Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-02-10
To he RllOr Of he ReqirsT


What He Knows About Current LeGis-
latIon--He Also Makes u Reflection or
Two.
To he Editor Of Ae Rsqisn:
In reply to yoar questions and in answer
to many similar inquiries, you may print
the following: regret that other demands
on my time prevent my writing more at
large 1t is truly surprising how few per
sons protesting to be- well informed have
any accurate information touching the
pending tax legislation.
Two distinct bills are under consldeTa-
ton. The Senate Committee is amending
the statute relating 10 the assessment OF
property. The object and the only object
Of the Senate bill is to react and place on
the Assessors book such personal property
as has heretofore escaped assessment. The
House Committee, on the other hand, Is
amending another and very different stat
ute. The HoRse Committee is revising the
statute relating to the rate OF taxation.
The Senate Committee deals only with the
amount of revenue. Any simpleton can
see that these two subjects are separate and
distinct. The House Committee IS discuss
ing q subject, (the amount of revenue,
which was not before the Tax Commission,
which have never investigated, and about
which IhaVe not expressed any opinion one
way or the other. -;r
Our present assessment law being radl-
cslly defective and most wretchedly admin
istered, the visible property was taxed while
the invisible property escaped. 1t resulted
that farmers paid an undue proportion ot
the revenue. Very early in the recent cam
paign, certain politicians for partizan par
poses, and catering for spurious personal
popularity, attempted to manufacture public
sentiment in favor of exempting farm pro
ducts and certain live stock. These gentle
men miscalculated the intelligence 6 our
people. The Tax Commission reports
| found a much larger audience than
some of our politicians suspect, and
| this matter is becoming generally under
| stood. 1t Is doubtless true that few dis
| appointed politicians, fer personal motives
are still pandering in, certain localities to
the misrepresentation which controlled the
| Charleston convention, last April and prob
ably these Misrepresentation may fol
awhile somewhat warp the better Judgment
offs few honest and well meaning gentle
men in both political parties, but it is very
| safe to predict that before this Legislature
/ adiourns many wild notions advanced early
in the session will not be advocated by men
| of recognized influence.
1t is admitted by oil, that in this, as in
| other States, TIE farming community has
heretofore contributed more than its Just
proportion Of the revenue, but the proper
way to correct this inequality is to amend
the assessment law so as to reach the pro
perty which now escapes. The difficulty IL
| tC obtain an intelligent amendment, and the
| trouble is that those who have given thi:
subject least attention are the most anxlou!
10 suggest crude and radical legislation
| Ii is well known to the court, that those
who baye given these matters the creates
| investigation are the most conservative anC
the most reluctant TO make any change
which can be avoided. The less mai
knows about this subject, the more read.
he is to propose radical innovations.
The bill as prepared by the Senate Com
mittee, if enforced, will give entire satistaC
ton and will eHectually relieve every injus
tice of which the farmers now complain.
This bill is . vast improvement on th
preseut law and except in one particula
will give general satisfaction. l have pei
sisteutly urged the committee to permi
debts 10 be deducted from credits. Th
final report says:
After full reflection, the writer still iru
" belives las stated in the Preliminary RI
port), that the public interest will be bes
promoted by abolishing the practice OF d.
ducting debts, and that when the peopl
come 10 understand this matter there wi
be a popular demand for some legislatiO
prohibiting deductions; but he recognize
that at present this matter nj
: being generally understood) th
public mindis is not educated. .uptothe point I
accepting so great an imnroyement in OF
tax legislation. 1t is of primary impor
snce that legislation on the subject of tax
| ton should not be too far in advance
public opinion because unless statute
popular it will rot be en- 'orced.
, At first the Court agreed with me, br
{ subsequently, they struck out the proyisic
: in spite of all that could do and | am
hopes this provision viii be put back whe
!. the bill reaches the Senate.
, 1t is very absurd for any partizan poll
4 clan or newspaper to attempt to create
impression that this Legislature viii increal
t the revenue beyond the immediate demand
= on our Treasury. The basis of taxatic
? being enlarged the tax rate viii be d
creased. The final report sSys:
: Although the Recommendation Is n
/. warranted by our instructions, the writ
e ventures to suggest that the executive
s given the power to reduce the tax rate Whe
= ever the basis of taxation shall becou
s large enough to yield the required reven'
Q with a reduced tax rate. This may be es
e ily done. The assessment is completed {
,f the lst of July; in June Of each year {
Auditor should publish detailed stateme
:, of every demand on the Treasury for {
5, next twelve months, and calculate the Il
rate that viii yield the amount which Is
r ouired. The writer is profoundly impress
e with the belief that the greatest evil viii
can befal State is to have . reven
which exceeds the immediate demands up
the Treasury.
This report is being read in every part
m the State, and those who, for partiSSn
selfish motives, are now trying BY talseho
,e and innuendo to excite prejudice agail
N the honesty Of Democratic Legislature
a eoualize taxation, will not enly forfeit wi
n lille influence and credit they may posse
a hut viii become very ridiculous to an in
q 6gant community. The final report OF
~ Commission has been too widely read
ID fslsehood and innaendo 90 be successful
M J. u. AGsOS