The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-02-04
Ex.enlnllon..

ID
The Legislature Ii engaged d
present in the discussion Of House
Joint Resolution No. o. proposing
an amendment to the Constitution
ofthe State, looking to the exemp
tion ofagticultural products. The
taxing power belonging tothe rep.
reson!atiyes Of the people; their
action in this matter will be
watched With the closes! interest.
While some legislative relief Ii De
manded under The existing stateof
things, the proposed amendment is
Objectionable in this, that II seems
10 discriminate against other inter.
ests which have heretofore enjoyed
the benefits Of exemption, and will
have the effect Of arraying those
Interests against the agricultural
interests Of the State. Judge Hay.
mond, in his opposition to this
amendment, has already taken I'D
vantage oftte situation, aud unless
che friends Of exemption csn unite
upon a common basis, much time
will be lost in discussion, andnoth.
ing done.
In claiming exemption for the
farmer we maintain, with equal
earneStness, that theS same benefits
should be extended to the manu-
facturer, believing that the policy
Of exemption, as applied 10 manu-
features, originated in the idea that
in fostering those industries we
would advance the interests Of The
whole State. The farmer in en-.
Couraging the manufacturer aids in
creating market for what'h he has
TO sell. These being the most ss
sential branches Of industry, ii il
but right and proper that they
should receive every legislative
encouragement, and not suffer from
anyinequalily of taxation. Under
the law, as it now exists, the farm,
er's land is taxed at almost it's full
value, as we'll as his stock, farming
implements and capital employed
in the cultivation Of his land, and
under the assessment order a long
list Of agricultural products taxed
two or three times, according to
the different uses to which they
are applied.
During the agitation of this
question last year, a distinguished
Judge of this State took the posi-,
ton that taxing the last named ar.
ticles was not uniform because, said
he; "Taxes are universally collected
annually, the tax is an annual
rate charged on q given valuation
Of property, and it must DO implied
that the subject of taxation has
existed at least a year before a
years taxes thereon can be justly
due" Able and influential mem
bers Of the Constitutional Conyen.
ton, with just appreciation o.
Of their responsibility to their con
Stituents, held that taxing lane
and crops would be- unfair taxation
and that taxing agricultural anc
mechanical products would be
equivalent TO an "income tax, The
most odious species Of taxation
Besides, why the necessity of EN-
bracing new subjects Of taxation
when, under the old order Of things
sufficient revenue was raised to de
fray the expenses Of the govern,
mOnt, economically administered
The people, however, are sought
to be lulled into Indifference with
the siren song that the rate Of
ton will be accordingly lowered
when the practical working of th,
system will be the raising Of add
tional revenue 10 be squandGred
in various ways, by subsequent
Legislatures.
But why persue this subject far
ther, when both parties in thil
State STAN committed to a policy o
exemption, the Republicans first
and then the Democrats by Actl
passed three different times, anc
approved by Democratic Governors
That is not all. When the people
the sovereign people themselves
met in Convention al Charleston
toconsider the best way out of The
muddle into which we had been
thrown, q resolution was adopted
setting forth that il it became nee
eSsary to put at rest this much
mooted question that a constitu
tional amendment should be sub
mitted to the people ito enable
them in their sovereign capacity tt
decide what property shall be ex
empLed from taxation" This sen
IL. f.J ~,