Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-09-21


salaries. | can only characterize this as
a most unpardonable and deliberate
false statement. The present salaries
of all state officers are fixed by the con-
stitution. which was adopted by vote
of the people, and there could be no In
crease or reduction except by constl-
tutional amendment. There has been
no change in the salaries as fixed by the
constitution of 1872. except as to the
salaries of the circuit judges, which
were not increased, but in fact reduced
from s., 900 10 81, 500 by the adoption OF
the constitutional amendment OF 1879.
The salaries so fixed blythe constitution
of 1872 are substantially the same as the
salaries and allowances previously pald
under Republican administration: In
fact. they are a trihe less The differ
ence is that now state officers receive ex-
clusively salary: than they were paid
q salary and in addition were each al
lowed several hundred dollars annually
as house rent, and without very much
color of law. either. Does 1t make any
material difference TO the taxpayer
whether the governor is pIid salary OF
50. 200 year and nothing IN addition, as
under Democratic administration, or 81
600 year salary and 500 year house
rent, as under Republican administra-
ton?
The salaries and house rent paid the
executive officers for 1870, the last year
of Republican rule, aggregated Sl,19O
more than has been paid the same OH
GERS in any years since. The aggregate
salaries of the executive officers Of the
state during seven years of the RepuDh-
can administration. from 1864 TO 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 were 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 thapther reckless and
unfounded 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 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, ten cents
on the 800 valuation, under every ad-
ministration from 1853 to the present
time. assert and the records will show
that the rate of taxation for general pur-
porses since 1871 under Democratic adj
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
Guiding the state school tax, thirty-six
and two-third cents on the 500 valua-
ton. or excluding the school tax,
twenty-six and two-third cents. The
average annual tax rate for twenty
wears 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-half cents. 1t ls
true that, as in the case of salaries, the
Republicans fixed an apparent rate OF
only twenty cents for state purposes,
but i'll 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-hat cents,
the average rate for twenty years under
Democratic administration. From 1858
to and including 1867, the Republican
rate of taxation. including special, build
ing taxes an 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. ii required an enormous tax
rate to support 'wasteful and extraya-
giant" Republican administrations, which
neither collected closely and honestly,
nor practiced economy npublic expendi-
lures.
Giving Away the Peoples Money.
Why. my fellow citizens, from 1868 to
1871 Republican legislatures actually re-
leased to delinquent and defaulting
sheriffs and their sureties $43 ,jS2.lS be-
sides interest and damages, and also re-
leased ten sheriffs and sureties from un-
ascertained amounts, estimated at not
less than $50, 900 more. (See senate
journal of 1872, page sS, for the record
evidence of this fragrant special legisla-
tom SO patent was the personal
favoritism involved in these releases Of
delinquent and defaulting officials, and
so unfair TO the taxpayers, that a gen
eral protest came up from the people
and the constitutional convention OF
1872, a Democratic body forever pro-
hibited special legislation Of this char
acter. SO much for a comparison OF the
tax rate under Democratic and Republi-
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 Ct the farmer, 1--WE have re-
peatediy increased for taxing purposes,
the lands Of the farmer, thereby add
ing TO the confessed inequality OF his
burdens" VIII the Republican leaders
tell us how the farmer Is discriminate
ed against under 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 70 the in
crease IN mineral and timber lands and
town property. All tie revaluations we
have had ha e tended 70 equalize taxa
ton by increasing the assessed value Of
town property, wild lands and minerals.
The revalultion Of the present year
has increas the aggregate values
Of our real estate about sec, ,j00.0 900,
and yet the price per acre of farm
lands was IN the aggregate reduced
from their previous valuation. The
farmers clamored for the last reassess-
e IL l. 4 : - l..