The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1904-10-14
TAX LAWS
AS SEEN BY SEN. ELILINS

Eliins. W. Va. Oct ls-The foHow-
ing interview given by United States
senator stephen B. Ellxins is a brief
outline OF what he thinks OF the new
tax laws, wnich he says viii benefit tas
whole people. He says:
aThe main purpose Of the new tax
Jaw Is to compel the assessment Of mil
lions upon millions OF personal and in
tangible property which has hereto
lore escaped taxation, and TO more
nearly equalize taxation OF lands in
tne various counties, making the large
land owner pay as much in proper
ZION as the small one. The new law
reduces the limit for taxation for
state, county and school purposes one
nan; that is, from Sl.7O ON the hun
red dollars 70 IS cents. This is clear
II ) Feduction.
Now II By reason of the operation
tine new Laws personal property
such Us credits. notes, mortgages,
moneys stocks and bonds in all the
oanties are placed on the assessment
list OF tax books, valued, for example
say al five or ten million dollars in
each county, that never paid any tax
es before-which will surely be the
case: tnen, will it not follow that
with the taking Oft of one nalf the
taxes, as before stated. and tine addi-
tion of such large amount of prop
erty to the taxable list that never was
taxed before, that the levy, even on
actual values, win he 50 low that the
taxes must be considerably less than
ever before?
@Jast work this out and you have
( the answer to the whole question.
@The Democrats in this campaign
seemingly don't want this personal
property That has been in hiding and
escaping taxation under the old law
put on the assessment list but want
to allow it 10 escape as heretofore,
and the small land owner 20 on pay
ing taxes, the lands Of the large land
owncr not being assessed ut their real
value. For instance, in my county
ana this is the case in all Of the conn
ties OF the Statz-I know two farm
rs living side by side owning about
$50 acres each improved lands on
which they pay about equal taxes, but
one of the farmers is leaning 100000
10 the people of the county on which
he is receiving per cent to per
cent and on which ne does not pay one
dollar Of taxes. Now, is this right
should not the farmer owning the
s 100000 of personal property pay taxes
On it, as he must do under the new
law Than, again. it is well known
fact thai in the large counties of thu
r state. men who own only house and lot
or. rent one, pay taxes from s. to $50 or
800, while they are worth in personal
property. money. credits, etc. from
$4,000 to $50O.OO0 caeh. The tax books
in various counties viii confirm this
statement MS to such men paying little
or no taxes. In justice to the small
property owner should this continue :
The new law will correct this Unequal
Wy aud outraga by compelling under the
s,strictest kind Of an oath and the eye Of
I tax commissioner and competent assess
cra, NIL people to make true return
81 an taXabla property
'unacr the new law it is made tae
duty Of the tax commissioner and the
irious asscssors to compel fair and
Just returns Of property, and il tiiers
IS any datiht they can compel IN inves-
tigafion and oblige every tax payer to
return al Of mis- property. This will
result in putting on the assessment list
Hundreds OF millions Of dollars of par
senal property; il viii also compel the
owners Of large tracts of lands, mineral,
timber. improved and unimprovcd. 70
pay taxes on som thing like the actual
value, which was not the case under the
olalaw, and doing these things will un.
doubtedly reduce taxation.
Tnc Deiaocrats claim thar the new
law will increase the taxes. This is
not the case because right in the be-
ginning It reduces the lint onelhnlf, MS
= before stated. But they answer that
sou are now going 70 assess property
at its aetsinl value. On the subject OF
assessment the new and the old law is
nearly the same. The old law requires
personal property to b. assessed at its
trus value. Substantially no difference
Tho new law followed the findings of
INK commission, composed OF DEM
socrats and Republicans alike
$50 that the question is not that ia,e
y taSes win be increased and assess.
nenta at astual value Will be mrtfnl
hut toeAI objection to the Law is
tlat il Nd COMPEL the disclosing and
paying of taxes Of hundreds of millions
personal property and real estate
nov taxation, and, of course