Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-09-18
THE GAZETTE's UNFAIRNEsS


money then, We do not know, but We do know that
within the five years following his retirement from
the board. the board was able 10 put over 5000
worth Of Improvements on the property, TO in
crease the salaries of the teachers, 10 materially
increase the surplus in the treasury. and al the
same time reduce the levy from 30 cents where
the editor OF the Chronicle had helped 10
maintain il, down 10 p cents. The author OF the
article is mistaken when he aScribeS the surplus
10 property added to the tax duplicate by the in
quisitOr. The surplus is due TO the efforts OF the
board to reduce expenses to a minimum, and at
the same time pay our teachers salaries cOmmen-
snrate with the value of their services. (2l The
improvement now undertaken by the board, VIZ
Putting in steam-heating apparatus at cost OF
nearly 5000 is an expensive one, but it is one that
for years has been advocated by public sentiment,
and one which both the author and the publisher
OF the Chronicle have demanded ceaSeleSSly IN ths
public print and upon the street corners and only
criticise now because in their opinions political
policy demands it. (S) The idea that our teachers,
who because of efficient work done, have been re
tained year after year, possess no special Quall-
cations for their work is silly twadde, and ques-
ton that was not raised by the author when he
was pleading for place for member OF his Own
family. There We're special qualifications pleaded
then, and all the money there was in II. "a The
most expensive luxury that this village is called
upon to support is the Northern railroad, which
drains more money from our public treasury than
is paid to the teachers of our schools. 90 Another
is the maintenance of a number of village offices
that should be abolished Another contribution
10 raise the tax levy not only in the corporation,
but all over the county, is the reckless eXpendl-
ture of money by the County Commissioners. We
do not want to particularly find fault with the
complaints of the author" but we do want to
see him act in a measure consistently, and if pos
Sible direct his attention to where the truth may
be found.
Space is given the foregoing Gazette
editorial of the 11th inst, in order that
readers of THR CHRONICLE may see
what sort of stuff people who depend
upon that sheet for information get.
The downrighnt mendacity that charac-
terizes the entire effort of the able edi-
tor is characteristic, but his apparent
presumption that all his readers are fools
is amazing.
l. There was no disposition to "un-
load the whole responsibility upon the
school management" Attention was
called to the fact that more than
half the increased rate levied upon St.
Clairsville property is for schools, and
the proposition made and fortified that
the sum paid In salaries is needlessly
extravagant. What answer is made to
thatf That the school levy is less than
when the editor of THE CHRONICLE was
a member of the board, and that the
able Gazette editors do not know why.
Is that an honest statement? Does the
senior editor of the Gazette not know
why the school levies were larger a doZ-
en- years ago than now? By some in
scrutable disposition of Providence he
was few years ago elected member
of the board. Is he ignorant of the
fact that during several of the years the
editor of THE CHRONICLE was a men,
Der of the board the interest and princi-
pal of bonds issued to build $42, 900
school building had to be annually pro-
vided for? Why his dishonest conceal
ment of that fact-known to every we'll
informed man and woman of st. Clairs-
ville-and his contemplate utterances
about "no special Improvements" and
that he does not know what became of
the money?
But the ger1 of the Gazette editorial
will be found in the statement follow
ing, that in the five years succeeding
that period the board was sable to
put over $1,000 dollars worth of i'm
provements on the property, to increase
the salaries of teachers, to materially
increase the surplus in the treasury, and
at the same time reduce the levy Z
to 25 cents" This wonderful piece of
financiering was accomplished, says the
able editor, by reducing expenses to a
minimum, and property added to the
tax duplicate had nothing to do with
it." When 1t is remembered that about
95 per cent. of the expenses said to have
been reduced to "minimum" consists
of salaries of teachers, the utter ridicu-
lousness of this proposition is apparent;
and, if the facts are as stated by the
Gazette, why now increase the levy from
25 to 45 cents? "The author Of the ar
ticle" is not mistaken. The surplus
used in putting in steam heating came
from property added to the duplicate by
the tax inquiSitor. The board is not
guilty of taking money from the people
merely to pile up surplus, and the stu
pidest man in town must see that 1t
could not be done in the manner de-
scribed by the Gazette.
2. No objection was made to putting
in steam-heating, nor nothing said that
can be tortured into objection to it. 1t
is the Gazette that is haunted with the
specter of politics in the schools.
3. The statement that 'the author"
pleaded for place for member of his
family as a teacher is deliberate and
atrocious lie, nor is there the remotest
foundation for the reckless statement
about "all the money there was in it"
At all times and under all circumstances
have maintained that in grades 2, 3, 4,
and the salaries are too high. Not
reputable man in ST. Clairsville will say
he ever heard me speak otherwise. Ap-
parently the editors mind is so perverted
that he is unable to make fair state
ment about political antagonist.
4. The Northern railroad tax was
voted upon this town at a time when
Mr.. Milligan and his confederates were
attempting to take the seat of justice
from it, as a defensive measure. The
necessity was deemed so great that all
but II of the voters of the town approx
ed of the measure.
5. What jewel the Gazette is, under
the present management. For term of
years, the editor was member of Coun-
Gil. That body creates offices, and fixes
salaries. What was the editor about,
that he did not abolish the useless Off
ces? They were created by Democrat
ic Council, to make places for Demo-
cratic partisans, and my impression is
will be abolished before the expiration
of the terms they are now serving, no
thanks to the Gazette.
J. B. LoNGLEY.
st. Clairsville, Sept. Is, 1890.
FARMERS, MEETING