Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-23

Discussed in the senate yesterday-Gen-
erat st. clair, Mr, Whitaker sind Others


erai 1t. Clair, mr. Whitaker sind Others
speak
Spseia, Tslscrqn 10 tss Register
CHARLESTON, w Va, February %
The Prince Tax bill was again under
consideration In the Senate this after
noon. aud the vote upon the amend
Inonts proposed 70 il proves that It's
friends are ia the majority, and unless
there is change OF opinion on the part
of several members 10 viii be passed.
IftLs biz had been voted upon a lew
DAYS $40 it would have been defeated
but is friends IN both branches have
shown % disposition TO SacTihce any
thing Tor 10 and have induced some
members 20 change their views.
81. Clair took the floor this afternoon
ana made strong sud eloquent speech
I'm favor of the bill Gs 10 pNSsed
the House. Ae spoke nearly aE
hour and half m oppoSltoh
10 Senator Parks amendments 10
leave the levies as at present
lie undertook 90 prove that, granting 10
every institution the amount provided
f9ri fra The appropriation bin, and every
other measure likely % pass, 10 VII. SUI
he p0ssibls 10 reduce the levy for gem
e~ri uurposes from IS cents 20 90 ceats
on the 500 valuation and leave deficit
Of only so. 900 in the resources as esti-
mated bv the auditor. This liability
would be more than offset by the taxa
tiOn 20 be derived from the extern
siors and Improvements of Che Nor
folk and Western, the West Virginia
Central. the Chesapeake and Ohio, aud
other railroads now under contract, and
the increased valuation Tor assessment
purposes Of Che COaiery Interests OF the
state. THESE were resources which, he
said. the Governor and Auditor did not
consider in their estimates. BE argued
that the university and Che different
normal schools are distiuct.vely local
institutions, maintained 40 the expense
OF the state. and attempted % su0Stau-
tiate his point by showing that o large
percentage Of che enrolment of pupils
i'm each oi the institutions came from
The counties and towns no which they
are located They were all
local institutions, and were asking
an aggregate appropriation OF
Sl5O.O0O FOR their support yet members
from the counties ia which they were
located refused 90 grant an increase Of
five cents in the school levy 20 help the
schools in the poor counties. lie called
attention 90 the fact that people divided
by imaginary lines in the same county
are required 10 pay unequal taxation for
their schools, which he regarded as
an illustration i'm itself sufficient 10
destroy con ideuce in the free school
system as an institution. BE then took
10 the irreducjble school fund and
read statements from the auditor TO
show that the counties which
ask for the increased school tax
were the ones waiCh contributed
most 90 that fuud. III 10 was distribut-
cd under Dir. Broc6un.er's bin, Ohio
county which contributed not single
dollar, would receive more than all the
counties iu the Seventh Senatorial dis
trict, which contributed - per cent OF
the entire amount. lie granted tha,
cents would not make much difference.
he would take pleasure la voting for
an Increase OF SO cents.
Mr.. Wiley spoke In favor OF the
amendment, Replying 20 the arCu-
meut of NJ ST. Clair, be said the State
had ~ to the forfeited lands. Citi-
zens the wealthy counties contribu-
tedA little 20 the school fund, be-
- they paid the taxes on their land.
Dthe assessed value OF lands 10 the
oorcr cOaUtits was increased Co APP
proximate It's actual worth, they would
have less trouble in maintaining good
Schuols He knew OF o large tract OF
land sold recently for S2j an acre which
was entered on the assessors books at
s. an acre.
Gen. Watts made the point that the
increased valuation under the last re-
assessment come from the counties
which ask the increase in the school
levy,
Mr. Whitaker made a speech brist-
ling with facts and figures, and showed
conciUsiyely that the State cannot re-
duce the levy for general purposes. He
was proud that Ohio county did not ap-
pear Oh the list OF forfeited lands. 1t
was conclusive proof that citizens Of
that county paid their taxes. No per-
son would be more willing to reduce
taxation than be % 10 could be shown
that such o reduction would be practi-
cable.
The ayes and noes were called on Mr..
Parks amendment fixing the general
levy at % cents and 10 was defeated by
a vote ot 19 Co 6.
Mr. Whitaker then moved 20 change
the school levy from 10 TO 10 cents, but
his motion was lost by q vote of I6 90 TO-.
The Dim, as reported by the House,
was then ordered 90 i,s third reading.