Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-06-09

ces OF the StHtc are to DO developed, and
her national identity preserved. Had
gentlemen stopped here, would have
thanked them for the compliment paid
the West, and conteutea myself by re-
minding them that, perhaps. cnyious
OF the posthumouS fame that awaits
their contemporaries in-the East, they had
unccrsmoniously, and without just provo
cation, read them out of the internal i'm
provement party.
But, let US 10 step further Into this
investigation. Where are We to look for
these mproYements--these rail roads
turnpiEes and canals, upon which the
bounty Of tho State has been so lavishly
expended? The people of what section
of tho State are enjoying the dement's
growing out Of these enormous approprl-
atoms Of which the gentleman complains :?
Shall we look to the trans Allegheny or
to the Valley? No. sir No Rail Road
or Canal has yet crossed the Allegheny
Mountains, and from present indications,
the people of that section will be compel
led to live on hope deferred" for an
indefinite period to come, We have q
few turnpike roads. In some OF these,
the State has three-fflhs Of the capital,
and others have been made entirely by
that the people of the East have beSA
taxed to make roads in the West, are
either inexcusably uninEormed upon the
subject about which they speak, or are
inexcusably reckless of what they say
While the delegates from the West have
consistently with their liberal views of
State policy, voted for making rail roads
and canals in the East, their constituents
have been compelled to mako turnpikeS
for themselves, in whole or in part, with
their own means--and for this purpose,
have frequently taxed Themselves almost
beyond their ability to pay, Take as an
example the county Of Nicholas, 1t has
but one turnpike road, passing through it.
and to obtain it, tax in 1919 was levied
upon the people of the county. equal to
$50 per cent upon their entire State rave
nue ; in 1850. an amount equal to 400
per cent and in 1851, an amount equal
to $50 per cent-and yet We have been
told that the East has been taxed to make
roads in The West,
have before me 4 volume containing
some interesting statistical information up
on this subject, furnished the STAG Con-
Tention The Auditor of public accounts
was called upon, and made report of the
amount expended in the different sections
OF the State Some Eastern gentlemen,
suppose, doubling the correctness of the
information furnished by the Auditor, on
motion OF Mr.. Flood, special committee
was appointed 10 investigate the subject,
and take my figures from the reports of
this committee, raised at the instance of the
East and of which al Eastern gentleman
was chairman And it is seen, that up to
the 30th of September, 1850, the sum of
$lL429, SIS 80, had been expended on
the part of tho State for works of internal
improvement, OF this sum, So, 500, 678
l2 had been expended in the tide water
district, S1,903 $50 65 in the Piedmont,
$1,956, 1903 90 in the Valley, and ST.
l84,9G0 81 in tho Trans Allegheny. -
Then, up 10 that period, the sum of 49,
4l,O77 l3 had been expended West,
and the sum Of $8,287, 500, II east of
the Blue Ridge of mountains. Or in 9th.
er words, for every dollar received up to
that time by the West for internal i'm.
improvement purposes, tho East had re.
SSA'SN C~ISStI Gnu n AAdS(lOus Al RGullS-
men will look to the relative amount of
tax paid into the Treasury BY the two
sections Of the State, it will be seen, that d
tax bill on the al valorcn principle provi- |
ding for sinking fund, to discharge the
debt of $ll 1929, sos co. if it does not
make tho East pay a greater ratio Of taxes
than she paid under the old system, then
money will actually be taken from the
West TO make roads in the East. From
another table of statistics furnished the
Convention, the correctness of which has
never been doubted, it is seen that the
tax bill of 1850, estimating the land Mt its
present assessed value, would produce
from the East $3.50, 236 n and from the
West $2u4. 2d6 50. Or for every dol
lar paid into the Treasury by the West,
the East would pay 81 70 while for every
dollar received by the West, the East has
received sc 63t 1t is evident, then,
that il we preserve the ratio Of taxation
between the East and West in the tax bill
which we are now maturing, that existed
under the specific system, in providing a
sinking fund to pay off this debt incurred
for these improvements, the money Of the
West will be taken to construct improve
ments in the East to an extent much grca.
ter than the statistics already adduced in
dieate for the annual expenses Of the
civil list in the Eastern counties exceed
that of the Western counties, And it is
demonstrable, and before l take my seat
! may attempt to show that the tax bill
now under consideration, if neat cattle
sheep and hogs should be exempted from
the list of taxable subjects, will not raise
from the East u greater ratio of taxes than
she has heretofore paid. have shown
from facts and figures that the West did
not create the existing debt, and is not
enjoying the benefits OF the improvements
tor which it was incurred. stated that
the charges made against the West could