Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-06
TAXATION Of CORPORATIONS.
PHOTOGRAPHIC AND EXPRESS
COMPANIES NoT ALLOWED TO BE
LISTED,
And They Virtually Escape From All
Local Taxation, Making Their own
Returns to the Auditor of Business
Done-How Taxation Bills Were
Killcd-A Matter for Public
Thought,
snerial TO the REGISTER.

Special to the Register.
CHARLESTON, w. Va, October A.
No law affecting corporations in the
way of taxation is to be found in the
Acts of 1897. There has been for sever
al years considerable complaint that
some of the largest and wealthiest cor
portations doing business in the State
practically escape all levies for public
revenues, and at the beginning of the
sessions a great deal was heard about
the speedy enactment of such legisla-
ton as would compel them to bear
their share Of tax burdens. AS usual
the ultimate result of this talk was
nothing, though at least n class OF
CORPORATIONS, express companies, had a
narrow escape, a bill that would have
a very considerable event from
them in the way Of taxes passing both
houses. and only dying beneath the
Executive axe in the shape of a veto
after the adjournment OF the Legisla-
ture.
AS the law now is, telegraph and ex-
DItbS tOiiiDd1lCc u NV 0llO"Od ~ ~
listed by county assessors. They vir-
tually escape all local taxation, and on
ly make a light contribution under the
levy for State expenses, making for this
purpose their W annual returns to the
Auditor of the amount OF business done
by them entirely within the State. 1t
would seem that the remedy for this
condition OF affairs was at ace simple
and obvious. Unfortunately, different
members had their individual ideas as
10 how this question should be dealt
with. A strong desire was evinced to
manufacture political capital and create
personal regulations out of what was
merely a detail of taxation 1t resulted
from this that several bills were intro
duced, most of them containing features
that enabled a keen witted and watch
full lobby to finally bring the whole eff
forts of the Legislature to nought.
From what transpired during the SEES
sion, and from the political bias of the
kponsors of the several bills it may be
lathered that in a general way it was
e policy and aim of the Democratic
buse to correct the omission of the
present law to provide for the efficient
taxation of telegraph and express COM
paAies, and for the present to go no fur
ther, while the Republican Senate SEEM
ed on the whole to prefer not to take
the matter up at all If it could be avoid
ed, but If ii had to be taken up, then
to load it with such manifestly unjust
provisions as would secure its defeat at
the hands of the House and put the
Democrats in the apparent position OF
being unwilling to tax corporations.
ultimately however, certain Republi-
Cans In the Senate acting, it was said
at the time, under the advise of the at
torney-general, formed a coalition with
tn Democrats that resulted in the pass
age of tn House dill taxing express COM
panies only.
Several bills on this subject were sim
ultaneously on the calendar of each
branch of the Legislature, each bill us
ually having its fellow in the other
house. The only bill that went through
the House was introduced by delegate
Bowman, Democrat from Barbour
county, on February 18th, and passed on
February 18th, to take effect on April
LIST. This bill INDUCED only express
companies-telegraph companies being
covered by a bill previously introduced
by the same member-and provided sub
stantially that they should pay annual
license of two dollars fer each local
agent, two cents on each package hand
led in the State, and two per cent Of the
gross revenues taken in at the different
local agencies situated in the State.
When the bill reached the Senate it en-
countered very great opposition, and was
virtually defeated ON it's second read
ing, when, on February Goth, Senate
Bill No. 10 was substituted for it by
way of amendment. This Senate Bill,
which had it's follow in the House in II.
B. AZ by Delegate linn, Republican. pro-
vided for the taxation by the State
Board of Public Works of all express,
telegraph, telephone and pipe line COM
panes, IN a somewhat similar
% the method of taxing railroads. This
substitution weakened the bill by in
Guiding corporations that are already
amply taxed by methods that meet with
general approval. 1t of course also had