Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1904-08-19
Cornwell at the Fair GU Thursday.
VALE EXTRA SESSION.

of West Virginia is thing OF the
past. Conceived in political perhdy
and born of party exigency, it has
leaked out a miserable and pitiable
existence of eighteen days, dura
ton, and gone down to the vile dust
unwept, unhonored and unsung. Call
| ed for the sole purpose OF furthering
the interests of the Republican nom
inee for the great office of Governor Of
the State of West Virginia, by forcing
his measures of sham tax reform up
on a Republican caucus with'the hope
OF putting them through as party
measures under the lash of the bull
whip and thus giving Them the pres
tige of the sanction and endorse mS n
of the united Republican party, it has
resulted in the mask of hypocrisy be
ing torn from the face of said nomi-
nee and standing him forth in 'all
his naked ugliness." Instead of en-
acting any laws tending to the cor
rection OF inequalities of tax burdens,
such as have been passed are calculat-
ed rather to increase those inequali-
ties. Instead of simplifying, they
have rendered more complex our
| present tax system. Instead of facilit
ating, they have incumbered our
methods of collecting revenues. In
stead of increasing they have cut of
to great extent our sources OF state
revenue Instead of relieving the far
mer of any port OF the taxes borne by
him, which was the slogan Of the
Dawson campaign in all the agricu'
tural counties, they abolish the ex-
emption of farm products allowed un-
der the present law. Instead Of dealing
fairly and honest with the people,
they have buncoed them and only
hope that in the short time remaining
between the publication Of the acts
and the election the people will not be
able to discover their dupicity. Prac-
tically the ouly measure which will
increase revenues to any considerable
extent is the 500 additional tax inn
posed on liquor dealers, and as this
cannot take effect until next year, 1t
might as we'll have waited until the
regular session next January. Another
bill, known as the record tax bill,
which imposed state tax Oh ,nstru-
ments recorded in the county clerk :
Office having passed the Senate was
so amended by the Democrats and =
few Republicans in the House, as tc
provide for graduated tax according
to the value of the property affected,
instead of fate rate, was allowed to
die in committee If conference, be
cause the Republic ans were afraid &c
pass it in its original form and thei,
bosses would not let them pass it
amended. Another revenue produc-
: ing bill and one OF considerable meri,
which had the sanction of the Wheel
ing convention and the Republican
caucus, was the measure providing
that the auditor should be a,torne,
for all foreign and nonresident Ger
poratlons chartered or doing BUSINESS
in this slate, and that the $40 fee Il
be paid therefor should go into the
State treasury. This bill passed TIL,
House, but was slaughtered in the
Senate through thecombined persona
efforts of VIM NJ o. Dawson. VIII,
would lose thousands of dollars each
year from corporations for which
is now attordey and c. w. Swisher,
present member Of the Senate and Re
publican nominee for Secretary o.
State, who thought he had somethin.
to lose in the same direction.
The sum OF sos 600, is carried b,
the two appropriation bills OF viii h
at least SEE 900, was the actual cosl
of the extra session aud S45, 900 ap-
propriated for other purposes. At least
S22 900 literally wasted when the pee
pie are grooming under tax burders
No greater crime was ever perpetrat-
ed by high officials upon a suffering
people, than The calling OF the afor,
said extra session. And all for pure
ly partisan politics. -Kanawha G. .
zettee.