Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-09-17
TIE GOVERNORS CIRCULAR.

The following circular was issued on the
l5lhby Gov. WTLsoX TO the county attorneys
along the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railroad:
1t is the opinion Of the Executive Depart,
ment Of the State that where taxes due by a
railroad company, whether State, county,
disuirt or municipal, are, under the lew,
certified by the Auditor to the sherifs for
collection, they must be collected in the
msnner directed by the State Statutes the
same as taxes due BY others, and are in no
way subjected to compromise by County
Courts or other tribunals, either in amount,
time or manner Of payment The eollec-
ton of taxes due By the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railway, have BY the United States
District Court, been enioined until Novem-
Der lst, 1885. If further effort is made By
the company to induce County Courts or
other local tribunals to enter any sO-cslled
compromise, you are ordered to notify this
department Immediately.
This precautionary measure on the part
OF the Chief Executive OF TIE State is proper
enough as q measure sgsinst the possibility
of sherifs or county officers permitting
themselves to be tempered with in any way
by the railroad officers, but we do not be-
Eeve tie railroad is going to do anything OF
the kind. Even if the company were so in
clined, there is not collecting officer in the
State who would care to disobey the man
date of the Law. The statutory provis-
ion is very plain on the subjecs
and it would be a reckless piece Of folly to
seek any evasion Of the statute.
The idea that it widens tSe breach, if
any, between the Executive and the Federal
authority is 2 piece Of nonsense. 1t is per-
fectly absurd 70 claim that the Governors
circt lar IS an interference, in the slightest
degree, with tie injuuc ion Of the Federal
Court 1, shows upon its face that the Pur-
pose Of His Excellency is to endeavor to
prevent q possible tampering with county
officials By the railroad authorities. Al
though, as we have before stated, we regard
his fears as not well grounded, and
feel confident that, even if thr rail
road PEOPLE should attempt to influence the
county courts their efforts would be fruit
less, nevertheless the comments upon the
Cover ors action by our Fourteenth street
ueigbho', are utterly and entirely urjusifed
OF the precautionary measures his excel
lency has seen fit 70 take. These comments,
upon so aimsy q pretext, are simply absurd
and show to what length that journal is
ready to 60 in its malice towards the Chief
Executive Of the State. The United States
District Court has very properly never at
tempted to RESTRAIN OF interfere byitsinjuuc-
ton with the State officers urging after
Noyeu Der lst the Immediate collection Of
all the taxes due from the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railroad Company, State, county and
district. or with their using every effort they
my choose to prevent county courts from
granting TO the company any compromise
or extension Of time of payment of county
ard district taxes after that date. There
fore the Governors action cannot De in the
slightest degree Objectionable to the United
States Court. Our sensational neighbor
has stirred up a tempest in a teapot, with
absolutely nothing to justify the hurrah he
has tried to raise.