Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-03-30


of the State may do the same"
Buying Up the Certificates.
Ihsye heard it often said that west
Virginia should have had an agent to pur'
chase enough OF these certificates wnen
selling for and per cent, to pay what
might be supposed 70 be her portion OF ING
public debt and hold them for tna' puf'
"such a scheme would have been imprac-
ticsbIe. It could only have been done by
legislative action. The fact could not have
been kept a secret from the keen-eyeo
speculstors OF Wal, street, and the price OF
those certificates would have Immediately
risen in the market. Besides 1t was lur-
tive clandestine mode OF reaching tne re-
suit unworthy of the State. My plan mees
the issue openly and boldly, ana VIII nos
cost the State as much as such an attempted
purchase. Besides it is doing full lustice
to the Ger titicate holders according TO tnelr
present value, and probably more than 'ney
paid for them"
West Vfrginia's Probable Action.
do YOU think the Legislature OF west
Virginia will sanction your plan OF SETTLE
menu .
That cannot say. / throw 1t out Tor
consideration in its rough state, hoping IL
may suggest something for rehection 20
better minds. Many Of our people, from
the long delay which has occurred, think
we owe nothing, and might be indisposed
to take any action whatever on the SUD-
ject." ,
Did you make any reference to your
plan Of Sc element during your recent visit
to Richmond
II did refer to il in my interviews
with some of the leading minds in the Leg
islature, but only so far as to express the
hope that Virginia would not LEND her
name as a sovereign State TO this new
York sy Indicate, and in timated the possioiil'
ty that the Legislature OF West Virginia
might take some action at its next session,
which would dispose OF the question In
Guiding an absorption OF the deferred csr'
titicateoP
Two Points 10 BE Looked Alter.
Have you no fear, II such bill as you
suggest should pass the West Virginia
Legislature, that the monied influence aud
persistent opportunities OF the New lOrk
syndicate and its agents would be able to
procure the repeal of such law and the
assumption OF a larger debit?
Il can hardly conceive OF any suc1 dan
ger. think our people in West Virginia
are yet too pure for the success OF such
lobby ism. But to guard against their an
noying the Legislature by their presence
and opportunities, it would be very easy
TO have q constitutional amendment Tor
bidding the Legislature from interfering
with the subject. This would etfectually
put On end to all lobbying schemes before
the Legislature"
ARE you satisfied that you could sug.
gest sources Of taxation, proper in them.
selves, which would pay the interest and
a. F,r N IN.
out any additional burden to the great
mass OF the people, and without detracttng
from the application OF our present rev.
enue to Slate purposes
such Is my opinion, and believe II can
be done without opening single source OF
taxation that is not now enforced in Nir-
ginia and Maryland without complaint or
dissatisfaction OF their people"
Jim MasOn's Tax Commission.
What do think OF the tax commission
instituted under an act of our last legisla.
ture?
"As to the personnel OF that commits.
sion, have nothing TO to say. II ii has
made any reports TO the Governor, | have
not seen them. think the general pur-
poses Of the law wise, so far as it contem-
plates an exploration Of all proper sources
of taxation. Our present system is OF
very primitive character, throwing almost
the entire burden of the public revenue
upon land and visible personal proper.
~. There are many Just and legitimate
subjects Of taxation which ATE unknown to
our code. Now, If the object OF this COM
mission is to call the attention OF the leg
islature 10 these new sources OF taxation
10 better equalize its burdens upon the
community 10 supply any defects in the
existing lsws, and by some system
of intirtct taxation to make
those who are specially ben
eiitltd by the protection OF the Govern
mert pay something for that protection,
the idea Of such a commission is highly
communicable. But il, as some OF the pro.
visions seem to import, il Is to be regarded
as ali in lusitorial detective agency to pry
into individual delinquencies, and to as.
c.rtsin v no has and who has not given in
fair list Of his property, il is wholly I'M
worthy of the State; is usurping the powers
given ny the Legislature to the assessors;
is productive Of no good results, and may
be n sde the implement OF great injustice
snd abuse. Let proper general laws be
passed, and competent county assessors
elected, and there will be no ground for
complaint so far as il is in the power OF
The Govern msn Mt to reach satisfactory re.
suits. Surh results in matters OF invisible
personal property all experience has shown
to be very difficult, II not Impossible, OF
attain meit. look forward with interest
TO the report OF that commission, and hope
to be enlightened by its we'll considered
suggestions"
our FritndR and Protector.
Concerning the recently published card
OF "Erratic James" in which he under
takes to pose as the friend and protector OF
West Virginia in the recent movem ,nts at
Richmond, Mr.. Faulkner declined to ex-
press sny opinion OF his own. He, how
-vsr. called ny attention to the pam phlet
| lssutd by Mason as the attorney OF the
N'w York Syndicate in which its rules are
summed up as follows:
The several steps in the movement are:
81. To collect the certificates in the hands
of q takeholder.
80. To induce Virginia to institute suit
against West Virginia.
"3. To MAI age the case before the SD
preme Court OF the United States
Il. To induce the Legislature OF Vast
Virginia to issue bonds to pay the iudg-
ment that will be rendered.
"5 To distribute among those entitled
there to. the bonds OF West Virginia"
Poor West Virginia! how little did you
seem TO know that an Ctficsholder in your
own pay, put also at the same time in the
psy OF a foreign colo ssal money power
vas thus weaving the web OF Indebtedness
around every limb Of your bodyl Lam.
Elm ron CT ri AIasVIIIE Qnye