The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-24

THEState Board Of Public Works, setting
asa Board Of Equalization, has reopened
the cases Of such counties as desires TO be
heard in their own defense in the matter
Of the three. ply assessment. The counties
are responding by delegation with busi-
ness.like alacrity that keeps the Board
busy. Before these proceedings go further
ismay interest the Board to turn to the act
utlS2, entitled "An Act for the Reassesst
ment Of the Value Of All Real Estate
Within this State" and read section 10.
Ills therein provided that "The Board
shall hear all such evidence as may be pre-
sented to them, and shall increase or
reduce the average value Of the roal estate
in such county or district, according to
the evidence 90 taken and any other
evidence which may come TO their
knowledge. When they shall have
completed their labors they shall report the
ame to the Auditor, who shall certify the
same to the clerks Of the county courts"
Now 'the same" has been certified to the
counties conveying the information OF
these liberal increases which are bringing
tOWheeing the visiting delegations. Hay.
ing certified, we have the Boards acknowl.
edgment that 1t has completed It's labors.
Asa Board oil Equalization it is, therefore,
jsnauI cIfeiO. II dead in law for the pur-
poses oi this assessment, how can It re.
surect itself and reopen the case? Gentle.
men who have displayed SO much and so
great ingenuity in the juggling Of values
will not be at loss to discover way out OF
this dilemma, but We are curious to know
how they will justify themselves this time.
There is another view Of the case which
We commend to the Boards prsyeriul
ittentiOn. The only ground upon which
itcan Justify the action which has aroused
tie protesting counties Is that the increase
Sa made according to the EVIDENCE;
that ii Is not greater than the several coun.
ties ought to bear. II the Board was not
guided bv this spirit Of fairness Its action
VISA wanton increase Of taxation laid on
Ia the hope OF making both ends meet in
the ehandling Of the estate finances. But the
Board has taken its position. Ithas insisted
that the increase was right, and In the
same spirit it has fatty and finally refused
to make any allowance for Ohio county.
How, then, can the Board take the back
tack with respect to any county without
pleading guilty to an ugly charge? And
Il other counties are to have reductions,
What will the taxpayers Of Ohio county
ny? There are Democrats among these tax
payers and il Democratic delegations from
other counties are to find favor with the
Board they will want to know whether q
Democratic vote in Ohio county Is not as
good s a Democratic vote in any other
county.
The visiting delegations are laying testi-
moay before the Board ia q formal way;
and 10 avery informal way the members
Of these county delegations are pointing
out to the msmbers OF the Board the de.
mOraliEIng effect upon the party. We
shall see now how firmly the Board will
stand by its conviction Of right, or how
readily 1t will respond to the crack oithe
party lash. Unfortunately for those tax.
payers who think their lands have been
"eQuAlizsd" too high, the Board can NOT
give them relief without confessipg that 1t
was frightened, by public clamor and party
pressure, out Of a position which It believed
to be iult to the whole State. This Is an
embMrassingdilemma for politicians whose
aspirations are not yet satisfied, but they
are where they are because they put them.
selves there. And they may make up their
minds to this, that II they seek way ont
BY granting tAgors TO other counties, Ohio
Is going TO cone in Tor reduction OK know
why.