Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-21
THE CURSE HIGH TAXES,
And Some Other Things.

Geatlspun Of TIE legislature:
You have before you duties oi the
last importance. De taxes, as COM
pared with the products Of the state
are simply destroying the people Many
railroads are in contemplation, which,
when completed, will add vastly to the
wealth Of the State, but the taxes are SO
opprt ssive that the counties cannot
subscribe. How are they TO be reduced?
lst. Reduce the salaries OF State attor-
news 10 unts-bell,m rates, establishing a
maximum. This will save some SlS,-
900 a wear. >. Reduce the pay OF all
officials to dHtS-bsiiUm rates. l. Make
il felony for any one who comes into
possession of the public money, 10 fail
To pay it over in the manner and at
the time prescribed by law. 4: You
cannot probably substitute better
tribunal Tor our county courts, but you
can reduce the pay of the president oil
the court Ia 500, and Of the other
members To Sl.j0 per day. This will
icfrav their expenses, and be more than
they make at home, and with 1t they
will he satisfied. Reduce the daily al
luWance of witnesses. BY these means
Won will save To the taxpayers, per-
haps, $4,000 a year. >. Tax all the
railroads aS other property is taxed. ~
mpch IOr td,,S
But there j. another crying evil un.
der the sun, the work ul very bad men.
Many attorneys, fOrgetful OF their high
callings, persuade their clients 10
bring creditors suits, and thus bring 10
ruin the very class OF men who add
most to the demand for labor mean
the energetic business men who borrow
and build. These attorneys, III many
cases, sacrifice their own clients, who
are often junior creditors, and sacrifice
many other creditors by forcing the sale
OF the debtors property. They are
mostly instigated to bring such suits be-
cause they have themselves appointed
commissioners 10 sell the debtors land,
on which they get two per cent COM
mission, and sometimes other little per
uuisites in rings that arr dark and by
tricks that are vain. Let Us have a law
that no attorney shall he appointed com
missioner To- sell the land in any suit IN
which he may be engaged, and shall not
directly or indirectly share in the COM
mission under penalty of lurielting his
license, on information 10 the Court or
on presentment and conviction
Again We should have law protect
mg the property nj married women. \
married wOman'S property should hc
held hy her, Tree from all claims, debt
or demand against her husband. Ii IL
a crime tO allow creditor ui 4 married
wuman'S husband To- take her property
Tor his debts Our wives, mothers and
daughters ought Ia have protection, AMI
the barbarous common law in this case
should give Wav tua Christian humanity.
Again, the usurers should hc made To-
di~gurgv, and all persons seeking to
enforce uSuriuus debts should he & m
PEELED to deduct all interest over SIX pen
cent. And again, corporations, ParucC-
krlv municipal corporations, should hc
embraced in this general law. liy what
authority has the Legislature prohibited
corporations from pleading uSury? And
Nv what authority has the Legislature
eyrmpted the bonds of municipal cor
poraiionS from taxation? What says
our Constitution, Article V section .;
lNttl II lll NNulNtlNNN, S'h'l'''' - "''''
ii YOU want legal advice, don't 90 to
some lawyer who represents certain M
tercSts And don't 90 to a certain class
ni law books gotten up with steam
speed Tor the market | tell YOU that,
under the Constitution, YOU have n"
right To- put a corporation, or the state,
ur any other thing, on different loot
ing. either in the courts, ur elsewhere,
than the individual citizen. What says
Locke on civil government Those who
make the laws ARE To be governed 10y
promulgated, established laws, not to
he varied in particular eases, but to have
one rule iur rich and poor, Tor the Ia
yurte AT court and the Countryman AT
the plnw.' And what.say the laws al
that once grand empire ut the Mcdcs
and perSiansP The laws uI the Medcs
and pcrsiaus change not, hut apply I"
all alike and ii YOU want something
more modern, will commend YOU
to , Grrrnleai, Reports, l.. j2d, Lew.
il \. Webb: ION principal II cannot
hr in the bounds ot legitimate
legislation To enact special law, or Ia
pass resolution dispensing with gen
eral law in particular case, or grant
ing privilege, or improving dIsahili-
II, which does not apply 10 all alike.
The principal al Constitutional equality
is liberty. Without il there is no true
liberty. our own Constitution H.
founded on these principles OF eternal
justice.
Gentlemen OF the Legislature, bank
rr~. Insurers, charlalans, always moved
hv personal ends, have ruled long
enough. | call upon YOU, I" give u
lust and humane laws affecting all alike.
lllcr. and petty office holders, usurcr,
and the like arr eating up our sub
stance. Drive them away and let H.
cat thc bread 81 our own labor,
Cosmos