The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-10-11


Is personal property rs defined by the
constitutional power which the Legis.
latnre itself could not have delegated to
thesc officers.
Seventh That for upward Of century
II has been the fixed policy OF Virginia
and West Virginia to exempt from tax.
alton productions OF agriculture; and
among many other reasons We may sup.
pose, that policy TO be based, first, upon
the Importance OF giving every legitimate
encouragement TO that essential branch OF
industry, and, second, because they have
taxed the land 70 its full value. its animal
power, It's implements and machinery Of
husbandry, and It's labor and NIL other
capital employed in the cultivation Of the
soil, and 1t seemed manifest injustice
and departure from all sound PRINCIPLES
OF political economy to tax The capital 50
employed and at the same time the earn.
ings produced by that capital.
In support OF the resolutions Mr.. Faulk.
ner sail: "1he taxing power of govern.
mcnt resides in the people, and can I've
exercised by no other power or authority
except by themselves alone through their
direct representatives in the Legislature.
Such an assumption and usurpaton Of
power rs the present action Of the Cover.
nor, lost to Charles | his crown and his
head. The agricultural interests of the
State differ essentially from the other re-
sources, embracing four-ffths Of the pro-
perry; before the peoples rights are
trampled upon there should be some war
rant OF law for II, but to undertake to run
all the agricultural interests into the vor-
tex OF taxation because single railroad Is
found TO be taxable, is an outrage that
should not for 4 moment be considered.
have no doubt the Governor thought he
was doing right, but certainly the instruc.
tons declared by letter issued in February,
1883, was IN assumption Of Legislative
power in repeating a law in force for many
years and substituting another that was
unhcard OF and never existed.
They tax your land which is your CAPT.
til, they tax your stock, your machinery,
and not content they would tax your earn.
ings and your living, while the merchant
and the manufacturer has nothing taxed
but his capital Gentlemen, what could be
more unjust? II Is q usarpation OF power
and ahigh-handed injustice that to say the
least is enormous. 1t was not found nee.
essary to tax agricultural products during
the trying times Of % when the State was
in its infancy, why now should an edict 20
forth compelling the people Of our State to
submit to what never before was required
in her dark days OF trial and adversely.
The subject is one that is going to agi-
tate the minds Of the people Of West Vir-
ginia, aud We recommend that you will
elect able representatives to the next Leg
islaturc TO secure farmers their rights BY
wise and judicious legislation. AM glad
to See the farmers turn out in such num-
bsrs. Agriculture is the life-blood Of
nation; destroy it and your destruction
will be great-the source OF the country's
greatness and prosperity will be gone for
ever.
The Justice of II.
Iii some counties the assessors did not
obey these instructions in 1883. In others
they did, and in the latter counties n
doably unjust burden was cast OIL the lax
payers. The same was true in 1854.
Among the assessors who preferred TO obey
the law rather than the Auditors instrlIc.
tions was the assessor OF Brooke county,
Mr.. Buchanan. The Auditor applied 10
the Supreme Court OF Appeals for n man.
damus TO compel the assessor to list the
exempt property. The question OF the
constitutionality OF the exemptions was
fairly presented and WIS the principal
question in the case.
The first section OF article 10 OF the pres.
ent constitution is US follows: "raxation
shall be equal and uniform throughout
the State, and all property, both real and