Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-11-04
Friday, November 4, 1910
N ORE sQuEALERs

MORE sQUEALERs
We find we are not the only persons
who are ''squealing" over increased
assessments. We have received from
Middleton, Williams & Co., (Mr.
John Shelton Williams, of Richmond,
being member of the firm) an article
which, though too long for publica-
ton, takes the corporation commits
sion of Virginia sharply to task for its
increased assessment of ''the big rail-
roads of the State for purposes of tax
alton" the increase being from twenty
aye to thirty-six per cent. These cor
porate gentlemen are as sore as sore
can he. We here in Staunton who
have seen our property 60 skyward for
''the purposes of taxation" are no more
so than "the big railroads" Recently
we, in commenting on the increase of
our property, said the corporations
remained the same. But we were
quickly taken to task by one, who had
no doubt taken his orders from ''the
powers that be-" for our dense igno-
rance, and he cited what the corpora
ton commission had done few days
before, touching the big railroads.
We admitted our ignorance of this
) important order, from the organiza-
ton, just as we must admit any and
all knowledge of those star chamber
proceedings. We are not on the inside
and take no orders from anybody and
obey none. We find, however, that
the corporation commission and the
assessors throughout the State acting
under their ttoaths" as well as under
orders, have come to the conclusion
that all property in the State has been
subject to sharp advance in value,
and their ''oaths" have compelled
them along with orders from head
quarters to make the necessary ad-
vancement, andlthe corporation COM
mission has set the pace.
Our assessor in one Of our county dis
tricts, to-wit: 'North River" did not
take orders, we are told, foolish man.
He went On and under his oath assess
ed the property of his district accord
ing to what he considered its value.
When his books came in. the values
were lower than in the other districts.
The other assessors acting also under
their oaths got busy; they tried to
MAKE him see things as they saw
them, but he could not. The result
was that they in way took hold OF
his books and forced values up. The
result is that North river district is not
now assessed by its assessor, but by q
com bination of assessors.
When this increase becomes gener-
ally known people will begin to ask
why haze we been assessed SO much
higher, what has happened to raise
the value of our property. SO much?
Our poor people do not know the
causes which lead to many things
They live in dense ignorance in these
"way.back" sections. They elect q
legislature composed of men who seem
to be careful business men, and eco.
nomical, and DESTROYS of low taxation.
When these get to Richmond they had
about as well be in their graves, Ger.
tainly about as well have staid on
their farms. They are mere orna-
ments, down there. The thing is
done by ''select few" and the aver
age delegate finds himself unable to
wake up to realization of what did
take place until after the session is
ever and the governor begins to dis
pense the good things, the toothsome
morsels, these obtuse delegates helped
TO prepare for the favored recipient.
The $1,000 appropriated to employ
especial counsel" for the public insti-
tutions, is an example. No other
need be cited.
The cause therefore of this increased
assessment is that taxation may be
raised and more money dumped into
the treasury at Richmond. "We need
the money" was the slogan in Rich
nond last winter. 1t must be done on
account of the extravaganza wasteful-
ness OF the State as now managed.
The organizations planned it, the Or
ganization arranged the appointment
In way of many of the assessors, the
organization, we are told, clipped
them OFF, to their duty, beginning
with the corporation commission, and
this is why even in Staunton before
the general public knew what the cor
poration commission would do, there
we're those who had the information
Tin stock" and could dispense it shot
OF the griddle."
Let us console ourselves here by the
fact that the corporations are squeal-
ing because they have been "blister-
ed" that the people also throughout
the State have been blistered, that in a
little while they will all be squealing
louder, and therefore we are not alone.
Misery loves company. Let us cor.
sole ourselves with the belief that it
could not have been different, but
might have been worse, because all
were acting under orders. North Riv-
er district possibly wanted to have her
assessment made by her duly ap-
pointed assessor, but this was not per-
mitted. "Servants be dutiful unto
your masters" is the best advice we
can give the people just now.