The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-25

heB4sLeE'
To the Editor Of the 1ntelllgencer.
sIR:-Ths increase made by Assessor
Helmbrlght on the realty in the busi-
ness portion of our city, according to
the Register, Is unjust and arbitrary
and should be corrected at once. This
partisan organ Is very much interested
In the taxpayer Of Ohio county lately.
1t says: Unjust assessments and the
suspicion that this county is discrtmi-
mated against In the state re-valuation
will do more to inture the future pros
poets Of OHIO county. ana keep away
from us prospective industrial enter
prises and capital than any one fac
tor"
II the Register has no more substan-
tIaI ground for It's assertion that Ohio
county is Disseminated against by the
assessors increased returns than mere
suspicion, It need not be the least
alarmed at.its foolish imagination. 1t
only wants to echo the lnsolent twaddle
OF few GROWERS who are always on
the alert to impose their pessimistlc
Views on the chamber OF commerce
about the decline Of our clty's interests.
one of those orators showed his capac-
lty for bombast when he said that bus
mess property in Huntington, with a
population Of 10000, was as valuable
as II Is in Wheeling, with a population
OF IS, 900, and al her manufacturing ,in-
dustries. Wonder II this pessimtst
wonJd exchange the Stlfel's or Stone &
p'brmas property. on Main street, on
Main street, or the property occupied
by House q Hermann, or the Hub
building, or any other business house
in Wheeling. 70 he owned them, for
similar business property in Hunting
ton?
Is 1t reasonable to say that II the
Mcclure House property would COM
mand a price approximatlng 100000
that building similar to 1t in any
other part OF the state would bring the
same prIceg Not at all. 1t would
rot bring $4,000 outside Of Wheeling.
AS long as realty sells from $1,000 to
1880 per foot In the business portion
Of our town. and Is only assessed for
half It's half actual value, the Register
may rest content; there 10 no danger
Of driving prospective Industrial en-
terprlses. away from our city.
It was not the motive or intention Of
Assessor Helmbright to raise the value
Of realty 30 high as to drive out capt.
tai and enterprise. He did his work
honorably and consclentiously, without
prejudice or, dislike He is not as incom-
petent as some of his critics consider
him to be- There could be no better
or more Just man appointed to make
the valuation. He based his increase
on the selling price Of realty. He knew
that land gets its value from Its sur
roundIngs, and he also knew that this
surrounding was on Main and Market
streets, where the bulk Of the increase
was made.
1t is very doubtful II there is re-
cord Of an assessor ever appointed in
Wheeling. that gave general satisfaction
and 1t Is doubtful that there ever will
be one that will. Selfishness Of late
years has taken deep root in the
minds of some people. and 1t seems our
puSlIIEab AlGll ait q AAGblH ksAAASSA WASAe
this selfishness. They believe in good
times and prosperity. but they are not
willing to equalize taxation with pros
perity. They are opposed to taxing
their enterprise and thrift, but unfor-
tunately there ID nothing else to be
taxed. The assessor could not tax the
enterprise and frugality Of the drunk
ard and the profligate. There were
none to tax; he had neither land nor
money. Then what else could be taxed
throughout this great country but the
enterprise and frugallty Of the people:
It is the progress and energy OF the
American people that made this coun-
try the nobleSt and greatest In the
world, and It Is the taxation arising
from this enterprise and frugallty that
has made It such In maintaining our IN
stItutions and governing power. 1t Is
energy and enterprise that built up our
business mart extending from Tenth
street to Wheeling creek, along Main
and Market. This central mart is
either directly or indirectly, the distrib-
utlng warehouse Of the needs and ne
ceSsitieB OF all the people Of Wheeling
and vicinity. and in return takes In all
the wages Of those people, amounting
to millions Of dollars annually, and
because an honest and conscientious
assessor increased the valuation Of
these magnificent, wealthy business
houses to one-half or two-thirds their
valuation, their owners have invoked
the chamber OF commerce to come to
their assistance to fight the high tax
monster.
The Register, with its mean cum
nlngness, Is urging the slow-thinking
members OF the chamber to make an
onslaught against increased taxation,
hoping thereby to Dust the Republicans
from political control OF the county.
But the Registers tenderness OF heart
for our business men Is not 80 Bympa-
thetlc for the poor workinRmen. It
does not I'LL its columns with either
lying or truthful detailed interviews
with the chamber OF commerce to have
that body examine into the excessive
valuation Of the wage workers, little
home. Eight out Of every ten OF these
homes that are worth, say. one thou
sand dollars, are taxed to their full
dred to a thousand dollars by the
county. This Is the class Of our citi-
zens made to pay taxation without reps
Fesentation, as far as realty is concern
ed.
Now. as the Register is not generous
enough TO place the grievance Of the
workinEmen before the public. as 1t
does the wall Of the business men, the
wage-earning real estate owners eX-
tend an invitation to the chamber OF
commerce To take day on and inspect
the condition OF the outlying streets
adjacent to the homes Of our working
population. and It wifi find that they
are surrounded with mud and Nth that
are disgrace to any civilized commu-
nifty. Then let the members Of the
chamber Of commerce 90 back and con-