Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-28

ed every cIaS4tO pay It's TAX. .Nr
Speaker Wilson deprecated the tendency
of the debate 20 attempt 10 array the farm
ing classes against the professional classes.
We are sent here TO enact just laws for the
whole people, and not for class.
Mr.. Fulkerson said the Speaker had
lugged this issue into the debate.
MI. Wilson replied that it was Jagged in
by the bill-that it was q covert measure
designed to strike at the professions. Every
man knows that the lawyers of this State
do not maketas much money as other
classes, and this may be said OF the other
professions. This bill is
AnAppeal 20 Passion.
Professional men are as good rs any other
class of our people, and do more charity
work than any other class. He made an
earnest defence of the legal profession
against the demagogical attacks made upon
it habitually in this State.
Col. Monroe said he did not wish to e1-
tend the torture already inflicted upon the
House in the discussion of the amendment,
but while they ha6 been exhaustive argu-
ments in favor of striking out, no gentle
mans arguments had met his views. Great
latitude had been given to this debate
politics bad been lugged into it by some
gentlemen. The indebtedness of the State
had been alluded to- and the extravaganza
of the dorsinanti party had been limited.
We were t3ld tha we were in debt to the
school funEr fpsa large amount, and that
the cost ofsdesxFing the expenses OF the
government had greatly increased. BE did
not wish to get into a political scramble
over this amendment His memory
was not very good, but if he was
not mistaken, a large part of our indebted.
ness to the school fund was not OF recent
date, but
Runs Back to 1871,
when there was due the school fund be-
tween $55, 900 and $50, 900. Something has
been intimated about the extravaganza OF
one party and the economy of the other,
but il he was not mistaken the assessment
of 1870 exceeded the assessment of 1880
nearly $4I 900 and these counties left out.
Now if the former assessment so much ex-
ceeded the latter, and SO much more econ
omy was then used than now and the gov
ernment has been so much cheaper, he
asked what became of the money extorted
from the people? His reasons for faVoring
this amendment were:
First. There was principle underlying
the proposition which was important. If
this bill accomplished its Ostensible object
he was opposed to it upon principle. de
thought II unjust to tax lawyers and
us uIl ClllSCIiS lAAtb, anu
then tax their legitimate efforts to make
living. But the bill was deceitful and did
not do what it proposed to do. He was one
of those old time Democrats who believed
that the consumer paid the tariff. Those
professional men are men OF like passions
with other men; they understand
the rules of loss and gain, and
per cent as well as merchants do, and
the man who conscientiouSly charges what
he believes to he fair compensation for
his services, will have to increase his fees
or not get just compensation; while the
man who charges all he can get will have a
good chance TO add additional charges for
every pill he rolls, or every motion he
makes. Then who pays the tax? The an
swer is at hand: The man who has the
misfortune to be dragged into court or the
afiliction to get sick, and either is bad
enough without paying license for it.
Mr.. Ferguson said that the committee
had been put upon trial for its life, and he
proposed TO strip the gauze from this de-
bate. The bill made no attack upon law
yers. The farmer derives his income from
the products of the sell He is not real
izing on his business every day in the year.
but once year. The lawyers income is
continuous income. The lawyer is taxed
only on the money in his pocket when his
assessment is made. So with the doctor.
They pay tax only on what they haven't
fooled away by the first day of January.
Lawyers don't have real estate, as a rule.
He denied that lawyers had more brains
than other people-they had more jaw, but
not more brains.
Mr.. Leonard showed that the farmer had
alton than the professions. The farmers
products for the year preceding the hrst
January, and if he eats il up he never pays
any tax. lie said that Mr.. Ferguson ar
rangement was designed TO mislead the
farmers of this House, and make them be-
lieve they were unjustly and ineqnltaDiy
taxed.
Mr. Beckwith said the legal profession
had been especially ventilated by this dis-
cussion. Lawyers were either paupers,
fools or knaveS, according TO the argu-
ments adduced. He however proposed 10
vote for the tax. He did not believe the
LAWYERS were 80 parsimOniOus as to shrink
from the tax or to take if off the people.
MIR. Hubbard said Mr.. Ferguson an.
nounced that lawyers had a good deal OF
jaw. and furnished good deal OF evil
dence in SUPPORT of it. 1t was
argued here that the tax was necessary, be-
cause We needed law libraries for the use OF
the Supreme Court, and there were some
supnor; 'ng il for that reason without any
assurance that the tax would be so applied.
The proposition was advanced that lawyers
out to Ne taxed because they were eItraya'
CANT and generous. That is not such
proposition as should be addressed to the
House. In keeping with such PROPOSE
tion was the other, that the judicial ma
chinery of the State was maintained ior the
benefit of the lawyers.
Mr.. Lowery SAID he was lawyer and he
intended to vote for this tax. II the State
needed it the State is welcome toit and he
was willing 10 pay it. The State does need
it and ought to have it.
Mr.. Grantham moved the previous ques.
ton. Sustained.
Mr.. Hubbard demanded the ayes and
nays on the amendment OF Mr.. Seabrlght
to strike out the tax on dentists, lawyers
and doctors, and the vote being taken, re-
suited as follows:
The aves we're Messrs. Wilson Speaker,
Babb, Bell, Cox, Cresap, Depue, Edmiston,
Evans, Grantham, Hall (of Barbour Hall (of
WetzeN, Hobbs, Hubbard, Irons, johnson,
Kepner, Leonard, McCrum, Mcneil, Mof-
fett Monroe, Orr, Riley, ROwley, ,Seabright,
Sharp, Sheppard, sinclsir, SydenstricSer'
Tipett, Watson, Wells (of Tyler and Will
son (of BARBOUR.
The noes were: Beckwith, Bee, Brady,
Crumrine, Davis, DavissOn, Day, Dodrill,
Ferguson, Fisher (of BraXton), Fisher lot
Hardy(, FulEerson, Hackworth, Lowry,
Lurty, Lusk. Lynch, Maxwell, Meadows,
Poe, Prince, Quarter, Settle, Siler, Thomp-
son, and Wells (of MarionL
Ayes "a: nays %.
Recess till 2:S0P.M
Afternoon Session.
The House met promptly at the usual
hour.
On leave, Mr.. Wells OF Tyler, introduced
a bin concerning the School Fund. Refer
red to the Committee on Education.
The consideration of House Bill No. "a
was resumed On motion OF Mr.. Mcneil,
the words "or sell, or offer, or expose for
sale, or barter any goods by sample" were
stricken out.
Mr.. Depue moved to strike out
"Hawkers or Peddlers."
Mr.. Seabright hoped that this would not
be done.
Mr.. Cox inquired If hucksters were in
cluded in the terms 'hawkers and ped
dlers." The former were a great conve-
nience to the farmer, gathering up the pro-
duce and surplus OF the farm.
Mr.. Ferguson said il certainly did apply
to them, but as it involved a great prin-
ciple, he supposed the House would strike