Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-10-13


criminal cases, and others unable to
hold it, could not be paid, went beg
ging in the markets and was sold at
heavy sacrifice, and the states cred
itors thereby virtually defrauded out
of from 10 to SO per cent of what
they were justly entitled to. That is
striking illustration of the differ
ence between the business-like meth
DDS of the Republican management
and the false pretenses and perfidy of
the former Democratic manage
ment, as well as complete refuta-
ton of the base Misrepresentation
of the managers of the present Dem
oeratic campaign.
One of the attempts made by these
Democratic politicians to explain
away this damaging exhibit of their
disgraceful management of the finan-
ces of the state, is their claim that
the Republicans have been able to
provide all this money and make all
these improvements without borrow
ing money, and to have a full state
treasury now, by increasing the bur-
den of taxation upon the people.
THAT Is FALSE. Not tax law has
peen chang ed, nor has new revenue
law been passed. THE RATES AND
THE SUBJECTS OF TAXATION RE-
MAIN EXACTLY AS THEY WERE
UNDER THE DEMOCRATIC ADMIN
ISTRAT1ON. The Republicans have
simply stopped the leaks, cut off the
waste and put an end to the dishon-
est practices in the transaction of
the states business, in all the de-
partments, and thus brought about a
saving to the state of more than SO
per cent III its ordinary revenues.
This has been done by the exercise
of unceasing industry and unfaiter-
ing faithfulness to the public inter
estS.
What Did Democrats Do With the Money!
If without increasing taxation, and
without adding new subjects of tax
alton, the Republicans are able to
give to the representatives of the
people-the Legislature-for use of
the people 100000 more in two years
than the Democrats were able to
give, WHAT DID THE DEMOCRATS
DO WITH THE MONEY THAT
THEY OUGHT TO HAVE SAVED
BUT DID NOT? Why were Repubh-
cans able to save 100000 more il. two
years for the peoples use than the
Democrats? These are pertinent and
important questions for taxpayers
to an~wer.
Shrnkage Under Democrats.
Before proceeding to specify some
of the instances in which these ir-
regularitie have been corrected and
savings effected, we deem it just and
fair to direct the attention of the
public to the blighted, withered and
shrunken condition of the sources of
revenue in this state when the Re-
publican party came into power, in
1897, as the result of an abominable
and universally execrated Democrat
ic National administrat ton, as shown
by the following figures taken from
the Auditors reports. being the as
sessed values of personal property
upon which taxes were paid in this
state:
Cattle in 1898, $5,676, 266; in 1897,
s4,6s4,633; decrease 1891, 633, or IS per
cent.
Horses and mules-1s93, S7.404. 671;
1897, $5,10s,3l5; decrease, S2.296, 1856, or
81 per cent.
Sheep-1s93, 81 ,oss, $50; 1897, 1884,
1867; decrease, $444,413; over 40 per
cent.
All personal property in the state,
including money, notes, merchandise
and goods of all kinds, 1893, S54,244
1e9; 1897, S4s,ossO.7s5; decrease S.
1884
During these four years there
ought to have been great Increase
in the value of the property OF the
state. In 1892 the Democrats prom
ised that, if entrusted with power
they would bring good times and
prosperity. But instead of fairness
they gave us leanness: instead o
prosperity they gave us hare
times and adversity; instead
Of an increase, there was a
shrinkage of nearly 10 per cent. in
tn. value of the personal property of
the state, and OVER SIX MILLIONS
or DOLLARS OF VALUES DISAP-
FEARED AND AS THOUGH THEY
HAD NOT BEEN.