The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-09-07
J. y. BURKE TO TAX
PAYERS

1t has come to my attention
that there are charges of discrep
ancies in the tax bills of some of
the taxpayers of Mathews County
and I desire to ia K c this
method of notifying you that I
am prepared to make correction
of any mistakes due to any error
OF mine.
While only two or three bills
have ever been presented to me
in which there were mistakes of
my making. I have no way of
knowing how far these mistakes
extend. and I am told that there
are rumoTs of mistakes more M
merous than had believed. or
can believe possible, and in order
to assure the taxpayers of the
County of my willingness and ur
gent desire to correct them, if
due to me, i take this as the
most feasible method of reaching
the matter.
1t is true that I am a candidate
to succeed myself as Treasurer.
yet L wish to say that l am not
iSsueing this card so much as a
campaign document, or in order
to further nav election. as that 1
may do myself the justice Of say
ing TO the people that while the
rumor that there mad been found
errors in the tax tickets reached
me months ago. being, entirely
innocent of any intentional wrong
dong realizing that these things
are al ways exaggerated. feeling sure
that the mistakes we're few. if any.
ard that the parties who ascer
tanned the mistakes would do me
the justice to present them to me
fer correction, l :hen took no
special notice of n e matter,
That have been guilty Of inten
tiOIal wrong doing in this matter
1t Is Uncomfortable to me that YOU
will believe. for even my enemies
will Concede, l think, that | am
no fool, and only an idiot would,
with malice afOrethought, commit
so palpable and easily detected a
fraud. And | wish to say further
what no man can deny, that in
my personal obligations. as well
as all my dealings with my fellow
men, both before aud since nv
election as Treasurer. l have been
fair, square and above board. ]
have met those of my own maxi
ing, and those handed down to
me, with prOmptnesS which has
always been a matter of'pride and
a source of qualification. L have
wrOnged no man knowingly. and
have never failed in business,
n + | T II Z X o. c NOR
TWICE, and no man can saw
ever beat him ont of dollar.
The State of Virginia is to-day
in my debt as Treasurer and nv
accounts wish the County Of
Mathews. are now. and have al
ways been. absolutely correct.
Its not a matter CT life OK death
to me whether or not am again
elected Treasurer. l was solvent
and making an honest living be
fore l held public Office. and
have no fear of the future. but it
is matter of moment to me that
the people of my County who
have twice SO sIgnally hOnored
me, will not believe that on &C
count of errors, If errors there be,
made in calling or transcribing
the tax books, l'have been know
ingly. and SO foolishly, guilty of
wrong doing to them.
| make no doubt that a great
deal of this trouble has been
1 brought about in the minds, of the
people by reason of the fact that
the tax bills for the years 1905
and 1905 were printed in 1905 and
before the change of the road levy
from 20 to SO cents. and while at
| the top of the column the ticket;
for those years show a levy of 20
cents the actual levy, was so cents