The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-27
the lNTELLlGENCER.
WHEELING. NovnMnEn q. lsp.,


To-Day'S Election.
To-day the people of Wheeling will
vote for or against the proposition to re-
fund the debt of the city. Tho matter
has been unde discussion through the
newspapers and among the voters for
several weeks, and 1t Is presumed that
the public, or at least a large portion of
ct, is well posted upon the purpose. the
necessity and the promised benefits Of
the ordinance.
1t Is a simple business question to be
decided to-day. and whether the plan
proposed is accepted or rejected, the
campaign will not have been in vain in
one respect; In the discussion, during
which so many facts and figures con-
corning the financial condition, needs,
history and policies of the city
have been brought out, citizens have be-
come more familiar with things which
concern them as taxpayers.
In voting to-day only the city's well
fare should be taken into consideration,
and not politics. Unfortunately, poll
tics was injected into the discussion,
more or less, by the course of the oppo-
nents of the ordinance In impugning the
motives of the promoters of the plan, and
in making the unjust and totally absurd
charge of extravaganza against the city
administration.
These charges have all been answered;
those who made them have been repeat
eddy challenged to poin to one single item
of public expenditure that wa unneces-
eary and they have remained silent.
Everything that could be thought of
has been brought to bear to defeat the
ordinance, but not n logical argument
against It has been adduced. Party pre-
judice and demagogic Misrepresentation
nave been INDUCED in. Arguments fav-
oring the ordinance andthe %eloquence o:
statistics thar could not be disputed were
replied to with mere assertions and with
no attempt to disprove the facts.
The voters of Wheeling, without re-
gard to party, cannot afford to look at
this simple business question involving
the welfare of the city, in a partisan
spirit, nor listen to appeals TO prejudice.
Either the ordinance Is a good thing,
orr bad thing. Either It is better to ex-
tend the debt at reduced interest, and
render 1T possible to .expend money 10
prevent the city property from going to
wreck, improve streets and provide
sewers and other needs, without in.
creased taxes or increasing the debt
either this is the proper course, or the
proper course is to so ahead under thc
present burdensome system, and raise
the money necessary for the needs men.
toned by a raise of taxes, IN which event
the plain citizens, the small home own.
ers, will be the worst sufferers, for thcy
bear the burdens. OF taxation.
This IS the whole issue. one side O
the other must be taken by the voters
There is no party question involved. i
IS a question purely and simply o.
whether the people Of Wheeling desire
to take the progressive, buslncssllk,
course In the matter of public finances
or stick 10 the present bVrdensome auc
non.progressivc policy.
It requires a three-Hfths vote to ndop
The ordinance. All citizens who favor &
should 80 to the polls, and not leave al
the voting to be done by those who ar.
influenced by dcmagogic appeals an,
false ideas OF public economy
Let every advocate Of thc r]ofundlni
ordinance vote to-day ana the result vii
not be in doubt.