Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-02-09
ture itself could not have delegated
to those officers.
Resolved, That the uncertainty,
perplexity and confusion which now

hcSOlVeus mat the uncertainty,
perplexity and confusion which now
exist in determining what is
PERSONAL PROPERTY LIABLE TO
TAXATION
under our Constitution; the tiiscor-
dant views, in the absence of all ap.
propriate legislation, upon that sub.
ject entertained by the Assessors
themselves the refusal Of some couu
ties and OF many individuals in 9th
or counties to conform to these Exc
cutive instructions, with the inabil-
ity to enforce them by legal remedies
must necessarily produce the gross
est inequality and injustice, and
ought OF itself, independent OF any
constitutional view Of the question
to incline our patriotic Governor to
revoke his instructions. and we sin
cerely hope that he may do so.
Resolved, That for upwards of a
century 1t has been
THE POLICY OF VIRGINIA
and West Virginia, to exempt from
taxation productions Of agriculture,
and among many other reasons we
may suppose that policy to be based
lst, upon the Importance Of giving
every legitimate encouragement to
that essential branch OF Industry,
and End because they have taxed the
land at its full value ,itsanimal pow
er, its implements and machinery of
husbandry and its labor, aud all 9TH
err capital employed in the cultiva-
ton Of the soil; and it seemed man
ifest injustice and a departure from
all sound principles of political econ.
0my to tax the capital SO employed,
and at the same time the earnings
produced by that capital.
Resolved, That as the next Legis-
lature OF West Virginia bids fair to
bring under discussion agricultural
interests Of great Importance,
IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED
to the farmers Of Berkeley county
without respect to parties, to bring
forward delegates who are compe-
tent to maintain those interests, and
If they cannot be maintained under
the constitution, as IL Is now writ
ten, that they be instructed to Sub
nit an amendment to the Constitu-
tion that will carry out, without
controversy, the practical construc-
tion Of that provision of the present
Constitution, which has been acqui-
esced in by Virginia and West Vir-
ginia ever since that and similar pro-
visions have been a part Of the fun
damental law under which we have
lived.
Hon. b. M. Kitchen moved the
adoption of the resolutions as read,
which was seconded by Col. j. B. A.
Nadenbousch. Before the motion
was put Hon. G.. j. Faulkner, w.
w. Downey, w. s. Henshaw and p.
A. Rohrbaugh made speeches favor
ing their adoption, with the excep-
tion Of the last resolution which fav-
ored having the matter tested in the
courts by making up a test case,
which was opposed by Mr.. Rohr-
baugh, and withdrawn by the com
committee. At the conclusion OF
the addresses the resolutions were
adopted, and the meeting adjourned.
The Hagerstown News says Mr..
Vim. Harbaugh, son Of Jonathan
Harbaugh, Of Ringgold, Washing
ton county Md, shot himself, We'd
nesday of last week, at his residence
in Ringgold, from the effects of
which he died in q few moments.
The deceased was about AZ years of
age and had been married, but his
wife had left him and married an
other man. He shot himself through
the center Of the breast with q
revolver, while standing on the back
porch Of his residence, and after
firing the fatal shot he replaced the
pistol in his pocket. The deceased
was q second cousin to David b.
Winters, Of CavetOwn who hung
himself a few weeks ago. He had
taken q dose of poison with suicidal
intent on Tuesday evening but which
acted as an emetic and made him
quite sick, and he vomited freely
during the night and next morning.
The shooting was supposed to have
been caused by domestic trouble.
An inquest was held in the after
noon, and q verdict of suicide rem
dered.