Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1882-06-17
A BILL OF INICTMENT
AGAINST WEST RGINIA BoUR-
BON ADMINISTRATION.


" Reform appears a late issue OF
the Wheeling InteJencer -
The Bourbons West Virginia
have broken every edge they ever
made to the people and have for
feited the confidefe of business
men-of the timing, tax-paying |
citizens Of the Sta. We do not |
wonder that there a demand for
reformation. The 5ourbons have
Numbered blindly adj recklessly in
to extravaganza all misrule, rely |
ing upon the simplify of the peo-
pie and the magic ifiuence of the
Registration shibbGth in the moss
back regions to cotinue them in
power. They blunared when they
opposed the FlicEimendment" to
the State Constitution, and blunder-
ed worse when the called a Consti
tutional ConventiOlto re-enact that
amendment. Thei" bill Of rights"
was not so much Dian object, nor
was the declaratin that "West
Virginia is, and shll remain one of
the United States 4 America" so
necessary as an untion to the Bour-
bon soul as was thu opportunity for
self-exaltation, anGthe glorifcation
of the bosses. Nd was that oppor-
tunity-dear as itEas-so much as
was the immediate control Of all the
offices including hose not vacant,
hence the expenseof Convention
and the subsequent election. The
Bonrbons bundled, too, in the
manufacture Of tIeir Constitution.
They inflicted the County Court up
on the people, for which they were
compelled AFTERWARDS to substitute
the present system which will even
tually in turn oe superseded. They
Numbered when tley failed to ere
duce the number IF officers" and
diminish expenses" They blum
dered when they ordered the first
reassessment of lands and property
to cover deficiencies in the revenues
and, notwithstanding the $4,000 ex-
pended for that binder, they have
Numbered into another reassess-
ment of lands to again increase the
aggregate of tax Whereby to pay off
the debts of the concern. They did
not dare increased the rate OF taxa
ton, nor add to tie enumeration of
taxable articles, hut resorted to the
scarcely less Objectionable method of
increasing valuations. They have
borrowed money Of the school fund,
and compelled the people to pay in
terest on the debt thereby created.
They have thus created a system of
"double entry" taxation and no
one who finds fault with the Nation.
al banking scheme can fail to con-
denim this exhibit of Bourbon finan-
ciering. For example, the schooltaxes
are collected from the people In 1874
and turned in the Treasury as dis
tincu fund; the government 1. Q.
the people] borrow Of this fund
the amount necessary to supply d
deficit in the general expense fund,
and in 1876 the people come back to
the Treasury with taxes in the shape
Of interest on the taxes they paid
into the school fund in 1874.
The expenses incurred under
Bourbon rule in the way of per diem
and mileage OF officers and members
Of the Legislature, and for public
printing, have been simply enormous,
to say nothing of the expense of the
Constitutional convention and OF the
special election on the fourth Thurs
day of August, 1872, to ratiiy the
call. The cost OF the impeachment
trials, and of the Investigations and
suits rendered necessary by the de
reflections of sundry Democratic Of
ficials, the cost Of maintaining a
special committee at White Sulphur
Springs, for revision of legislation,
the cost of preparing and pub
fishing an incomplete, imperfect
Code, and the many additional items
of extra expense incurred by the
Bourbon leaders of the intelligent
majority, when added to the ordi-
nary running expenses of the gov
eminent, constitute frightful aggre-
gate, and the fact that the State has
to borrow Of the school fund each
succeeding year, aud pay out thous-
ands of dollars in interest, is not
surprising. Let the Bourbons ex-
plain why they failed to reduce ex-
penses, diminish the offices, and re-
form the government. Let them sat
isfactorily explain tile necessity for
two assessments of real estate
within eight years. Let them ex-
plain why we have had so many
costly sessions of the Legislature,
instead of the biennial session prom
ised. Let them explain the exorbi-
tant bills paid for public printing,
and inform the people what becomes
OF the peoples money.
Since 1871 the Legislative per
diem and mileage, the public print
ing, the impeachment trials, the re
assessment of lands and the inter
est on money borrowed from the
school fund, together with the cost
of the Constitutional Convention,
special election, etc, have aggregat-
ed eight hundred thousand dollars
And what have we in returns These
facts constitute some of the argu-
ments in favor Of a union of indie
pendents, Greenbackers, Old Line
Wings and all true economist against
the Bourbons. BY combining all these
elements with the Republicans, the
First, Second and Fourth Congress
sional Districts can each be carried
against the strongest candidate the
Bourbons can muster. There is ur-
gent need for and let us have I'M
ion.
In1ianfiopc in M,ina ~oi,+ T.. !,