Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-09-02
Mr.. ALEX CLOHAN
TO MR.. JACOB SITES
Writes Reply to Charges Made BY The
President Of Board Of Equalization.
Says They Are False.

Dear Sir Upon my return from
the meeting OF the Peninsula Horticul.
tural society at the Harrison Nurser-
les, Berlin, Md, my attention was call.
e3 to the article in your issue OF Au.
gust %. signed by Mr.. Jacob Sites.
Knowing your universal fairness in
such matters, ask for space to reply
70 that part of his article which re-
fers to me personally. At some time In
the future, with your permission, will
give you the reasons for the stand
taken by the horticultural society in
this matter.
had hoped that the manly request
OF Mr.. Henshaw that personalities be |
ignored IN the future. would be com
piled with, but Mr.. Sites has decided
otherwise. Lay on, Macduff. and id
be he who first cries. hold. enough"
Unfortunately for me, In the early
struggle for existence had no time to
cultivate the graces of a Chesterfield,
Or to smooth or sugar-coat Deceit.
In the school where received myl
first lesson, and am still learning
more every day, we have been taught
to call spade spade and Liar
Liar. No roundabout Annanias club
quite fills the place of that short and
ugly English word Of three letters.
Lie--that fills the bill. True, we grade
Liars into different classes. There arel
the unconscious ones, then there are
the ignorant ones, neither of these dol
any great amount OF damage, as they
are generally pretty well known and
their assertions are taken for about
par valne They are about on par
With boastful ones. Another class
slightly more dangerous is the class
who will only lie when the truth will
not answer their purpose. This brings
us up to the almost II not altogether
criminal class. the malicious ones,
who for the purpose OF revenge will at
tempt to traduce the reputation OF
those whom they could not hope to-
reach by any truthful charge. n our
rouph school the man who will at
tempt to steal character away from al
good woman or an honest man Is re-
garded with ten times the aversioal
that he who would only rob you OF
your wealth, for wealth can be regain
ed but reputation never. So the ma
licious Liar is more abhoared than the
murderer
Now let us see where Mr.. Sites be-
longs When he charges me with hav-
ing had salary of $4,000 in the last
Is years he states the truth, and on
the side might say that $500 of 1t was
spent to help elect Mr.. Sites TO the
legislature; $500 more TO try to pre-
vent his defeat; $40 more to pay an at
tcrney for recount for his ben sfit.
do not grudge this, for Mr.. Sites was
careful, conscientious representa-
tive. ] only wish to call to his atten-
ton where part of the salary went
that am asked to accaunt for. Next,
that ! have sold orchard and town
property at good prices, correct. Next
that after all this reign of prosperity
was only assessed with $155 and
would only pay to the state four cents
tax for the year 1911. Recollect that
MT. Sites, president of the Board of
Equalization, who has access to all OF
the land books in the court house,
makes this charge with all of the|
books open before him. What was his
object. Mr.. Clohan had been open In
charging the Board of Equalization
with ignorance, injustness and favorit-
ism in all of their dealings with the
orchardists of the county. We know
not exactly what passed through the
gray matter OF Mr.. Sites. We think
il was this: "Ha. there is Clohan
only assessed with s155--why he is
the greatest tax dodger Of all--beatsI
even myself, shall proceed to expose
MIN at once, ruin his reputation AID
stop any further prosecution by the
President OF the Horticultural Socie-
ty," Does this look reasonable?
To me it is extremely so. Rec
ollect Mr.. Sites had the books all be-
fore him, and that not willing to take
the word OF ]. T. Catrow, ]. II. Smith,
G. w. McKown and the president of
the Horticultural Society. arbitari-
IL had each of us sworn 10 tell the
truth. No such studied insult was
ever offered to any Of Berkeley's cit
liens before. Mr.. Sites asked what
orchards was interested in. ! ex-
tremely hate TO thrust my private af-
fairs into the face Of the public, but
the charge Is grave one and self re-
spect compels me to reply. | enumer-
ated the Gold, Highland, Buck Hill,
SeGbert and several others, also thel
Hart-Clohan. the Potomac. Sheaan-
doah and other companies. together
with the Berkeley Land Company
Think that | overlooked some at the
time, as have at this time. Mr.. Sites
knew that / was one of the owners Of
the Gold orchard, which at the proper
time and place we will show was the
most unjust and ulequitable assess
ment in the county.
Recollect. there could be no ignor-
aace on his part, that every one of
these companiee paws its tax on the