Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-09-01


! but for what there is in it for them
selves. Such methods OF bringing! de-
linquents to book have always been
unpopular and always will be. The
public generally has no more love for
this class of people than it has for the
professional hangman, nor is it likely
that public sentiment will ever
change. But there is the law, made
and provided to give warrant to and
encourage just such methods of smok-
ing out and unearthing property (which
is liable to be listed for taxation. but
which is not on the assessors books;
and while the law is ON the statute
books our people who have neglected,
through ignorance, carelessness or
otherwise, to comply with it, are liable
to be subject to just such anlaoyances
as these informers have drought
about.
The object of this article isl to point
out who is largely responsible for
this unpleasant and unfair state of
things, unpleasant to the victims and
unfair to the taxpayers who lave made
full and complete returns to the as
SCISSORS. In our Judgment. the as
SCISSORS are responsible. T4e present
ones no more than their predecessors,
as all seem to have followed, to a
large extent, the old rut of simply
copying the books from year to year
and not making frequent and thorough
investigation of the many changes TAX
ing place in personal property, as
shown upon the county records.
This work is simple enough, and
why it is not done regularly and care
fully by the persons whose duty it is
to do so, is a matter OF much aston5sh-
ment.
Now there is, in certain quarters, a
disposition to blame the Delinquent
taxpayers themselves for not seeing to
it that their personal property is ac-
tionA In great many cases we. be-
lieve this alleged blame has a great
many mitigating circumstances and
that the fault lies not SO much with
the taxpayer as with the assessor,
whose duty it is to exercise the
greatest care and vigilance that all
property, real and personal, not ex-
empt from law, be listed, in order
that injustice be done to none and all
taxpayers be treated alike.
1t is almost certain that ia nine
cases out of ten where money is
loaned on mortgages and recorded at
the County Clerks Office, THAI there
would be no disposition on the part of
the mortgage to make a false return
if the assessor requested him. to fill
up the printed blank made asnd pro-
vided for that purpose, but even If he
were so inclined, the transaction is
on record for the inspectiond of the
public, ana if the officer had his doubts
he could verify the returns by ian exam
nation of the books If the assessors
be content to copy the old books, to
make few examinations andi inquiries,
they are not going to have an accurate
list of taxable property, fof taxpayers
are not in the habit of running after
the assessors. They wait, as has al
ways been their custom, for the as
SCISSOR to come to them, duty which
the law imposes.
The recent publications tof names of
citizens against whom suits have been
brought by these informers, run into
hundreds, and yet We are told that
they do not begin to cover all those
who are subject to litigation and per-
haps great expense for failing to make
proper returns.
This situation does not present a
very savory kettle of fish, all of
which might have been avoided if the
proper officials had done their full
duty; besides saving to the taxpayers
a large purse of current funds.