Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-03-07
THE amAsoN BILL"
And How the Republicans Prevented Its
Consideration.

=
ic majority in the Senate regarding the ques-
ton Of the assessment of taxes than on that
relating to the Constitutional amendment.
The facts are about these: After the Gov
ernor's supplemental assessment order was
issued requiring the Assessors to list for tax
alton agricultural products, the increase
of live stock, all manufactured articles,
the product of mines, salt wells.
and oil wells, produced within this
State and remaining unsold in the hands of
the producer on the lst day ofJanuaryr prop
erty which had been for years exempt there
was general demand among farmers, manu-
facturers and others for some relief from
what they considered an onerous burden.
Many members came to the Legislature be-
Eeving that all that was necessary was to
revise the assessment law so as to equalize
taxation, the impression prevailing very
widely that taxation under existing laws
was not equal and uniform and that large
amount of property was escaping taxation.
A number Of bills relating to this subject
were introduced and referred to
the Finance Committee Among them
Senate Bill No. &c. which
was introduced by Senator McCrsery 3
Democrat, merely providing for change of
the date Of assessment from January st to
April lst and making the other provisions OF
the law conform to that idea. The matter
of the revision of the assessment laws was
deemed of so much Importance that the
Finance Committee referred it to q sub
committee consisting of Senators Byrne,
McCreery and Dawson, two Democrats and
one Republican, this was early in the
session This subcommittee met day after
day and night after night and asked
for and received suggestions from
different sources. J. NJ. Mason and JOS
Bell the two members OF the
Tax Commission, who was accessible, con-
ferred with the subcommittee frsm time to
time, and both gave their views fully on all
questions that arose. Finally towards the
first Of February the subcommittee COM
pleted its work, had the bill which it had
prepared printed and reported it to the full
Committee on Finance. There were olnt
meetings of the Finance Committees OF
both Houses to consider this bill. Messrs.
Bell, Mason and many Others not members
Of the committee were present at the meet
rcs. Ii was found that there was
great diversity of views on. many points
that came up for consideration IN
,oipp over the bill, and without succeeding
IN reconeiling these views, it was at last
concluded that the best thing to do WAS TO
allow the bill, substantially as it had been
framed BY the subcommittee, to be reported
to the Senate in order that it might be taken
up for consideration at >as early
a day asE possible Accordingly
on February 10th, the Chairrran OF
the Finance Committee reported to tho
Senate Senate Bill No. ll9, the assessment
bill that has created such furore. This is
the history Of the origin of that bin. 1t
originated IN a subcommittee, consisting OF
two Democrats aad one Republican, and
was reported from the Finance Committee,
consisting of FIVE Democrats and two Re
pubhcans. No member of the Senate cut
side of that committee had anything to do
with getting it up or even knew of its pro
visions until it had been reported TO the
Senate and been printed. 1t was we'll un-
derstood at the time il was reported hat the
committee was very much divided as to
many Of its provisions, and no one thought
Of regarding it as patty measure IN any
sense. February 18th the bill was read
the first time under o suspension OF the
rules, no opposition being offered from any
quarter. The bill was then reprinted and
distributed, and it was found TO be very OBJ
iectionable in some respects to the CONNER
cial and business interests OF the State.
Then it was that scheme was formed by
certain Republican party leaders outside
the Senate, TO endeavog to fasten the re-
sponsibilty for the bill on the Democratic
party, and create the impression that the
Democratic majority in the Sem
ate had determined to push
the bill through as party
measure Just as it came from the commit
tee. In furtherance Of this scheme, 1t was
called "Mason's tax bill, ," and was said to
have been gotten up in the interest OF the
New York debt syndicate. 1t was well
known by these party leaders that II the
bill was ever reached for consideration, 1t
would soon be developed that the Democrats
we're not supporting it as a party measure
and the scheme would fail. Accordingly 1t
was determined if possible to prevent
us being taken up for consideration.
| This purpose developed itself about
February iSib, when the Republicans in the
| Senate began to plainly show a disposition
70 consume time by offering all kinds OF
amendments to Senate Bill 81, which was
then under consideration and called the
aves and noes on every motion. On Feb
r1ary 10, when a Democrat, IN order to
facilitate business, offered a resolution limit
no all speeches to ten minutes. except IN
| The case ofthe patron Of bill or chairman
of a committee, the Republicans began
flibustering and resorted to all the tactics
known in parliamentary law, to prevent us
adoption. Motion after motion was msde
and roll call after roll call, and as a last
resort they left their seats in order to break
the quorum. But fortunately Senator Nor
r;son did not understand the game until his
name was called and the attention OF the
Chair was called to the fact that he was In
his seat and had not voted, and he was
obliged to vote, thus preserving the
quorum. The whole morning was
consumed in this way before vote
was reached on the resolution. February
10Th Mr.. Flournoy moved to suspend the
TuIes 40 as TO take up bill No. ll9 out Of its
order for consideration. The Republicans
all voted against it and the motion was lost.
February 2lst nearly the whole afternoon
was spent by the Republicans hlisusterlng
ON a mere resolution offered by Senator
I,obban expressing the regrets OF the Senate
at its inability TO attend an entertainment
At MI de Chantel. They went so far as 70
leave their seats and break the quorum, and
compel a call of the Senate, and a;
soon as the call began they returned
to their seats and answered to thel,
names. Notwithstanding these delays the bill
was reached in its regular order on that day
and taken up. The reading oft was be.
gun section by section, and numerous
Amendments made to it as the reading pro
ceeded, offered by both Democrats and he
publicans, showing at once that the Demo
Gratis were not treating this bill as party
measure, but merely endeayorng 70 nave
this tag assessment question conEidered and
acted on. Finally, after about onefourtt
| .f ,bs hill had been read. q motion wa