Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-19
OHIO CoUNTY's ASSESSMENT.

OHYU COUNTY'S ASSESSMENT.
The increase in the d%ecennial valua-
ton of property in Ohio county over
the past decade is represented by the
enormous sum of $3,772,380.
One does not have to possess expert
knowledge to discern the rank injustice
of this increase to the property owners
of this county. In view of the fact that
during the past decade we have passed
through two periods of depression,
which were a serious setback to all
values in this community as well as to
the rest of the country, and that we are
only now beginning to recover from
these periods of depression which COW
cred the best part of the past decade,
and during which all values were sacri-
ficed-cut to the very bone-it is mani
testify the height of injustice to claim
that property values subject to this as
sessment increased in this period any
thing like the above enormous figures
reported by the assessors for the State.
And these if not changed must stand
as a handicap upon this community for
the future-for if this unjust valua-
ton is permitted to stand now it will
stand and be proportionately increased
ten years hence.
The representatives of the State, who
are responsible for this unjust revalua-
ton in the county, attempt to take
refuge behind the letter of the law.
But this is quoting law to justify a
manifest injustice. The increased re-
valuation in other counties of the State
Is no where near the proportion of in
crease in this county. Is it justice to
blink at the law throughout the State
and make this one county suffer for it
by forcing it to make up the difference?
Is it either law or justice to make this
county pay far nor than its just pro-
portion of State taxes while the bene-
fits are distributed equally among
all the counties? Indeed, it is the
demand of Ohio county that the law in
the case be enforced impartially, as
honest officers must and will enforce
it. and its burdens distributed equally
and fairly and not unequally and I'M
fairly, as in the present Instance when
1t is sought to compel Ohio county to
shoulder more than its lawful share of
the burden of government. The law
provides for no such injustice.
1t Is said the Board of Commission
ers will sit as a board of equalization
and appeals upon cases brought to its
notice of unjust assessments. But this
will not suffice. 1t is not in a few cases
but in practically every case through
out the county that rank injustice is
complained of, which is shown on the
face of the enormous increase. More
over, it is common talk in the city
wherever men get together to discuss
this matter that members of the Board
of Commissioners backed the represent
dLlV6S Ol lu0 oldlo III luOli 1HCl CdoCo
of assessments, that they coached them
regularly and that, therefore, the Board
being practically responsible for the I'M
lust revaluatjon, it would be a manifest
~travesty on justice and fair dealing to
have the Board sit in judgment upon
it's own work.
We wish it understood that it is not
the Register that makes this charge.
1t merely calls attention to the fact
that it is openly made, which must ere
this have reached the ears OF the
Board of Commissioners. The Regis
ter, in fact, does not endorse nor credit
the accusation and directs the attention
of the Board to it that its members
may have an opportunity to deny these
charges over their own signatures. We
believe they will readily appreciate the
Importance of doing this and making
public denial of the charge that they
thus betrayed the business interests
and property owners of their own
county. Not to do so, now that theiI
attention has been publicly called tc
the matter, will not be calculated to
impress the people with their inno-