Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-06-08
COMMUNICATED.

EDITOR REGIsTER-Although / am
unaccustomed to writing articles for
publication. yet if you will give me a
little space in your paper | would like
to say few things in regard TO the
action of the County Court in discon-
tinuing the publication in the three
papers of the county the proceedings
of the Court 1t is true we noticed In
the REGISTER that the Vest Vrginad
Democrat had been given the printing
for the wear. but that is not by any
means satisfactory to the taxpayers
of this end of the county. There are
few people in this vicinity who, as far
as we can learn, take the Democrat, or
i'm fact any of the county papers eX-
cent the REGISTER. Hence, their
home paper is the only channel
through which we could be informed
as to the actions of the County Court
unless we subscribe for the Democrat,
and as the desire TO read the proceed
ings of the Court would be the only
inducement for us TO subscribe for the
Democrat. the information we desire
and which the Court ought to give us
would be an expensive luxury. The
TO see a reduction in the yearly eX-
penses of the county, and there can be
no reduction unless economy is prac-
ticed. But the man who pays 800 in
taxes to run tine county will willingly
give ) cents or so more to know how
that 500 is expended by the commits
sioners. We would not say that the
several publishers of the county should
charge very large amount for the
work mentioned. because it is infor-
nation which is greatly desired by
their readers; yet we think they
should be paid something reasonable
for their trouble. The Commissioners
should have the proceedings pub
lished as cheaply as possible, but have
them published 50 that the people OF
the whole county can see them. 1t Is
the taxpayers business TO know, and
only Just that he should know, how
the money that is eXacted of him year
Nv is spent, and why it is necessary for
the county to demand such an enor-
nous sum from him year after year.
The people of this part of the county
have plenty of taxation" but they
do not always have such representa-
ton" as they would like And al
though they don't generally kick,
yet they do object to being deprived
of the privilege of being posted upon
the county affairs that a so-called
ecOnomy-which saves just Sl50-may
be practiced.
In the publication ofthe Courts pro-
ceedings for the May term, 1888, we
find these items: 'To printing county
bonds and agents expenses, 1,l6O.
TO funding county bonds, $4,000.
Now, in regard to this peculiar
transaction, who was the agent and
what lucky publisher got that nice
little pile of the people money for eX-
penses and printing? And how much
of the 81, 100 went for expenses and
how much for printing? This ques-
ton has been asked often, but never
to our knowledge been answered.
Now, Mr. Editor, by looking at these
items of expense it would seem that
there has been wonderful reforna-
ton OF the County Commissioners,
when they but a short time ago paid
such an exorbitant printing bill and
now refuse S15 TO be expended i'll or
der that the people of Shepherdstown
might be informed through the REG
ISTER of the Courts proceedings. The
item $1,000 for funding bonds we do
not wish to speak of, except to say
that after inquiry being made through
the papers as To where it went and
who got it, no explanation being Civ
en-, the matter was dropped. We are
told upon good authority that about
the same amount of bonds were fand-
ed in Berkeley County, that $500 Gov
cred the whole cost-printing, agent 5
expenses and all. Now although the
objections raised in the papers
did not bring forth satisfactory eApla-
nation of the above items of expense,
vet by these objections being made,
when the balance of the county bonds
were funded no such unnecessary eX-
pense was published i'll the Court 5
proceedings. Begging your pardon
for making this article too long, | will
close by saying that we hope our Com
missioner from this district will do Il
little better in the future, and try to
represent the interests of his people
by letting the light shine fully upon
the county transactions.
TAXPAYER.