West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-11-28
TAxEs ANp TAX PAYERS
An Interesting Article ON the Sabje ot
From sheriff Leroy shaw.
he Editor OF raE Ansus.

hiNGwoop, w. VA. Nov. 90, iSeA II
notice In your last issue your editorial
headed Taxes aud Tax Payers" While
was not expecting anything OF the
Kind in public print, l must say that
the ideas advanced are in keeping with
the age in which we live The tilue is
not far distant when the Tax Laws OF
West Virginia will be SO amended that
the right Of franchise will be extended
only TO those who bear their equitable
part in the support of the government
under which they live and are pro,
tected
And now, Nc. Editor inasmuch as
you 80 ably portrayed the bright side OF
tax gathering in West Virginia, | will
ask for space TO show mp the dark and
gloomy side which SD often leads
Sheriff's To ruin and dishoaor.
In the FIRST place the handling OF SO
vast an amount OF money as West Vir-
ginia Sheriff are required TO become
responsible Tor, on SO small a per cont
as they receive is dangerous expert.
ment and right here, am going to be
~'@NN NN0Ne ~ W oAN NAlll WulAc L naNO
devoted my entire time and ability to
the duties OF the oliics, and by so DOING
have reduced the expenses TO n lower
plain than perhaps any OF my predsces.
sors, so far have no satisfactory evi.
dence that 1 will retire from the Office
with competency commensurate with
the labor actually performed. TO say
nothing about the responsibnity con
nected Herewith. This, however, is
neither painful nor discouraging To me.
Even the loss of health and manhood,
l could withstand IL l could get a GER
tain per cent. of our taxpayers To un.
derstand that 30 long as they persist in
letting their taxes stand until they are
drove into paying them at an expense
Co me, fully equal TO all the tax they
pay.
II IL was not for the example, IL
their tax bills and dispense with dele
cation of hired help securing the coun-
try from one years end TO another vir-
tually consuming The commission for
collecting the entire tax OF the county.
The drones and the smart nlecs who
spend thrice the amount OF their tax
bills every month in cigars and bad
liquor are the lads who cause Sheriffs
TO be tortured with nightmare and dVs-
pepsia. Our present tax law is the
most lenient TO the people of any State
in the Union and would be glad To
see it remain so, il 1t were not SO won
derfnlly abused.
To illustrate, Deputy Sheriff McMil-
len was in the saddle all OF last week
Killing appointments by advertisement,
under rigid Instructions TO make n
specially OF closing mp the remnants of
former years and the doubtful taxes OF
1895. He returned late Saturday night
with his lip hanging down and report
cd the worst failure OK his life. The
only people he could find, was good
substantial taxpayers who held county
orders sufficient To pay their taxes aud
draw from the genial deputy some boot
money in nearly every transaction. lie
did not catch any OF the game that lac
was after, not a single head tax col
leeted. His perdiem aud expenses COW
ering commission on collections; dead
busted and threatcnin vengeance when
he returnes to the same places in De-
cember. SO look out in that direction
and get your dollars ready, and save n
dollar by so doing.
Deputy Sha4fer was in Pleasant and
Portland last week. lie has not re-
ported yet No doubt he shared McMil-
lens fate and had tins To take "A chew
81 tobacco this time SO YOU see.
Friend Brown, you had the bright side
of the subject and handled it with
gloves
There are other dark sides, made so
By the unfair presumption OF many
people, that Sheriff appropriates n
very considerable amount Of the money
he collects 70 his own use. Never for "a
moment considering that he and his
friends are firmly bound ia a bond OF
one hundred thousand dollars TO ac-
count for every dollar that he collects,
or is chargeable with. Not even one
day since took the oath OF Office as
your public servant, have been per
mitted 20 discard from my mind tho
terrible responsibility that rested upon
me. Hence 1 mapped out a system that
nave confidence in. II always has
won, If properly carried out II ia
simple and easy 20 understand Here
IT is: Live within your means; be
sober, aud above all be honest; have
but one calling at a time; stick 70 il;
collect pp and pay up" The enforce
ment OF the above is all that will save
Sheriff from failure in Preston
county.
do not mean 20 say that our people
are not as good payers as the people OF
other counties II were % Judge. !
would say Preston has no peer in the
State in this respect, but this is not all.
We have territory OF $40 square miles,
sparsely settled, TO canvass for taxes,
waile Tucker, Taylor. aad Monongalia
and many other counties that I could
mention, have comparatively small
territories while their revenue IS great