S9, to Attorney to "advise
be Commissioners" is a pure fiction of
be Buckeye, nothing of the sort appear
lg on the records of this county. Un.
er the law, in certain cases, the Court is
equired to assign counsel for criminals
nable to employ their own, and this
institutes quite an item in Stark.
The Buckeye parades livery item in
ur last years report, of 1921. The bulk
f this was an old bill, under Republi.
an Board of County Commissioners, pre-.
ented by Mr. Schertzer. With Court
expenses the Commissioners have no
ontrol whatever, but the Buckeye assidu-
usly endeavors to place all court and
riminal expenses at the door of our
iounty Commissioners. Shame, where
|, thy blush?
The cause. that needs bolstering by
llsehood is in bad way. And the with
olding of facts pertinent to the issue, is
ute as infamous as the lie direct. The
tark County DEMOCRAT defends no one
n wrong doing, in or out of Office but
oes propose to defend the right, no mat
er from what quarter comes the assaults
nd the clamor.