The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-31

The startling series OF desperate eHpIIs "
increase taxation without letting the people |
into the secret, not very cunnipgly de-
yised by the high priests Of the Democratic
party in West Virginia. keeps the press oil
that party busy denying and explaining
Here is remarkable explanation from tue
Greenbrier independent whose territory WIS
recently invaded by the Board OF Public
Works:
The Republican press hiss criticized most
severely and uDjustly the conduct OF The
Governor aud Auditor in giving certain IT.
structions 10 the Assessors So to their dutieE,
and hiss charged that these officials have
acted arbitrarily and without comforting
with leading members Of their own party
We happen TO BIZ In condition TO give few
facts III this connection not heretofore put
lished, and which, In Justice to thtse officials
should be known.
After the decision Of the Chesapea'e
Oaio Railway vs.. The Auditor, &C., In which
the Court OF Appeals held distinctly that all
property, not exempt from taxation by the
Constitution, should be taxed aud when 1t
WAS apparent that unless the revenue was in
creas, Il there would not be funds sufficient
In the Treasury to meet the appropriations
which the Legislature had already made, the
Governor called together In contersA'e the
leading DsmOcEatic members OF The LegislA-
ture, including the Chairmen OF both the
Senate and House Finance Committees.
lie made known - them the Importance
OF increasing the revenue, called their
attention u this decision OF the Supreme
Court, and suggested that the law so9uia Ds
made to conform thereto. Most OIL those
present approved this suggestion, but thought
That ut that tune In the session proper bill
could not be passed, while some thought that
In yiew OF the decihiOn OF the C0Art OF lest
resort that further legislation WIS unnecet'
saTy They all, however, approved Of this
suggestion that the Governor should ac'
dress such letter as he Afterwards wrote 70
the Auditor and that the Auditor should
is.ue circular TO the Assessors, inttructing
,ueIn TO Ptsess all property not legally ex:
empt from taxation. Three OF the Judges OF
the Court OF Appeals were consulted Us 10
lse scope OF their decision, and to them were
submitted the letter aud circular, which
they examined, revised aud approved.
Letters patent ought to have been Sc
cured on device OF this kind before CIV
lag It to the world. The irreducible school
fund was exhausted; the State owed Sl40,.
900 10 Wheeling bank; the previous Leg.
stature had lodged tax levy and ordered
reassessment; there were no more funds
TO BIZ taken contrary to law; the sitting
Legislature was IS lacking in courage as its
conspicuously cowardly predecessor;;"i was
apparent that unless the revenue was in
creased there would not be funds sufficient
in the treasury to meet the appropriations
which the Legislature had already made.
And what wHs to be done? When West
Virginia Democratic politicians are about
odo anything Of moment-to"sIate" a
United States Senator or fix up tax job
they call caucus, not large enough to be
troublesome, OF nice, handy, manageable
size. This tax caucus seems to have been ]
a select affair. The Governor, the Auditor,
the chairmen OF two committees, the lead
ing Democratic members Of the Legisla-
ture-Lhere were not many OF these II they
wereal called-and three judges OF the
Supreme Court.
We are very glad that this painful state
ment DOES not come from Republican
newspaper, which might be suspected OF
exulting in the States shame because OF
the partisan advantage that might result.
II three judges Of the highest legal tri-
buuaI in the State did consent 10 so into
secret political caucus on matter which
might be submitted for the judgement OF
their Court, It is well that the revelation is
made by one in political sympathy with
those judges, with the caucus in which
they took prominent part, and with the
outcome oil that novel meeting. 1t takes
nothing from the Disgrace Of the proceed
ing that the three judges are not said to
have sat with the members OF the Legisla-
ture. The Governor and the Auditor were
the connecting links between the Legis.
lature and the judicial ends Of the mixed
caucus. The managers had decided what
to do and how to doit, and the judges tex
amincd, revised and approved" the how.
Here was proceeding OF which the pub
lie was ignorant Not even the Legislature
know what was going on. Not even the
Democratic side Of that Legislature was
advised, only the two chairmen and "the
leading Democratic members" The double
ended caucus agreed upon way to help
its party out Of the mire Of financial ditli-
culty-three judges Of the Supreme Court
said 1t YVES good enough way-and soon +
the edict went forth. 1t might be thought
that the Attorney General would have
been the proper person to Examine,
revise and approve" circular which
was to declare to Assessors that GER
tain personal property previously exempt
was to be taxed by the Democratic party
in CAUCUS assembled. The Attorney Gen.
eral would have done well enough Tor an
ordinary occasion, but here WIS something
more than the mere giving an opinion
which the Supreme Court might reverse.
Something more than framing oircularto
put into execution well.defned law.
In the Chesapeake & Ohio case the Su-
preme Court had ppssed upon that case
aud nothing more. Nothing more ives be-
fore the court. The officials in charge OF
the State finances wanted to know where
the court would stand on the act to exempt
certain products Of the workshop and farm,
and three Of the four Judges Of the su-,
premC Court OF Appeals-mark the very
great presence Of mind in committing a
good working majority-sald that the eau
Gus was on the right track, that the ez::
emptCd property couldn't be exempted,
and then and there declared whatthe iudg-
ment Of the court would be II the question
MAN., A, mama hnfnra II Hare Ia ut Least