The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-06-19

me above Is copy OF Section So
OF the city license tax ordinance .s
pasStl bN the city council al its meet
u,s tuesday evening. This section
nIacts tax on corporations within
Ihe city that will likely result in great
- pense MS 70 the city. If its officers in
sist on enforcing the law. once 4, A.
placed on the statute books as a LEGAL
oattle Is sure to follow. The Law was
prepared by the finance conunittoo -
council and presented. together u1,h
tnS other sections of the license tav
oIdlnance. Tuesday evening. and
Since its passage many ,orso,.
nave taken the subject up and in No
sase mas The lntelligencer heard n
tanoTdble word for the section U is
Iell that the councilmen. who nra-
paIed and voted for II. did so un.
ia,s, as there appears TO be no
taken. 0ouiu Do
How or why the action was taker
- Hyhttrlous, as City Solicitor Rren-
men was never consulted in the nstter
all'l. anu knew OF no such action by the
committee. In speaking OF the sac
tion and action OF council NJ pseo
men said TO an Intelligencer reported
yesterday. '0PO'Veu
know OF no authority In the char.
Yer by which such a law can be- mada
- mere Is IL Is OF general Character
ana not specific and S~.,ld have 10 g.,
inferred by other powers in the cbsr
Ter was never cons-lted In The
uIailns or the section and am unable
20 answer as ! would like TO af this
e,he' but ] VIII look IL up carefully
ana prepare my opinion officially"
IN addition TO City Solicitor Rrep.
men. many other attorneys and busi.
ness men discussed the action Of
council very freely yesterday. and ali
were OF the opinion that council act.
ed hastily and unwisely in preparing
ann ann passing a law that It is thought
VIII not nave any weight in the courts
ana which will necessarily drive the
CITY INTO the useless expenditure Of
money In trying TO enforce A. -
Attorney $. o. Boyce and ProsAcut.
ING Attorney II. NJ. Addleman. former
CITY solicitors, declined TO discuss the
action of council and the Legality ~
me section referring to taxing cor.
porations. although they adrnitted
that their belief Is that the section
Is not legal. Each stated that he was
unprepared TO give a statement con
fully. ~ W '"'e
Would Harm The CITY.
business men and others generally.
IN discussing the question yesferdav
stated that they believed that the a..
bvh ~ Nuuncl would DO more TO drive
out old. and hold out new corpora
uons, than anything else that could b.
zone. corporations pay license 10
une stale and receive "A charter and
are entitled 20 conduct their business
Tat the action Of the city council. N
permitted. would place discrimina.
tory tax upon each and every incoT.
poratcd firm within the city. thus
forcing them 10 pay q double tar.
while others In the state would be
exempt. although doing business with.
In the city.
Many business men. IN discussing
the question. stated that they would
refuse 10 pay the tax ~ the city ON
ctals insist on collecting. and will 20
into the courts. Several even init
mated hat should the city a.lthori.
ties insist On payment. that the local
cornoratons would unite. and hght
the case The courts would likely no
asked 20 eniOin the CITY from col.
loctinc and tho city wouli be forced
10 spend a large sum Of money. just
ai q time when 81 o. endeayoring 10
save wherever nossihle
ulesq council rpqcinda ite action
Or Tuesday night. a bitter legal bat.
t'e is sure 10 follow causing the OK
pcnditure of n large amount OF the
cifv'- Mnds. when they could be used
in other and more advantageous
places.
UnWise Step.
Tn looking toward the advancement
ni the clty'a Interests generally ar
the enlargement OF the city's com
mercial Affairs. one business man stat
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