South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-10-16
Direct Tax.

| fe'y n otths turned over TO the Gov
erD,r ut the State S28, 900 ont oil
the s,at nOo which by act OF Con
sresa ps.re,i at hast session was or.
defeA to be refunded to the State
Of West Virginia, being amount
paid by IT and it's citizens undei
tie Direct Tax act Of 1861.
II will he remembered that abou,
1913, 900 of this tax was paid by cit.
izene of Jefferson and Berkeley
aDd the residue by the State IN its
corporate capacity upon settleuen,
with u. s. Government for expen
ses incurred during late war. The
State assumeds in that way what
would have been collected from
other counties. The exception OF
Jefferson and Berkeley beng due
to the faa that at the time Of col.
lection il had not beeu legally de-
termined whether said counties
were in Virginia or West Virginia,
and the Virginia: collectors, by rec
olution of Congress, being empow.
cred to collect in said counties di.
rectly from the people.
1t will be further remem' cred by
the Stalwarr Democracy Of West
Virginia, now and in the next cleo.
ton, that although the state of W est
Virginia. under act Of Congress, IL
entitled to recover $751; 900 of this
tax from the U. 8. Treasury, thpt
the uarrison administration, under
a decision of its Attorney General
is retaining all bot 1913 900 Of this
amount 10 pay the deb: Of the State
OF Virginia to the United States. a
debt which Wet Virginia is as
much a3etraneer to as is President
Harrison AMI his cabinet to the
correct principles Of right and
justice.
This S2s 600 was not retained
becauee on lite face the act of Con.
gress returning this direct tax pro-
vided that whatever amount was
coming to private individuals should
be paid over to the Governor Of
the State in trust foi them; and in
no case could accounts and counter
accounts between States aud the
Treasury interfere with its payment.
This provision prevented any ex-
cuse for the Treasury Offic, ais de-
laying it's payment or defeating the
effect of the act, 30 far as this fund
wss concerned.
Therefore the Governor has re-
ceived the $28. 900 paid by the
counties of Jefferson ant Berkeley,
because the Treasury officials were
under the belief that it was a fund
to go to the parties who paid it.
Had they known otherwise, or had
they the slightest excuse to hang a
hope upon, the s28, 900 would have
been retained in the same high
handed and unjust method that the
1851 900, which should now be in
our state treasury, to meet aprro-
priations made by the Legislature
on the faith Of an act of Congress,
was retained. More than two
months ago our journalistic inqui-
RES had detected this condition of
affairs and we called to see tho par
ties in charge OF the matter, and
being apprized of the situation
thought it better TO remain silent
until the %, 900 at least was in the
hands of the Treasurer Of the State,
so that the Republican scheme to
put every difficulty in the way of
a Democratic Stste receiving the
money should not be assisted by
undue publicity.
When the act OF Congress re-
turning this tax was passed, il was
supposed that this amount which
has been repaid was due to the PEG.
pie OF Jefferson and Berkeley, bat
it has been found that the Legisla-
ture of West Virginia, after II as
sumed the direct tax of the other
counties and received the balance
due it for war equipments from u.
s. Government, did what justicc
required and equity demanded,
passed resolution to refund TO tie
people of said two counties the tax
they had paid thus equalizng the
people Of all the counties. Wheth.
er in the repayment any citizen
failed 10 receive bis dues we do not
know, bnt we are informed by par
ties taxing active steps in the mat
ter. that they have obtained from
the q. s Treasury exact copies OF
the collectors books and are now
having them compared with the re-
cords OF the State officials, who
returned the same to see that they
corresI ord, and If any one has been
omitted the omission will be dis.
covered and corrected.
We think that the people Of this
State should fully and thoroughly
understand that Congress has re 4.
turned to them $751; 900 levied
upon Thorn in Their severest period
OF financial depression, and that a
Republican adm nistration without
just sause, with a determined self
will, and in violation Of all Just
- - - 81 o.aynrn 80 ionoI