Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-10-20

etc, to suck up the taxes OF the peo-
lple? A Republican Legislature. Who
inaugurated this rotten and useless
system of public bookkeeping that
cost the State 800, 900 to install and
this county at least $500 for books.
supplies, furniture etc? A Republican
Legislature. Who has wasted for
years your road funds on petty politi-
cal pets and wire pullers? A Repub-
lican county court. Who has reckless
ly spent your taxes. until over $780,
900 Indebtedness created in an lille
gal way, stares you i'm the face? A
Republican County Court. And yet
because Writ a. French was on the
Court when one levy was laid, with
two other members OF the Court Re
publicans, majority, and in com.
plete control as they had been for
years. the Democrats are responsible
for high taxes says the Messenger.
What determines the rate OF levy
pie shall pay? The current expenses
OF the county, and its outstanding
debt; not what member or the mem
bers OF the County Court want to
make the taxes. This is the law. Any
fool ought to know this. II Writ A.
French had created the county debt
and yearly was responsible for its
enormous expenses he would then be
responsible, and the accusation of the
Mountain Messenger would be just
But the facts are just the opposite,
and the statement OF the Messenger
wilful, deliberate and unqualified
misrepresentation of the truth.
The Messenger further says that
Mr. French was this year again in fa-
vor OF high taxes, but that Messrs.
Smith and Freeman cut the levy to
the lowest figures againstMr French's
advice. This is another misrepresen-
tation of the facts. Mr.. French has
never favored high taxes. He has
stood each year for a levy sufficient
| to meet current expenses only, and
such as were honestly and economi-
cally incurred, just as the law re-
quires. III these expenses are high
land this is the test of responsible
! ity) a Republican Legislature and
county court have made them high.
The secret Of the desire of Republican
officials for lower rate of levy this
year is the fact that it is election
year, and they must give an account
to the people OF their stewardship.
They thus seek to deceive and fool
( the people by lower rate OF levy this
year, but they will appropriate just
as much as ever and the people will
two years ago, and the lower rate
was held up to the people, and point
/ ed to with PRIDE but the records
show that for that same year they
spent about $4,000 more than the
levy raised. In other words although
the levy was lower they issued orders
against the county just the same for
this amount in excess of any funds to
pay them, which amount is yet I'M
paid and is drawing interest every
day, and which will have to be paid
in the future in addition to current
expenses. And mark this prediction,
at the end of this current year you
will find that this same set of Off
GERS will have spent thousands of
dollars more than will have been col
lected in taxes, which will be added
to the debt the county now owes.
| The party in power must bear the
, responsibility of government. It is
the silliest subterfuge to seek to
avoid it. Nobody can possibly be
misled by such nonsense. 1t is only
equalled by the similar claim that the
Democrats are responsible for the
failure of the Republican Legislature
TO submit TO vote of the people the
Prohibition amendment as it had sol
EMMY promised to do.