The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1898-11-02
our OF DEBT IN IgB5.

It Will be noted that July. 1885.
is the period from which the COM
mittee began to make its inyesti-
cations, and as all orders were
then promptly paid by the sheriff,
we must assume that the county
and districts we're practically out
of debt. From July, 1885, up to
January. 1897. orders we're issued
to such an extent that S13. 465 81,
was paid out by the various sher-
ifs for interest alone on road and
county orders. IF, a very large in
debtedness does not still exist, it
would be very pertinent for some
one to explain why it is that the
sheriff will only accept 50 or 40
per cent in county orders in pay
ment of taxes, and why the man
who labors for the county must
accept discount of from 10 per
cent to % per cent in order to re-
alize upon his county orders.
And, if no Indebtedness existed
against the county. it would not be
necessary to levy the maximum of
the law, as has been done in many
cases, and the benefit of a low levy
would accrue to the poor man and
the non-taxpayer. in proportion to
the decrease in taxation. The
Democratic party is not attacking
the outstanding orders, nor is there
any disposition to repudiate them;
but, upon the contrary, the voters
of that party have submitted, with
quiet grace, to a levy in 1897 for
the purpose of discharging $4,000
of the Indebtedness; and in 1898
they submitted with the same
grace to levy sufficient to dis
charge S11, 600 more of the indebt-
edness and expect to continue to
submit to like taxation for like
purpose until this debt imposed
upon the people, without authority
of law, has been fully paid off.
1t was by reason of the agitation
of the county Indebtedness, by
Gen. John McCausland and others
which caused the payment of S12.-
600 of outstanding orders in 1897,
and the provision for the payment
of SI1,OO more in 1898; and it
was by reason of the suit Instituted
in the Circuit Court, settling the
legal status of these orders, which
prevented a continuation of unlaw-
ful issues by inbibiting and re-
straining the County Court from
further illegal action.
1t is time for the voters of Mason
County to realize that the only
way get rid of oppressive and
burdensome taxation,-and aid in
bringing -about better times for
the farmers, laborers and others-is
to no longer be a "boss ridden"
people. but vote for men you know
cannot be dominated by rings or
cliques.
There is no excuse for a county
having property valued a over five
million dollars being indebt to any
extent, when it has the natural
facilities that Mason county has.
If the State Gazette wishes to deal
fairly with the voters, let it state
the facts as they do appear from
the report of the committee, made
by gentlemen who were capable.
who had the confidence of the
Court and not delude the people by
trying to make them believe there
is no selfish interest to subserve
and promote, and, then if they are
beaten upon the issues they will
have the consciousness of knowing
that they made no attempt to de-
ceive an honest public.
What a Change of Textbooks
Means.
Taxpayers and patrons of the
public schools. do you know what
it means to you to change the text
hooks which vour children use in