The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-31
Al, rroper,y shall he TAXED.

Senator ranNeter is an intelligent and
successful farmer on the South Banch. he
NAV not be skilled in those economic
Droblems which underlie every well order
ID system Of taxation, bat he has an acute
PERCEPTION that any scheme of assessment
intended for community exclusively ag-
rcuIual is unsuited to a mining and
manufacturing people. 1t is evident to him,
mit is evident to every sensible man, that
aHruIiny intended to reach farmers and
farming stock will not reach manufacturers,
bankers, corporations, coal works, oil wells,
looms, sw.mills and the very many new
industries which have sprung up In West
Virginia in the last fifteen years.
We have practically the same system
now that was adopted by the code of lSls,
aud yet everybody is aware that that CLASS
Of fpeSOnal property which Is not owned
by farmers is probably twenty iold greater
than It was in 1850. 1t goes without saying
that unless the laws touching taxation are
modified from time to time so as to keep
pace with the changes wrought in our in
dastfies, as we become a mining anu
manufacturing people, the bulk OF the
revenue will be paid by the farmers TO the
exemption oi that large and rapidly in.
creasiug class Ot personal property engaged
in other and more profitable pursuits.
For thirty odd years the assessor OF per-
sOnal property has annually propounded
to Mr. Vanmeter substantially the same
iaterrogatories. For thirty odd years the
assessor has run the gamut Of every item oil
personality likely TO be owned by farmer,
aud it is more than probable that as Mr..
Vanneter scans the familiar list of ques-
tons "llow many hogs and their value?
How many cattle and their valuep he
observes the entire absence Of such
inquiries as would discover and place
0u the tax book he untaxed wealth OF bis
fellow citizen whose capital il invested in
coal works, coke ovens, oil wells and facto.
ties, Doubtless our friend from Hardy
would like the assessor to PROFOUND to the
President Of the Coal Company few pry.
lug questions: GLOW much clear money
did this corporation make last year? How
much stock las been issued? To whom ?
aud What is its value" Doubtless MIR.
Fanmeter recalls the imperative mandate
Of our Constitution, that "all property
shall be taxed" and he wonders why it is
that some one skilled in drafting laws has
not framed statute to meet the changes
III tue industries Of this State which have
occurred since he was boy chasing rab-
bits in the field where his own grand
children are now at play. Doubtless
while his memory runs back over the ex-
perience Of many years, he observes with
curious interest that the modes and fashions
OF all business life have been recast to con-
iorm TO the changes wrought by steam and
by corporate association, whereas the
statute Of today still puts into the mouth
Of tue assessor the same questions pro-
pounded in the boyhood Of the Senator TO
lis father and the men OF that generation.
Ilonoo :. H., "oa,o a., ,,oss ,ho, M. Van.
4'ei'e II "'S .o'''e''o p''' I."' t' y ~ ~
nleterhas called upon the FINANCE Com'
nittec OF the Senate to inquire into and to
,pport who, loc;sla,;on ia necessary to give
.,,r,,, ,o a.. - =, anr cons,;,,.;on
''tV' 10 1ha' provision u "u' oono' .