Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-10-09

ON>~>S1
device to blk the taxpayers, known
as the refunding ordinance, are resort
ing to all sorts of subterfugss and ex-
pedients to get the alleged merits of
the scheme before the public. One Of
the favorite methods has been to either
visit newspaper men or send for them
and unfold to them the beauties of the
proposed measure, and if, at the end
of the extended expatiation of the
beauties of the proposed ordinance,
the reporters and editors do not enter
heartily into the plot, it is then in
order to go about the streets abusing
the newspaper men and rejecting upon
them. Every newspaper man in town
whose influence was supposed to
amount to anything mas been inter-
viewed and labored with by the par
tisans of the refunding scheme, these
interviews having often been repeated
ly requested, but a Discrimination to
further the project has invariably
meant that personal abuse was to fol-
low, and it has happened jus: that
way. All this shows very unusual
patriotism on the part of the origina-
tors Of the refunding scheme, and re-
sort to original methods, but at the
same time it gives rise to other sug-
geStions and thoughts.
A great deal may be said in oprosi-
ton to the refunding scheme which
has not heretofore appeared in print.
Prominent in this line is the fact that
to adopt the c7fuLGing idea would be
to handicap the city for more than a
generation to come with a public debt
which would seriously hamper future
improvements for which bonds might
be issued. For ten years after The
adoption of the ordinance the city debt
will remain at substantially it's pres
ent size, and the city will be prohibited
for at least fifteen years from issuing
bonds for any important sum, no mat
ter how great the emergency might
be. Within, or in about, ten years,
two important municipal franchises
will eXpire-the street railway grant
and the franchise of the electric light
company. 1t is of the greatest I'm
portance that the city should refuse
to grant an extension of the electric
light franchise and acquire the present
plant Of that company. With the city
debt maintained at half million dol
lars for dozen years to come that
could not be done without practically
exhausting the ability of the city TO
issue bonds. Again, it is undoubtedly
the tendency of modern municipalities
to acquire and operate street railways
by and in the interests of the people
The tendency in that direction has
been very marked in recent years. In
ten years to come it may become i'm
perative for Wheeling to act in this
direction. But with the present deJt
held over our heads the hands of the
city will be hopelessly tied, and no
matter what the merits of the case
may be or what advantages may ac-
crue to the people, they will be help
less. These are but examples In
other words, it is proposed to mort
gage to future by the refunulng or
dinance. and tie the city hand and
foot. No proposition having this pos
sibe effect should pass Council with
out the gravest consideration, and yet
the friends of the refunding scheme
are preparing to rush their ordinance
through. There is certainly enough
conservatism and liberalism and fote-
sight in Council to prevent this.
One alleged strong point made by
the advocates of the refunding ordn-
ance is that the city will be enabled TO
spend 1000 or so annually for the
next ten years in public improvements,
and that by reason of these improve
ments the values Of private property
will be increased, the tax valuation
be raised, and the city gain large sums
through increased taxation. If this is
true, they propose that property own
ers shall be made to pay roundly for
whatever benefits they may receive
from public improvements. But it will
be noticed that no statement of what
these improvements are to be has been
made. No plans have been outlined.
no estimates made, and no localities
specified. We are told, in very GEN
eral terms, that public improve
ments" will be made, and that follow
ing these improvements values will
increase" and more taxes will be
paid All this is rot 1t is absolute
ly impossible that the outlay of public
money to the extent of s25, 900 per
annum, as public money IS generally
spent in Wheeling, would increase
taxes to an extent warranting the
making out of new tax bills. The ex-
penditure of $4,000 of public money
in any given year would not benefit
the city treasury to the extent Of 800
and nobody knows this better than the
gentlemen who are engineering the re-
funding scheme. They are simply
throwing dust in the eyes of voters. 1t
would be TO vastly more purpose to
pay off the city debt as speedily as
possible, apply a moderate and neces-
sary sum to ,he continuance of public
Improvements. as they become neces-
sary, and if there remains a balance.
wipe it out by reducing taxation to
47c. or 45c. on the $780, There is a
broad field for patriotic endeavor in
that direction, and taxpayers would
appreciate its proper working. But
economy and thrift are words not
found in the vocabulary OF the re-
funding patriots.
Seriously, the values of property in
the present limits of Wheeling have
about reached their limits. Aside
from Occa SiOnal and scattorad roo1