West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1892-09-22

unless IL b. an additional member OF tho
court Of appeals and few additional
circuit judges, made necessary by the in.
crease of the states population and con-
scqucnt increase III litigation2 Do tho
Republicans propose 10 deny To the peo-
pie efficient courtsy
Aisaut salaries.
The Huntington platform naxt ac-
cuScS the Democrats OF having increased
salaries. can only characterize this a,
most objectionable AMI deliberate
false statement. Tho present salaries
of all state officers are fixed by the con-
sutution, which was adopted by vote
of the people, and there could bC no in
crease or reduction except by n consti-
7. tutional amendment. There has been
no change in tho salaries Us fixed bv the
constitution of 1872, except as 10 the
salaries of the circuit judges, which
were not increased, but In fact reduced
from $1,000 TO 81 800 by the adoption of
the constitutional amendment of 1879
The salaries so fixed by the constitution
of 1872 are substantially the same as tho
salaries and allowances previously paid
under Republican administration. In
fact, they are trifle less. The differ.
ence IL that now state officers receive ex-
| cluSively II salary; than they were paid
salary aud in addition were each al
lowed several hundred dollars annually
as house rent, and without very much
1 color OF law. either. Does il make any
material difference 10 the tax-paye-
whether the governor is paid q salary of
! s.. 200 year and nothing in addition as
under Democratic administration, or S2,-
600 year salary and $3.50 year house
rent, rs under Republican administra-
! ton?
The salaries and house rent paid the
executive officers for 1870, the last year
of Republican rule, aggregated ST 800
more than has been paid the same oflt-
GERS in any years since. The aggregate
salaries ot the executive officers of the
state during seven years of the Republi-
can administration. from 1864 to 1870 i'm
elusive, exceeded by $S,2OO the aggre-
gate amount OF salaries paid the same
| officers in any seven years since
Figure II 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 ill
tended to deceive the people, Just ~
their charge that we have increased
salaries is a fraudulent one and intended
To deceive the voters OF the state in this
! campaign.
CompnrI,on or Tax Hates.
In keeping with the other reckless ant.
! untOunued statements contained in the
! Republican state platform is the charge
/ that the Democrats have increased the
average assessment for state purposes.
| ] want TO show how utterly unfoundcd
| IL this claim and contrast the records of
| the two parties as to the rate of taxation
in this state. Excluding the state scho,l
tax which has been the same, ten cents
! ON the $lOO valuation, under every ad-
'ninistration from 1863 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 20 that time under
Republican management of state affairs.
The average annual rate OF taxation for
! all state purposes during the nine years
! tho Republicans were in power. was. in
! Guiding the state school tax, thirty-siX
and two-third cents OF the 500 vaiua-
tiOn, or excluding the school tax,
| twcnty-siN 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 onc-half cents on the
! 800, on e..clnding the school tax,
| twenty-five and one-half cents. IL Is
! true that, as iii the cilse of salaries the
Republicans fixed an apparent rate OF
| only twcIty cents for state purposes.
but in addition they levied n special tax,
usually called a building tax, that aver
! aged six aud two-third cents on the 800
| per aunum. making the average rate for
state purposes exclusive Of the school
tax, twenty-six aud two-third cents, as
/ against twenty-five and One-half cents
/ the average rate for twenty years under
! Democratic administration. From 1868
TO and including 1867, the Republican
! rate of taxation. including special, build
ing taxes and the state school tax, was
forty cents on the $lOO valuation Thus
! while the outlay for public buildings
was small and fcw of tho public insti.a
tiOns. now the pride Of the state. then
existed, II required an enormous tax
! rate TO support ''wasteful and extraVa-
/ gam" Repu Dlican administrations, which
! neither collected closely and honestly.
/ nor practiced economy in public expendi-
tures.
Giving Away the Peoples Money.
/ Why. my fellow citizens, from 1863 10
/ 1871 Republican legislatures actually re-
| leased To delinquent aud defaulting
/ sheriffs and their sureties SiB,j ,jS2. ~, be-
/ sides interest and damages and also re-
! leased ten shcrins and sureties from nm
/ ascertaincd amounts, estimated 10 not
/ less than $4,000 more. (See scnnte
! journal OF 1872, page SS for the record
evidence Of this fragrant special legisa-
tiOnD So patent was the personal
! favOntism involved In these releases Of
! delinquent and defaulting officials, and
/ 50 unfair TO the taxpayer. that gen
/ eral protest came up from the people
/ and the constitutional convention of
I 1872, ~ Democratic body, forever pro-
/ hibtcd SPECIAL legislation Of this char.
! actcr. SO much for a comparison Of ths
! tax rate under Democratic and Repubh
can administrations and the false claim
7 that we have incrcascl the taxes Of the
I people, and have been "wasteful, ex-
I travagant and incompetent"
The Basis of Taxation.
But they say we have increased the
I basis Of e. alton by repeated rcasscss-
mcnts aud hat while protesting 10 d.
the friends II the farmer. eve lave re.
I peatediy increased for taxing purposes,
the lands Of the farmer, thereby add.
/ ing 10 the confessed inequality If his
burdens" VIII the Republican leaders
I tell us how the farmer Is disctiminat-
I cl against Under any rcasseslnent of
/ tbs lands in this state The fact IS
i there has been no reasscssinent Of real
I estate In West Virginia which has MT
I benefited the former Farm lands have
7 hot increased In fTOucrfipu f0 tho fu.