Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1916-08-03


money is asked Of the County Commissioners for the
privately owned local hospitals The argument advanced
that the hospitals for charity and that charity
should be borne by the public instead Of by private in
dviduals- The Majority is opposed to the County Com
mssioners expanding this money without being author
lied by vote Of the people, and herewith assembled
Ia few
In the first place this sum represents about So per
assessment upon every wage worker in the county
It may be argued that this erroneous assumption
that there are few large taxpayers and many small tax
payers. But there is such thing large taxpayer
There ain such animal The industry the store the
capitalist that pays large taxes simply charges them up
the business charge and there they stay in the
pense of operation Either the consumer pays it his
workers pay it. There no other place to get it. Every
body is consumer but only the workers producers
and the producer of family must pay the share OF all
the nonproducng members of his family Arithmetic or
algebra will bring this proposed cost to So per workers
only faith will take it anywhere else Foit
Now this too much money take from the people of
the county without their definite SANCTION 1t is too much
responsibility to put upon the County Commissioners 1t
may be that the people will approve it. Ii they do they
should abolish county hospital which, under pub
lie ownership furnishing at cost OF 5O cents
per day per patient while the Ohio Vailed General
pense totals 1924 per day per patient 10 send per
son to private hospital at public expense will be unfair
every other patient kept at the county hospital This
will mean discrimination and, most likely, partisan pot
zeal preference Some will be favored and will not
It must be remembered that the hospitals are private
Iv owned and recognize responsibility to the public
government The Ohio Valley General although erected
by public subscriptions is not in any way responsive to
public demands The governing body IS self perpet-
ating inner circle as much the Wheeling hospital
The report for 1915 shows charity work done to the aP
proxate amount Of $4,000. But in the same time Sl4
452 was paid out in interest notes These notes rep
resent the cost Of the building Of the amount
authorized by public subscription These These notes total
SIZE, 247.25, which somebody, OF course holds.
No one will think lightly of the charity work done by
the local hospitals but the people who keep up this com
munity don't want charity, for themselves They belong
labor unions which take Of their own or
to fraternal societies which do If those who have
amassed fortunes by squeezing their employees through
long hours for little paw their conscences BY
donations there be objection but to take the credlt
for philanthropy when they simply collecting the IN
terest on notes. while the public through taxation pays
the bill, is not charity.
The pressure being brought to bear upon the County
Of business men in the morning not representative
gathering. It is only gathering of those fortunate
enough to be able to visit in the morning.
Let the people decide.