Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-29
A QUEER

ing
The financial statement OF Ohio
county, published by authority of the
Board of Commissioners, is worthy of
some consideration.
1t gives the total assets of the county
as $500 1875. SO, and the excess of assets
over liabilities as $685. 1876. 70.
Stating the case moderately, fairly
and conservatively, this exhibit is a
false one. A correct statement would
show that the excess of liabilities over
assets is %s10,173.17.
What is the use of trying to deceive
the people?
In the published list of assets is an
item of Wheeling Bridge and Termin-
al Railroad stock, $500, 000."
That stock isn't worth one one-cent
postage stamp. A year ago the item
would have been technically an asset;
to-day it isn't even a technical asset.
and ought to have long since been
charged off the books of the county,
SSou IL VI Odu has DCSu SOlu I'LL
der a foreclosure of a mortgage, and
the stockholders, including Ohio coun-
ty, have lost every dollar invested in
said stock. And yet this sort of waste
paper is itemized as an asset Of Ohio
county, and thus turns a balance on
the wrong side of the account into what
looks like a good showing. Out Of
such things as this comes administra-
ton prosperity.
There are some other things worth
talking about in connection with this
apology for a financial statement. 1t
purports to give a detailed exhibit Of
expenditures. In reality is does moth
ing of the sort. For instance, there is
one item: "Per diem, $2,963."
Hum. Who got it? How much to
each member? And for what? And
was that the total of the per diem paid
to members by the county? If not,
where has the rest of it been conceal
ed? And why? 1t is currently report
ed and generally believed that a place
on the Board Of Commissioners is worth
anywhere from $3.50 to $500, according
to luck in getting on good committees.
Six hundred dollars would be a fair
average. There are ten members. Ten
times $500 makes $4,000. Less than
half of it is accounted for. Where
shall we find the rest? 1t reminds one
very much of that celebrated statement
nee made by a city clerk Of Philadel-
phia, in which this item appeared:
soap and things, $1,000"
We do not believe that the law con-
templates such a financial statement Of
the receipts and expenditures of Ohio
county as has been handed out to the
people for perusal. There isn't enough
of detail. Only the sharp outlines are
given. There Is a paucity of informa-
ton, running through it like a turbu-
lent creek through q twenty acre lot.
Bills payable, 4 $4,000" How is the
average voter and taxpayer to know
about this little item? What does it
represent? Who creates debts of that
size without the consent OF the people
and in violation of law? How much Is
the interest charge for this debt, what
is the security, how long has il been
running, and what will be the lump
sum charged to taxpayers on this ac-
count alone? The statement is silent
upon these important matters. It's an
other case of Soap and things only
the amount is $4S, 900 instead of the
Philadelphia $4,000.
The people of Ohio county are en-
titled to the facts. Why can't they OBJ
tain them through the public and Of
fetal statement made up by county Of
ficers?
The effort To make William Jennings