The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-04-01
Ihe Water Rent Question.
WHEELING, March 81, 1881.

Editpn IliSlIsaneoE.
Ny attention was particularly arrested
by the following editorial paragraph in
yesterdays RGgater, audit Is the occasion Of
these structures:
sour secrud suggestion Is, that Il this
Council refuses to comply with this just
demand Of the taxpayers, then the TAX
payers shall compel Q compliance ~ re-
lusing TO pay water tax that 10 IN direct
violation OF the letter and spirit Of the
Constitution, which torblds any city town
or corporate authority, imposing tax that
| IL not uniform with respect to persons or
property No one will 10 90 bold % 10
assume that this tax upon iTAnGhila OF
privilege Of the use OF the water supply Of
the city has any approach to uniformity or
equality as respects persons and properly
There Is no pEstenGs that 1t is. 1t iHs
deliberate gouge; psrpetrated as Q gougei
praCticed as Q gouge; continued as
Houge, and which ought TO be squelched
az q Rouge-peaceably II the present Coun.
an are disposed 70 do their duty, and
lorCibly II they do mott ,
Has not the Supreme Court decided 1t is
not "tax" las stated aboVs) bpt 0 trent"
"water remit" l think 1t has,
Then, does either the Esprit or letter o.
the Constitution" refer to 1t as Q rentP II
they do, why are not the charter powers
conferred upon the city by the Legtsla.
ture revoked or made TO conform thereto Z
Does the editor Of that journal
think 1t either the part Of ID law
abiding citizen or the province Of 0
Newspaper to advocate and advise Q reeis-
lance OF the law In the manner implied by
the wording Of the said paragraphf II bis
method were adopted by oil the taxpayers
In the community would It not virtually
stop the city government and really place
in jeopardy the lives and property OF the
citizens? The City's charter grants her
certain powers for the laying and colleC'
tlon OF o "water rent" Through her
Council these powers are put into effect
every year. II Ia not known to the writer
that Council transCends It's authority Dor
as understand 1t do they desire 10, The
members thereof are the representatives
OF the citizens and voters, and are sup
posed In reflect the opinions Of the major
itY oil their constituents. 1tthey do not, the
voters Of the city have ~ opportunity
bienniallyIto replace them by genhemen
who will. Now the Register has for nearly
a 1SaAr back kept up 9 vigorous agitation
Of The vross i'i,'aAtiCCc fthe present oneros..
water assessment, Sine tho beginning " o.
this vigorous onslaught new CounC.: Ut"
been elected, and'it Is presumable, II the
Registers views were and are In harmony
with the sentiment OF 0 majority Of the
voters, the new Council In due time 4. e.,
this summer) will change the assessment
so as 10 conform with the satd sentiment.
The ordinance regulating water assess
ments Ia an annual one and therefore sus' |
ceptible to change every year Rs the exig
enCies OF the occasion demand II they
are not in accordance with the sentiment
OF a majority OF the people, then Council
will proceed to make the assessment %
heretofore, or In accordance with the best
interests Of the city as appears to
their Judgments. Now II seems to
me that Is all there Is in 1t, II lower rates
and other changes are demanded by the
people, Council at the proper time will
proceed to make them. II they the
CounCiD do not make them, then they
have acted In the interest Of the majority. |
II the Register and the balance Of the city
press think the wishes Of the majority |
have been ignored, let them take the
usual course, viz: Condemn their action,
and see to It that other gentlemen who
represent the majority shall Of the next
municipal election fill their places. The
polls 10 the place to settle and correct these
matters, II seems to me, and to the polls
they should be relegated. But to advise
a resistance Of the law In the manner pre-
sCribed by the Register simply creates
turbulent resisting spirit to the officers Of
the law in the performances Of their
duties from which no good can arise.
Ia the estimation Of the writer 1t is
not the part Of good citizen or dis
Greet public journal to advocate such q
course. TAX PAYER.