West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-02-22
.RouRRoN usrRpAr1ON. ,,

10 the Auditor OF this State disoung that
certain property exempt from taxation by
the statute law of the State be assessed.
Whether the Governor has usurped the
power Of the legislative OF judicial de-
partments of the State, in respect 20 his
said Instructions / shall not sttempt 70
discuss at large in this article, but before
the farmers of this county take ditiuiie
stand on this matter, desire 10 call their
attention TO the barefaced attempt 10 mis-
lead then, on the per Of some OF the par
Elephants in the Berkeley County meeting,
a..fuI account of which was published IN
the. Journal of the 9TH OF February.
This meeting, as will be seen from tho
Journals account and which 10 trle &C
count, was superintended, as II were, by
the Hon. Chas James Faulkner, he being
the chief spokesman, n member Of the
committee ON resolutions, and the one who
no doubt framed the resolutions. Ga Mr..
Faulkner this responsibility was placed
no doubt on account OF his recognized ability
as a lawyer, an orator and statesman as well
as on account OF his sympathy with the
movement. But tho silver tongued orator,
the polished .rhetorician, land The willy
statesman, when no 80 far forgels himself
as to become n mere panderer 10 tran
sient wave of popular opinion, will often
permit his SbilitY and his integrity 10 he
sacrihced.in order that he may feed his
eager listenres with that which Will for
the moment cause them 10 ''carry him on
their shoulders" and he will do this bold
ly In the face of truth and the history of
his country.
Such claim wssIthe course pursued by
those who, knowing the law and the facts
so boldly dsunblushingly framed aud
adopted the Martinsburg resolutions. The
| fourth resolution is as follows THAT
| the agricultural interest OF this State, IL
entitled from its vast Importance To our
| general prosperity, from the number On
gagged in IL, and it's equal diffusion over
every portion OF our territory, TO have
fair hearing of It's rights before the prop
or tribunal of this State, before an exemp-
! ton f)r itS benefit. "tUhich has crtAtcd
and 6con enforced Un,ior orcry consultation
Nth siulildr provisions uBdet" ,0hica tce
hare. ttUcd for he past tkb9y foe Yeu S,
shall be suddenly treated 40 null and void
| by any executive or ministerial officer Of
the SIatc.'' And IN the latter clause OF the
! eighth resolution there Is spoken of a
| provision OF the present constitution
which has been acquietc1d In by Virginia
aud West Virginia ever. since that and
SIMILAR provisions have been a part Of the
| fundamental law under which we lived.
ghst.clRuse Of the fourth resolution
which we have Italicized, and the latter
clause of the eighth, given above arc ut
terly false and shamefully dcmegoguical,
and 10 one WHO Participated in that "far
mers' meeting at Marlinsburg ought 30
know this betler than the eminent legal
light who was the leader thereof.
The constitution OF Virginia of 1916,
had no clause or provision on the subicot
Of tsx,tion and finance. This euljsct
was ,ntirely regulated by the legislature
and consequently The legislature could
and did exempt from taxation any prop
erty il saw AZ.
The constitution OF Virginia OF 1880
said nothing ON the subj ct Of tG cation,
and the L.. isla'ure under that constitution
had the same powers aud exercised those
powers IN the same manner as under the
constitution of 1776.
Tue constitution OF 1851, of virginia
had.a provision in regard to taxation and
finance Art, sec, %, snd % Section %
is similar 10 the provision III our consti-
tuition, both of 1858 and OF 1872 ia de
claring that taxation shall be equal and
uniform throughout the commonwealth
&c, but IN addition to thiB, il also de-
clares in eec, % art. 4, (and which pro-
vision wa never In the constitution of
West Virginia. that "othe, faxOGLe prOp-
eT[y may ice e1emDted from taSntioa by the
cate Of q nI0JO1fty cf ne ,ol,ole gatm6e,
! ~ members elected 10 etch house Of the ge1.-
crdt oSSemLLg." Under this clause of
section %, the Legislature Of Virginia
again had power 10 exempt certain prop
erLy from taxation, and again IL exercised
that power by virtue Of that clause and by
no other authority.
The VIRGINIA constitution of 1869 is in
effect similar to ours, excepting from
taxation certain property, and the prcs
ent statutes of the State Of Virginia on
that subject are in strict conformity to
the constitution, eXempting from taxation
no species Of pr,Ijerty except what 10 men
toned 10 ihe constitution. as property
thet may be exempt from taxation, aud
under that constitution there is no exem-
ption by statute Of agricultural produc-
ton grown directly frem the coil, or Of the
increase Ia live stock SC, az there isin our
statute. 10 other worde, the Legislature
Of Virginia never exempted from taxation
under constitution simiar to ours, any
property except such ss was plainly *
cepted by the constitution and our Leg
islaiure has exempted property other than
that excepted by the constitution.
Ia Mr. Faulkner ignorant Of the law. or
did he willfullY misrcpresont 70 when he
made such g brilliant speech in support Of
I resolutions which were 80 glarlogly false
The farmers want 20 know this. Let Mr.
Faulkner or those who approve Of the
resolutions answer Point out 10 the far
mere Of Preston county, 10 you plcaee, the
exemption law, which has ,xisted and