Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-11-05
the people Will assert themselves to-
morrow and that the costly, extrava-
CANT and generally ill-conditioned

has been upwards of five thousand
dollars--money which might have been
spent to better advantage upon works
of public improvement. On the county
side the Board of Commissioners has
let bridge contracts through private
understanding. without asking for bids,
and no man can tell what money
might have been saved to the taxpayers.
1t has increased the salary of its Clerk,
first to $1,000 and then to $500, and
withheld the information from the pub
lie. 1t has made a false and mislead-
ing financial statement, in which. was
listed, among the assets, an item OF
$500 900 which was utterly worthless,
while failing, in the same statement, to
show the proper amount of per diem
drawn by members. 1t listed stock at
its face value of 100000, when its mar
ket value was twice that sum, and pre-
scented an item of bills payable without
stating, as could have been done in six
words, what it was. That Board has
held revels at the county infrmary, and
gone upon junketing expeditions to
other cities. 1t has aided and abetted
a VIGOROUSLY unjust and uncalled for
increase in the assessment of real es-
tate for purposes Of taxation, and failed
and refused to reduce said assessment
to reasonable figures, the net result be-
ing a large increase in taxation. And
during the present campaign the light
and heat furnished at public expense
to the Public Building has been used for
partisan comfort and convenience,
while the absence of public officials
from their offices has grown into
public scandal, yet full pay has been
drawn.
This is mildly drawn indictment.
1t contains no word that is not true.
no charge that cannot be proven, no
assertion that is not supported by fact.
1t isn't necessary to name names, for
there is nothing personal in the popular
opposition to the men holding office.
individually, they are gentlemen; col
lectively, they are improvitent officials,
and in that latter role and capacity
they ought to go. Something much
better is offered in their stead, and the
elimination of the present ring from
public life and the substitution OF the
Democratic candidates whose names
appear on the official ballot will mean
to the people at large a saving in
money, an improved public service, and
generally that reform in the conduct of
affairs which Ohio county sadly needs,
while the retention of the present Off
Gals means a ring-ridden community
for four years more, with approval Of
things done in the past and unlimited
license 10 go ahead and do worse in the
future.
The time has fully come to call a
halt and to work change, and to-
morrow affords the opportunity. Right
voting means a popular representation
in the Legislature, the election of good
men to office, and above all, it means
dollars and cents to the people. 1t
means no more loan ordinances at pub
lie expense. II means that the people,
after the first day of January, will have
an opportunity to file petitions for a
reduction in their assessments, and
have them acted upon. 1t means bus
mess administration. 1t means that
the City Hall and Court House will no
longer be used as political club houses.
And it means the dissolution of the
ring. Every consideration, both public
and private, calls for a revolution in
this county tomorrow, and it is up to
the people to act. We believe they will