Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-14
TO DISCUSS TAXES.
Annual Convention of the
County Commissioners
of Pennsylvania.
THEIR SIXTH MEETING.
Ex-Auditor General Niles Talks of
Work Already Done.
EVERY COUNTY HAS BENEFITED.
The Homestead Strike and ITS Cost Will
Be Considered.
ARRIVAL OF MANY OF THE DELEGATES

The sixth annual convention of the
County Commissioners of Pennsylvania will
convene to-day at IL o'clock A. M. in
Orphans Court Room No l. Robert E.
Mercer, Chairman of the Executive Com
mittee, viii call the gathering to order, and
will announce at once the committee on
resolutions The opening of the convention
will be preceded by meeting of the execu-
tive committee at the County Commission
ers' office.
The convention is for the purpose of fix
ing a uniform taxation throughout the
State. The idea OF a State convention de-
veloped as matter of Importance about six
years ago. The first of these annual meet
ings was held at Harrisburg in 1887, where
but few counties were represented. The
following year the convention was held at
Allentown, where the representation was
considerably increased. In 1889, 1890 and
1891 the Commissioners conventions were
held in Erie, Williamsport and Lancaster
respectively, and with each meet
ing the attendance grew larger.
Last year every county in the
State but three was represented.
The result of those annual conventions has
been the adoption of measures for the
uniformity of taxation.
Egualizing County Taxation.
Hon. Jerome B. Niles, e1-Auditor Cen
eral, who arrived last night in the capacity
of solicitor for the Tioga County Commits
sioners, says there has been nothing
in the way of legislation enacted
i,,D tof, 70 lov
first made known that provoked such
popular tenor among the people as the
working of the Commissioner annual con-
vention. 1t has reaped harvest of good in
the matter of taxation, and relieved the
State of burden that could not have been
dealt with in any State Legislature. During
the six years gone by the taxes of the
various counties of the State have been
equalized to an extent unheard of in any
other State in the Union.
''There is an amount of labor connected
ers' Office" Mr.. Niles said, "that could
hardly be appreciated by the ordinary OBJ
server. In every Office the circumstances
vary to an extraordinary extent, and as
consequence there is an Incompetent sible
difference in the conditions existing in diff
terent localities.
What the Conventions Have Accomplished.
''The annual conventions of the Commits
sioners have been productive of one result at
least, viz, the accomplishment of an equal
lied taxation in every county"
After the announcement of committees
on resolutions to-day, the reports of the
latter and papers thereon will be received
and referred to committees. This portion
of the proceedings is expected to last until
2 o'clock P. NJ, when the convention will
adjourn. The afternoon session will start
almost simultaneously with the adjourn
ment and general business will occupy the
Commissioner attention for the remainder
of the day.
On Thursday morning the convention
will meet at 10 o'clock. Joseph d. Weeks
will make an address on creating a perma-
nent bureau of tax statistics. After Mr..
Weeks speech unfinished business will be
taken up until the adjournment. During
the afternoon a steamboat excursion will be |
taken to Homestead and the mills along the |
river on the City of Pittsburg,
which will leave the wharf at 2 o'clock, |
and return at $50. The present |
condition of Homestead and the necessity
for the retention of the troops in the bor- |
ough will form an interesting point for OBJ |
among the Commissioners. 1t will |
also be q feature of discussion in the con-
vention on account of the enormous ex-
pense Allegheny county has undergone
through the hostile attitude of the striking |
workmen toward the Carnegie firm.
CriticisIng Sheriff McCIeary's Methods.
Mr.. Niles and John F. Brosius, of Lock |
Haven, the county seat of Clinton, ex-
pressed themselves last evening as being |
entirely in sympathy with Adjutant Gen |
eral Greenland's theory, as published ex- |
the Sheriff of Allegheny county is largely |
for the present condition OF af- |
fairs at Homestead, and Consequently for |
the increased taxation of the inhabitants.
At.the Monongahela House and Seventh |
Avenue Hotel the Commissioners are prln-
cipally quartered. Among those registered
at the former house are B. McSimms, j. w.
Lewis and B. w. Harrison, of Potter coun-
ty; j. F. English, H. B. Mayer, F. A. /
Enrick with d. s. Seibert, the Clerk of
Ridgeway, Elk county; j. L. Smith,
of Cameron county; F. L. Magee,
A. A. Gemberling and Lewis Berg, of
Union county; L. Morssina, A. c. Kfssel,
John f. Brosius, E. s. McCaul, of Lock
Haven, Clinton county; w. II. Stebbins, T.
H. Bailey, c. H. Dewitt F. Watkins, with |
their attorney, Hon. Jerome II. Niles, of
Tioga county; George j. Thompson, E. S.
and j. W. Thompson, of
Clearfeld county; j. H. McDevitt,
T. A. Campbell and Joseph |
Pardine, of Northumberland county. Every
county in the State with the possible excep-
ton of about dozen will be represented at
,he convention. The absence of Commits
;lOners from those counties will be caused |
hrat,crh tha hnldi,oL IL L