The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-08-16

y W 4l1CL HAS
jjust completed its labor at Charles.
/ ton, are salts factory, in so far rs they
ltent the chief object sought to be OBJ
| tanned by the tax reformers. viz, the
removal of the direct State tax. The
law adopted at Charleston provides
for the remova, of thirty cents of this
tax. equivalent to about SIS per cent
of the total. The removal of this por
ton will necessarily leave a deficit to
| measure suggested by the committee,
consisting of Hubbard. Sturgfss. Day.
ton and Blizzard, had they all have
been adopted. would to large extent,
have made up for this deficit, through
new revenue and by the taxing OF
counties for their contribution OF In
| mates to the various State institu-
lions. The Legislature enacted into
law most of the bills suggested by
this committee, but failed in a few
of the important ones. namely:
First. The bill providing that the
auditor shall be the attorney in fact
for foreign and nonresident domestic
corporations, and that the fees deriv-
ed for this service should be paid into
the State treasury. Heretofore these
fees have gone to the secretary of
state and the attorneys located in
Charleston and elsewhere throughout
the State. This bill was expected to
have furnished from twenty-five thou
sand to forty thousand dollars to the
State treasury.
Second. The bill relating to the fees
to beScharged for the deeds of convey
ance, trust deeds, etc. These fees
would also have been paid to the
State and We're expected to have pro-
vi6ed revenue to the extent of $780,.
900 or more annually.
Third. Several of the bills requir-.
ing the counties to pay $50 for each
inmate furnished by them to the diff
ferent State Institutions. AS the State
revenue arising hereafter from State
taxes and as the county secures the
benefit, it is eminently proper that
the counties should assume their pros
portiona1e part of the cost
No good reason exists why the first;
bill mentioned, the one referring to
the fees now going TO the secretary
of state and others should not have
been passed. The remaining ones
were probably not understood by the
members Of the Legislature. and may
explain the failure of their passage.
AS the State absolutely requires this
revenue now that large amount of
the State tax is to be abolished. these
measures should have the considera.
ton of the next Legislature and the
necessities Of the situation. we be-
lieye, will compel their adoption.
q As briefly as possible, what was
accomplished at Charleston can be
summed up in the following:
First The removal of all but five
cents Of the total State tax of thirty
five cents. to be accomplished by
January 1, 1907. The law relating to
the reduction of the tax now reads:
"On real and personal property, not |
exempt from taxation, for the year
1905 sixteen cents on every hundred
dollars valuation thereof for general
State purposes and eight cents on ey-
cry one hundred dollars valuation
thereof, for the support of free
for the year 1906 eight cents
on every hundred dollars valuation.
thereof for general State purposes and
Eve cents on every hundred dollars
valuation thereof for the support of
schools and for the year 1907 and
hereafter only five cents on the one
hundred dollars valuation for State
school taxes shall be imposed upon
zeal or personal property. s.
Second: The establishment of the
,ffice of state tax commissioner, with
he following as part of the law relat-
ng to his office and duties:
The Office of state tax commission
sr is hereby created. The governor,
~ and with the advice and consent
If the senate, shall appoint as state
ak commissioner some citizen of this
state entitled to vote, whose term of
,ftice shall begin at the date of APP
ointment and shall be continued for
tx years and until the successor of 4
UGH commissioner is appointed and
unless he be sooner remov-
ID, but shall not be eligible to reap
continent. The governor may re- q
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