Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-09-23
HON. w. P.
HUBBARD
DEFENDS TAX COMMISSIONS
REPORT.
An Able Speech Delivered at The
Meeting OF The Editorial ASsO-
citation at Charleston,
Sept. 18th.
An Answer to The "TWentU-ElQht"
Protesting Against Tax
Reform.

IL iVOA VIC bNS icihtutO vi w te
Virginia by vote almost unani
nous declared that the tax system
of the state is not adapted to the
changed conditions due to the de-
velopment of the state and it's re-
sources. 1t also provided for a
commission to report what changes
are required TO equalize taxation
and reach those not now bearing
their just proportion of the bur
dens of taxation, and further TO
submit measures to remedy de-
feots. remove Irregularities and
give the state a more efficient sys-
tenn of laws relating to assess
ments, taxation and revenues.
That vote condemning the pres
ent tax system of the state merely
registered the settled conviction
of It's officers and people upon
that question.
THE TAX COMMISSION.
Such q comm ission was ap-
pointed and a result of it's efforts
is before you. Its opinion about
these matters is set forth in its re-
port, and the changes it proposes
are expressed lii bills which it
submitted. These must speak for
it, and / am not here as it's spok es-
man. Nothing whatever need be
claimed for the members of that
commission. One thing only is
somewhat significant. Their train
ing had been varied their polite.
al learnings were diverse their
modes of thinking were different,
and yet after they had considered
the complex and serious matters
submitted to them they were
unanimous about what ought to
be done and about the way to do
it.
As for the measures the COM
mission recommends nothing
need be claimed for them except
that they are better than the pres
ent system.
If those measures contained any
thing of value the only danger to
it lay in the possible failure to at
tract public attention. If the seed
sown by that report is good it still
must have the field of public
thought in which 20 grow. 1t may
we'll take it's chances among the
thorns of selfish interests that fain
would choke it, if only il do not
fall upon the stony places of pub
lie indifference.
THE ORGANIZED DEFENSE OF THE
PRESENT SYSTEM.
From that danger we have been
saved. The manifestations Of pu b.
lie interest, somewhat slight and
slow, have been strengthened and
hastened by the recent publication
in all the newspapers of the state
of the views of % of its distin.
guished citizens, opposing the sug-
gestions of the tax com mission,
root and branch, aud what 10 far
worse, favorIng the continuance
of the present system.
These gentlemen ought to be
heard. They are more numerous
than the embers of the tax CON
mission, more able and more ex
perIenced. They are fairly repre-
sentative of the money making
faculties of our people-of it's
great Industries. They are men
of brains and experience in bust
ness, in politics, in the law, aud
more important still, in the prac-
tical work of legislation. OF two
or three of these gentlemen the
ability and standing is so great
that now no Legislature is suffered
to sit except under their super
vision, and from the beginning to
the end of every session they at
tend to see that no harm shall
come to the state.
Now, when such citizens give
temperate and clear expression to
their mature and delIbersi 4