Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-31
A JOURNAL IN TROUBLE.

The Parkersburg Journal has beenln
a peck of trouble for 10, these many
months in regard to the tax burden the
farmers of West Virginia are alleged to
bear.
Whether the proprietors Of the Jour
nal are large land owners and are pay
ing large taxes on that account, and
thus making personal complaint Of
practical experience, is not set forth in
the bill of complaint; but We suspect
that they never paid penny Of tax on
real property in this State since they
have been residents, for no genuine
farmer or land owner in West Virginia
has been known to complain on this
account; for the fact is that taxes on
real estate here are lower than in any
State In the Union with about half a
dozen exceptions.
But the Journal wants to cstechise
us on this subject little, and We don't
object. 1t asks the following ques-
tons:
lst Did not the reasse.sment OF last
wear result in an increased value OF farm
ing lands and real estate, and therefore IN
crease the taxes to be paid by the farmers
Of this State on the new valuation?
We answer, no, not as q rule. There
was very little increase in the values put
upon tracts of real estate that were al
ready paying taxes. There were probs-
bly, more instances in which the value
was decreased. In the Third district,
where the largest increase was expect
ed, there was an actual decrease in val
uation. The most that was done was to
equalize values, and to put lands on the
assessment books that were not paying
taxes. And we may add that instead
of the assessment being opposed by
farmers, the majority Of the intelligent
class endorsed it. The only dissatisfac-
ton was from incompetent assessors
who failed to equalize values, and which
will be corrected by the proper author
ity.
End. Did not the Legislature increase
the rate of taxation twenty-five per cent
and, the great portion of taxes being paid
on real estate, were not the taxes TO be paid
by the farmers increased.
We answer yes and no. The rate Of
taxation had been 20 cents on the 500.
The Legislature added five cents for the
single year 1888. In other words, re-
stored the rate that existed under Re-
publican administration in order to
meet extraordinary demands upon the
Treasury from the Capitol building and
other like expenditures. The Republi-
cans in the Legislature moved to make
the tax 40 cents, but the Democrats
held it down to 20 cents. OF course the
farmers will pay their proper proportion
of this FIVE cents increase along with
the printers, the preachers, the school
teachers and the rest Of the poor devils.
Third-Did not Auditor Miller, acting
under orders from the Governor, recently
issue a circular to assessors requiring them
to place on the assessment book certain
things hitherto exempted, such as 'agricul-
tural productions" and the products and
increase Of live stock thereby increasing
the taxes of the farmers of this State to
large and burdensome extent?
1t has been discovered that there is a
vast amount of personal and other prop
erty in this State that is unlawfully es-
Gaping taxation. The Governor called
the attention of the Legislature to the
fact that instead Of an increase OF per-
sonal property there was very large, q
very mysterious and very inexplicable
decrease in personal values. Something
is rotten about this matter. Every tax
payer is interested in turning it up to
the sun. That is what is now going on.
The laws are to be enforccd-nothing
more. The farmers are no, singled out,
except in tbeimagination o. the Journal,
but every property owner is expected
to bear his share Of the burdens of the
government.
We have thus given fair, square and
straightforward replies to the Journals
interrogatories. We have done so very
cheerfully and willingly. Our cotem-
porary seems to be so far off on this SUBJ
ject that We are glad to help clear up
his little muddle. We hope he will call
again when he gets in trouble.