Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-09-23

VOO q year SALARY anu gov q eeiI LIOuSC
rent, as under Republican adminlstra-
ton?
The salaries and house rent paid the
executive officers for 1870, the last year
of Republican rule, aggregated $3.50
more than has been paid the same OFF,
GERS in any years since. The aggregate
salaries of the executive officers OF the
state during seven years of the Repubh-
can administration, from 1864 70 1870 IN
elusive, exceeded by $500 the aggre-
gate 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 We're purpOsely indirect and in
tended to deceive the people, just as
their charge that we. have increased
salaries Is fraudulent one and intended
to deceive the voters of the state in this
campaign.
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 have increased the
average assessment for state purposes.
l want to show how utterly unfounded
is this claim and contrast the records of
the two parties rs 10 the rate Of taxation
in this state. Excluding the state school
tax which has been the same, ten cents
on the 800 valuation, under every ad-
ministration from 1868 to the present
time. assert and the records will show
that the rate of taxation for general pur-
porses since 1871 under Democratic ad-
ministration has been nearly 20 per
cent. less than prior 10 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 in power, was, in
| cluding the state school tax, thirty-slX
and two-third cents on the 800 valua
ton, or excluding the school tax,
twenty-siX and two-third cents. The
average annual tax rate for twenty
years of Democratic administration since
! 1871, has been, including the state school
tax, thirty-two and one-half cents on the
| 800, or excluding the school tax,
TWENTY-FIVE and one-nalt cents. IL Is
true that, as in the case of salaries, the
Republicans fixed an apparent rate OF
only twenty cents for state purposes,
but in addition they levied special tax,
usually called building tax, that aver
aged six and two-third cents on the 800
per annum, making the average rate for
state purposes exclusive OF the school
! tax. twenty-six and two-third cents, as
against TWENTY-FIVE and one-half cents,
the average rate for twenty years under
| Democratic administration. From 1863
to and including 1867, the Republican
rate of taxation, including special, build
ing taxes and the state school tax, was
forty cents on the 800 valuation. Thus
while the outlay for public buildings
was small and few of the public institu-
tions. now the pride of the state, then
existed it required an enormous tax
rate TO support "wasteful and extrava-
| CANT" Repu blican administrations, which
| neither collected closely and honestly,
nor practiced economy in public expendl-
lures.
Giving Away the Peoples Money.
Why, my fellow citizens, from 1868 to
1871 Republican legislatures actually re-
leased to delinquent and defaultlnS
sheriffs and their sureties Si3, ,5S2.1S, be-
sides interest and damages, and also re-
leased ten sEeriffs and sureties from un-
ascertained amounts, estimated at not
less than $4,000 more. (See senate
journal of 1872, page IS, for the record
| evidence of this fragrant special leglsla-
tom SO patent was the personal
favoritism involved in these releases OF
delinquent and defaulting officials, and
so unfair 10 the taxpayers, that gen
| eral protest came up from the people
and the constitutional convention of
1872, Democratic body, forever pro-
hibited special legislation of this char
acter. SO much for comparison of the
tax rate under Democratic and Repubh-
can administrations and the false claim
that we have increased the taxes Of the
people. and have been "wasteful, ex
travagant and incompetent.
The Basis of Taxation.
But they say we have increased the
basis of taxation by repeated reassess-
ments, and that while protesting to be
| the friends Of the farmer, "we have re-
peatedly increased for taxing purposes,
| the lands of the farmer, thereby add
| ing TO the confessed inequality Of his
! burdens" Will the Republican leaders
| tell US how the farmer is discriminate
| ed against under any reassessment OF
| the lands in this state The fact IL
there has been no reassessment of real
estate in West Virginia which has not
| benefited the farmer. Farm als have
not increased in proportion - ne in
crease in mineral and timber lan and
| town property. All the revaluatlOns we
| have had have tended to equalize taxa
ton by increasing the assessed value Of
! town property, vii lands and minerals.
! The revaiuatiOn Of the present year
/ has increased the aggregate values
Of our real estate about S26, 800, 900,
and vet the price per acre OF farm
lands was IN the aggregate reduced
! from their previous valuation. The
farmers clamored for the last reassess-
| ment of the lands Of the state, and the
/ result proves that they are benefited by
| it. Are we 10 understand that the Re-
publicans who assembled at Huntington
! are opposed to a fair assessment Of the
realty of the state. that they object TO
law which transfers q portion Of the
burden Of taxation from the farm
owners who have been bearing more
than their equitable share, TO the own
ers Of city realty and mineral and tim
Der lands, property that has been RAPID,
! ly increasing in value and Is owned
largely by corporations and by persons
non-residents Of this state?
A Transparent Charge.
But. nv fellow citizens. if one charge
in this Republican platform be more
transparent and false than another, 1t Is
that we have made a large debt In
fragrant violation of the constitution OF
the state. and used the funds set apart
sacredly TO the education Of the children,
for other purposes" This is the Ian
guage Of the platform, and must say
that in my judgment no one with a
proper sense Of political fairness, who is
familiar with the facts and record OF
each party upon the subject. would have
preferred such a charge. the truth Is,
that the present administration is per.
haps the first since the organization OF
the state that has at all times found the
revenues sufficient 10 meet all currents
charges upon the treasury, that has had
at all times surplus" funds on hand.
During urior administrations, both