Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-27
WHEELING, W. va. FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY q. 1882.

machines. organs and melodiens" from the
list Of those requiring licenses. fs
Mr.. Grantham said there was no factories
in this State and thought the tax should be
| paid. -
Mr.. Moffett said if the tar came out of
the manufacturers this would be we'll
enough, but the tax came out of the people
who bought them. Sewing machines had
become almost an absolute necessity; as
much so as cradles.
Mr.. Fulkerson said il was lust as well to
go slow striking out. We now owed 1927 900
to the school fund, and 5000 to a bank.
and the money to pay these debts must be
raised. and he thought the professions
/ should pay their proportion. -.
Mr.. Quarter said the sewing machines
cost but S. and were sold at from so to
Sl00, and they could well afford to- pay
tax. .-..
Mr.. Wilson (Mr. Hall, of Barbour, in the
chair said there was great principle in.
yolved in the question, and he was going
to move TO strike out physicians, dentists
and lawyers, because he thought it right.
Upon principle, there was no right to re.
quire license for anything that did not
relate to the police powers of the State,
and when that was exceeded, it was in vio-
lation of the State Constitution. All prop
erty should be taxed equally, and when
you single out q
special BuSi.e.s or Sqssss sSsass.., -
you are inficting injustice upon that class.
He believed in including pistols, &c, be-
cause it related to the police, but al the
others were unconstitutional, unjust. Why
tax musical instruments? What have
they to do with the laws regulating police
affairs? Why tax them more than any
other innocent article. 1t is simply and
" hnporgn ~ N "a
son or common sense in il.
1t is said that these dealers in sewing
machines and musical instrument are nom
residents. Suppose they are, does that
alter the case? You can tax the property,
but not the seller. II was no more right
to tax merchant than a farmer, and who
would support the latter? That being the
case, why tax others whose professions are
equally useful and legitimate. There is a
bill, similar in affect TO this, to tax drum
merS sent out by our own merchants.
They now pay tax on their stocks, and
there is certainly no right to levy upon
this double IA xation.
Why tax a lawyer? Ii you tax him
why not the farmer or the merchant? IL
was simply an arbitrary
Exercise OF Power.
He wss a lawyer and was proud of it, and
was willing to do his part to protect the
profession. This thing was raising pref
udiCe against professional class, and he
took no stock in it. There was no justice
in any license which was not necessary for
the protection of the peace and good order
OF the State. 1t was un Just and unconsti- |
tutional. Itwas selecting class and taxing |
them. Why not tax the merchant who |
makes 5000 5000 or $1,000 per year,
instead of taking the professions by the |
neck and compelling them TO pay.
He intended no reflections, but why sim |
gle out and attack the professions? Why |
make distinction between the classes? |
The professions, no less than the oCeupa- |
tons of the farmer and merchant were |
homes st and reputable and should be treat |
ed alike He knew the trials and strug- |
giles ofait0rneys. and he knew that not one |
in three made over $500 per year.
Mr.. Ferguson said, while listening to his |
colleague, one would suppose there was |
never tax on attorneys, doctors and dem |
lists.
Mr.. Seabright made the point Of order |
that the aguncnt was not on the amend |
ment.
Mr.. Fcrguson-Lct the gentleman reduce |
his motion TO writing.
Mr.. Seahright-I cant do it. LLaughterl. |
Mr.. Ferguson said the question involved |
a principle. Ii his colleague was right, the |
whole tax must be placed on the property |
of the State. The law has been and is |
now, that these professions shall be taxed. |
Why not strike out shooting galleries and |
billiard tables II you don't tax melodeons |
srdrra1Srru&s, anu wuy NOT hawKerS ma |
peddlers. Why has not some Moses been |
found that great underlying principle was
violated by taking hawkers and pedlers |
He thought they were all legitimate sub.
jeCts of taxation.
Mr.. Cresap-While taxing brains, why |
not tax school teachers
Mr.. Fcrgus0n-We are not taxing brains. |
Then there was the tax on the lightning |
rod fellows. He had to keepa shot gun to |
keep them away.
cludcd lightning rod pedlers, because he |
thought il the duty of the State to protect |
its citizens.
Mr.. Ferguson insisted that il was a sim |
pie matter OF business. There was no doubt |
of the power OF the State. As to the constl- |
tutional argument, he read the section rel |
alive 10 the matter, and said under the same |
provisions the counties could impose tax
on the sheritfs, and the case was so decided |
by the Supreme Court OF Virginia
The state has Power
To tax all persons and franchises OF persons
and corporations Lawyers have privileges,
so have physicians and so have doctors,
which others have not, and there Is no
question about the right OF the Legislature
to levy this tax. He had no desire to pay
taxes and If the legislature saw 1T to say
the taxpayers should not pay it, he would
trv and bear it, The farmers could not hide
their land and their cattle. They pay more
now than their share, but If they want Us
relieve others and place itupon themselves,
no one could object. We must have more |
money, and he would insist i'll not only re-
tanning these subjects but put in others. |
These taxes would put $4,000 into the
treasury. |
Mr.. Riley said these taxes were not for |
revenue ONLY. He thought il was for the |
support of decayin- Bourbonism Ten |
wears ago we heard that the Republicans |
had been extravagsnt The gentlemen |
now in power came in and presently they |
re.asspssed the lands. OF course this was |
not increased taxation. The Executive
tells us that the State owes no debts, and
asked no credit, but the gentleman from
Wayne says We owe Sl2IOo to the state
School Fund. and $4,000 to Wheeling
hank Now. We must have new subjects OF
taxation for revenue only. IL may be
constitutional to tax lawyers, doctors ana
artists. and he thought perhaps politicians
but he thought it was just as well to in
crease tVxes directly, because II would
amount 10 this. The tax would not be
paid by the lawyers doctors or peddlers,
but by the people whom they served. he
would increase the rate OF taxation to meet
the liabilities, fair and square.
Here an animated collOquy took place
between Mr. Fulkerson and Mr.. Riley, the
former asking the latter to state whether
he was in favor of leyying all the taxes on
property. which the latter eyaded by reply
ing that eventually the farmers paid all the
taxes in any case.
Little Fun.
Mr. Moffett said that he was afraid, amid
the multitude OF legal. constitutional and
personal arguments, his amendment had
been lost sight of and he desired once more
to plead in behalf OF sewing machines; Inc
women Of the State, wives and mothers,
would lust as soon have their cradles and
trundle-beds taxed as their sewing ma
chimes.
Mr.. Leonard deprecated bringing politics