The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1904-08-31
TAX REFORM.
Farmers and Owners of Property,
Attention!


Let no farmer OF real property
owner of any kind lay the fatter-
ing JUNCTION to his soul that the
bogus tax reform" measures pass
ed by the Dawson Legislature will
reduce his burden because of the
provision for the reduction of the
State tax IL cents next year and a
gradual reduction thereafter. On
the contrary, the burdens of the
farmer and the owner of visible
property will be greatly increased
by these measures
1t needs no Philadelphia lawyer
to figure out or demonstrate this
fact, although it is evident that
Mr. Dawson relies chiefly on the
ignorance of the people of the de.
tails of these measures and their
guIlibility in regard to the State
tax reduction stage play, which
Dawson points to as real "tsx re-
form"
Accompanying this provision is
one for the assessment of real and
personal property at what the own
er might sell it for to the highest
bidder at voluntary sale. AS as
sessments heretofore have been
placed at about 40 per cent of the
selling value it requires no demon
stration to gee that while this will
not affect the money lender or the
boudholder, it is going to MORE
THAN DOUBLE the taxes of the
farmer and other visible property
owners And there is high sala-
ried Tax Commissioner, to be ap.
pointed BY THE GOVERNOR,
which Tax Commissioners will APP
POINT THE ASSESSORS and
pursue them all over the state to
see that they strictly carry out this
provision of the law.
To demonstrate just how this
will operate against the real prop
ertY owner while the money lender
and bondholder will escape, SO that
a child may fully understand it, we
cannot do better than take the il.
lustration furnished by Hon. John
j. Cornwell, Democratic candidate
for Governor and Democratic lead
er in the late legislature.
John Jones has fern assessed
at 81 900. but which he could sell
privately for $4,000. on time. His
John Doe. has 81. 900 in
vested in stocks or loaned out on
interest. Under this new law. which
will be applied at the next ASSESS
ment, the assessor comes around
and says to John Jones, l will have
to assess your farm for $1,000, as
you could sell it for that privately,
on time. SO it is put down al 3d.
600. He goes on to John Doe, who
has the 81, 900 on interest John
Dee has gotten behind, perhaps,
and owes 5000. This is deducted
from his $1,000 of notes, leaving
him $500 to be assessed with. Or,
perhaps, he does not owe anything
he is assessed and can be only as.
sessed with the 81 900 he has What
is the result? These two neigh
bors, one farmer and the other a |
lender, who were both paying iden-
tically the same amount of taxes
before will now be on an UNEQUAL
footing and the farmer whose as
sessment was doubled will be pay
ing just twice as much taxes, coup-
ty, district school and road. taxes
as his neighbor who formerly paid |
an equal amount with him. The
same is true with the farmer as
compared with the railroads. There |
is no provision for an increase in
their assessments and it is safe to
say that with a republican board of |
public works there will be none, so !
up will go the assessment of the
farmers lands and stock, the rail-
road, bond and money assessments
Of the wealthy will remain the
same and the farm T must and will
pay double tax
Who so dull of comprehension as
not to understand thisP Is Mr..
Jornwell further adds: This is
lot politics, it is business, a bust
less that. in the judgment of the