Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-10-07

House rent. 40J- 1900
Atty Gen:
Salary -: 1000
Salary l,6OJ
Total. -. ......sl2550
Excess 1870 ever 1891, 1850
TINS we see that the salaries and
house rent paid the executive officers
for 1870, the last year OF Republican
rule, aggregated 81, $50 more than has
been paid the same officers in any year
since. And upon Investigation l lind
that the aggregate salaries OF the ex-
ecutive officers OF the State during
seven years Of Republican administra-
ton, from 1864 to 1870 inclusive, ex-
ceeded by $500 the aggregate amount
of salaries paid the same officers In any
seven years since.
Figure It up, fellow citizens, for your
selves, and see if the Republicans
didn't actually pay their State officers
more than the Democrats are
paying. Their methods Of getting
money out of the Treasury were
purposely indirect and intended to de-
ceiye the people, just as their charge
|
fraudulent one and intended to deceive
the voters of the State in this cam
paign.
COMPARISON OF TAX RATES.
In keeping with the other reckless
and unfounded statements contained in
the Republican State platform Is the
charge that the Democrats nave In
creased the average assessment Tor
State purposes. want to show how
utterly unfounded is this claim and
contrast the records of the two parties
as to the rate Of taxation in
this State. Excluding the State school
/ tax, which has been the same, 10 cents
on the 500 valuation, under every adj
ministration since the year 1868 to the
/ present time, | assert and the records
will show that the rate Of taxation for
general purposes since 1871 under Dem
| ocratic administration has been nearly
! 20 per cent. less than prior to that time
under Republican management OF State
| affairs. The average annual rate OF
taxation for all State purposes during
the nine years the Republicans were 10
power was, excluding the State school
| tax, 26s6 cents on the 500 valuation.
The average annual tax rate for twenty
/ years of Democratic administra-
ton since 1871 has been, ex-
GLIDING the school tax, 2219 cents. 1t
is true that for several years the Re-
publicans fixed an apparent rate OF only
] 20 cents for State purposes, but In addi-
ton they levied special tax, usually
called a building tax, which must be
added, making the average rate OF tax
alton for State purposes, exclusive of
| the school tax, 26& cents as against
221S cents, the average rate for twenty
years under Democratic administration.
From 1864 TO and including 1867,
the Republican rate of taxation. inelud-
ing special building taxes and the State
school tax, was 40 cents on the 500
valuation. Thus while the outlay for
public buildings was small and bat few
of the public institutions, now the pride
of the State, then existed, it required
an enormous tax rate to support
"wasteful and extravagant" Republican
administration, which neither collected
closely and honestly, nor practiced
economy in public expenditures.
GIVING AWAY THE PEOPLES MONEY.
Why, my fellow citizens, from 1863 to
1871 Republican Legislatures actually
released to delinquent and defaulting
sheriffs and their Sureties S43, 5S2.lS, be-
sides interest and damages, and also re-
leased ten Sheriffs and Suret!es from I'M
ascertained amounts, estimated at not
less than $4,000 more. (See Senate
Journal Of 1872, page So, for the record
evidence OF this fragrant outrage In spe-
eial legislationl So patent was the
personal favoritiSm involved in these re-
leases of delinquent aud defaulting OFF,
Gals. and so unfair 10 the taxpayers,
that q general protest came up from the
people, and the Constitutional Conven-
ton of 1872, a Democratic body, forever
prohibited special legislation OF this
character. So much for comparison
of the tax rate under Democratic and
Republican administrations and the
false claim that we have increased the
taxes of the people, and have been
"wasteful, extrayagant and incompe-
tent"
THE BASIS OF TAXATION.
But they say we have increased the
basis of taxation by repeated reassess-
ment, and that while processing 10 be
the friends of the farmer, "we have re-
peatedly increased for taxing purposes,
the lands of the farmer, thereby adding
to the confessed inequality Of its basis"
win the Republican leaders tell us how
the farmer is Disseminated against un-
der any reassessment Of the lands In
this State? The fact is there has been
no reassessment OF real estate in West
Virginia which has not benefited the
farmer. ( Farm lands have not increased
in proportion to the increase IN mineral
and timber lands and town property.
All THE reyalnations We have had have
tend 10 eqaalize taxation oy lnereas-
ing assessed value Of town prop
erty Wild lands and minerals The