The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-01-23
UNEQUAL TAXES.
SEATED AND WILD LANDS COMPARE o.
hr.do'srnor Pisrtonl Gives 80 ne Facts aaa yi,,
ars'-oae.si1th Of the Ststs Pay. more 1h.a
aAlf tho Taxss-Lana Xou,pol.lls In
ths Stats-Ssw Laws are Nsstsd. l3lI|

. and mining interests l took n short trim
| through the southwestern part Of the State
, last fall. I talked with the people. There
was presented fine country, but much Of
itisa wilderness. Population sparse, as It
} must be where there are large surveys Of
wild land containing thirty, forty, some
sixty, and perhaps aomo Of them 100 600
acres. inquired what those lands could
DO boaSht for per acre. The answer was.
that there were large quantities OF them
that were not for sale. They vera owned
ny residents aud non residents, who did
not desire to sell; TINT they We're appreci.
ating last in value, ana the tax was 80 low
on them that 1t was the best investment
mat could ba made Ifur.her learned that
insurance companies In the L at had been
buyins large tracts as inyestmsa IL prom.
Using large gains. learned further, that
some OF Tue owners Of these large SURVEYS.
where their land lay adjacent TO water
couisa, tava large income from Sale Of
timber, while their land is taxed "a wild
land. .'717s7 1'> = :" ~ ~
! UNEQUAL BURDENS. I
TheAudit ,rs report for 1882 shows Z !,
most extraordinary state Of affairs. .Hoo
says there are 1915. 4.ol4 acres, land II; In
the State returned asseassl. 4By an
analysis Of tha! repor.itappeara that there
are eleven counties Containing O,O99 600
acres, the appraised value Of which Ia
about rStl0 per, acre. There are nine
counties with 3.05200O acres assessed at
! about s. 30 per acre. There arc seyentpeu {,
other counties which contain 5G2 ON
acres, assessed at about 81 90 per acre. I
There remain seventeen counties contain.
ing less than 5000, 900 acres which ara
aesf ssed at near $l7 per acre. but the,in- 4
equality does not stop hero. The report
iurther shows under statement, "Total
value Of oil personal property and real Z
estate" Sl46, ,54s. .l7G.s II
htTld counties value, real PERSONAL. 7,77i 4Gy
2nu-ycpnn, ....... -.... I8dslSeg
Sro-1'counieH . li,lbi727
,66ie65
The seventeen coun.ics With less than
3OOO,000 acres-less than one.sixth OF the
State, pay tax on the remainder-sS4, ,6Si..
FILLMORE than four.seyenths Of the whole
tax OF the State. -
In the first and second group Of counties
there Ii large amount OF wild lands; some
IN the third group. AS far as know these
lands occupied as farms are assessed at a ,
lair valuation, but there being 30 much
wild lands III those counties assessed at a
nominal! value :cduces thu occupied lands
in aggregate value. In psraonal property,
in those Counties, The aggregate value Is
very small. On these wild lands there are
no money, bonds, horses. cattle, sheep,
pigs and poultry 10 be taxed. .5 \, -
With this condition OF affairs yon never
can have general state OF prosperity in
the State. You may have prosperity in ,
spote. One.sixth Of the State pays more
than tour.sevenths Of the tsxtp, and one.
hall does not pay one.eiShth OF the taxes to
support the Government. This state OF
affairs grows out OF a vicious land system
commenced under tho colonial govern.
ment OF Virginia, and perpstuated down
to the organization OF West Virginia.
THE REMEDY.
Theremedy is, where wild lands embrace
more than half county, to tax them at the
same rate, per acre, that you tax the agsre.
eete value Of, the seated, or iarmed lands.
These wild lands are worth as much
Where they. occupy q part OF district, tax.
the wild lands at the same value rs the 40.
gregate value Of the farm lands in tho dis.
trict or two adjoining districts. Let the
seated or improved lands remain at their
present valuation. This mode OF taxation
requires an amendment Of onr constitution.
It needs IN amendment anyhow on the
subject OF taxation. 9t z,g.I77o, r
t RIGHTS OF SETTLERS. =l, w
According to our present laws there is
another great hardship connected with
these wild lands. There is large number
Of settlers within tho boundaries Of theRe
big surveys. These men have gone there
and located their lands under patents Is.
from the State, believing the land to be un-
appropriated; some Of them have good
improvements, ,oihere not so extensive; suits
i are being brought by claimants Of these
large suryeys When there large SURVEYS
are established, these uet,lers can bold All
that they have bsd enclosed BIZ fences ior
ten years; the residue Of their claim poes
to the large survey. A law ought TO be
passed by the next Legislature altering this
law oil recovery and shortening the TINA Of
ton IN regard 10 these large surveys should
No tSAoSSA " uSp sStnFt huA I'LL peFaong
residing on them under patent, or other
continuously before the time OF trial, should
be Rdjudged to hold their laud called for
in their patents or other colo.able title.
This law would be equitable and just 10.
wards that class Of hardy rionsers who
have endured the harlshirs OF liia in the :
wilderness in clearing their lands and build
iuu Y9r thasr hor l.,
reason for confaing the act OF limitation to p
the actual enclosure than 70 conGno it to
the actual boundaries called ;or in the pa.
tent. 3'.4: : -II& IT, <
TO EvRRY MAN A CHANGE ron MS HOME,
With this law: every man in tho State
who has domicile, within the boundaries
Of these large surveys, would know exactly
what his rights are and how much land he
has. The only questions for him TO decide
would behave / q title, patent or deed?
What are my boundarit 8? and have l lived Z
here for five years or doeB my residence !.
continue. from .1ay vendor for FIVE years? II
he can answer these in the affirmative, ho (
knows how much land he oYne, and can
90 10 work with cour.ge to improve the :.
State. Y tttl Lea. g.
Ibeiieve the above policy, mapped out
In regard to taxation; aud law, is Jus. and {
essential 10 the general prosperity Of the .
State. believe !. due to tho people re-
siding in those counties where this land
lies 10 make the changes indicated: ~.
l have much moro to say on this subject. \
But ! should like 10 hear The opinion Of
the papers upon it, from all parts Of the
State, without regard 10 party.
9f5'G 81 F. H. PlInroSr.
Fairmont, ". "a, January 81. I'.' a
| s.L'g Two Men Crushed,
CANTON. ONO, January 22.-Reinhold
Rochers and another man were injured