The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-03-26
Taxation Of the Incomes Of Commits.
sion Merchants.

sion Merchants
Wetake the following from the Courtsr'G
report of proceedings in the Stale Senate
last Friday:
Senate bill 121, concerning taxes for the
support Of government and iree.schools,
and for the construction OF the West Viz.
ginia Hospital for the Insane, was read
the second time and discussed during the
balance OF the days session. A large
number, of amendments were made. The
subjects embraced in this bill touch
almost If not quite every branch Of bust
ness or calling in the State, and tho dis
cussion upon the propositions to amend
were constant and in some instances
lengthy. Probably the most interesting
Of these debates was the one arising upon
the question Of taxing commission mer'
chants one per cent upon their incomes
over and above the regular license tax.
Mr.. Jacob said that this proposition
was discrimination not only against the
commission merchants, but against his
district, as there was but little Of that
kind OF business done in the State outside
Of Wheeling and the more populous por-
tons Of the State In the Northern Pan.
handle. He said that this spirit was be-
ing too often manifested against his
section, and II they could not protect
themselves In the State councils, they
would take another course, and see what
virtue there was in secession from the
State. He taid that Wheeling now paid
one.titth Of the revenue Of the State, and
was therefore entitled to a fair showing.
Mr.. Bennett thought that the four coun-
ties Of the Northern Panhandle,-Brooks
Hancock, Ohio and Marshall-would
make a most beautiful little State, ap-
preaching even Delaware or Rhode Island
In point Of area and wealth. He'Was
however, not ready to let those four coun'
ties clip out from the State organization
in any such way. he would feel 1t in
cumbent upon himself, II such on exceed
lngly rash step as that of secession, was
attempted, to go in person to General
Grant and get some militia to assist In
bringing the insubordinate districts into
subsection. Laughter. ~.
bLr. Cunningham said that In case his
county (Haucock) was forced to an ex-
treme measure, that 1t would undoubted-
" annex Pennsylvania instead Of becom-
ing part Of new State.
Mr.. johnson denied that the assessment
OF the commission merchants was DIS
elimination against them, but held that 1t
was a direct ono against the producers Of
the State, who shipped their products to
the merchants for sale, as. the merchants
would charge any such assessments direct.
" over the producer. He was In favor oil
making the rate one.fourth of tho per cent
and made a motion to that effect, which
was lost.
Mr.. Sherrard disagreed with Mr.. John
son upon the question as to whom the as
sesSment would rest upon. He said that
goods and products wero sent to the mer.
chants to be sold OF a specified rate, and
that there was an end Of It; the taxation o.
the merchant was borne by himself alone
Mr.. Bennett thought that medium be-
tween the first and last propositions
would be about the right rate, and hi
therefore moved to make 1t one half oil ont
per cent, which was carried,