The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-09-23
He NEW AK La VS.

|1eries other than fruit and brandy, for
selling IN this State, whether the dis
l:tillery is in or out OF the State, is
$4,000; the manufacturing" license
! for all kind of Cistilleries is $4,000.
Ton breweries the manufacturers tax
1 is $4,000 and the selling" license tax
lis gagged according to the ca pacity OF
the brewery of ten thousand barrels
\ canacjty IN to SG,OO0.0O tai. for brew
I! cry of 100 900 barrels capacity. And.
as in the case of distilleries, this sell
ing tax applies to breweries, whether
located in or out of this State.
The revenue feature of the bill is
very attra ctive. Heretofore the total
license taxes derived from breweries
and dstileries have been less than
So 10000. 1t is estimated that they
will under this act reach fully $780,
10000. The stock brokers license
is $4,000 and for conduct ting q bucket
shop $4,000; for sale of tobacco in
any form, other than cigarettes. $500;
with cigarettes $1,000; junk dealers
will have to pay $500 to sell trading
stamps the tax is $4,000: TO main
tain or occupy houseboat $1,000; to
maintain a slot machine, other than
gambling devices, $500: to sell at
wholesale revovers, pistols, slung
| shots, etc, 100000 and at retail
/ $4,000; pawn brokers 10000.
4 There are many other license taxes.
| The new license taxes are included
among those enumerated above. The
| law it is believed will raise in now rev
! enue as much money as a ~ or Is
/ cent direct tax levy would raise. Goth
er laws raise additional new rev
enues)
State Taxes Reduced.
The important feature Of this act,
however, is the fact that it reduces
our present direct State taxes Of 50
cents on the 500 by eleven cents in
1905, and an additional eleven cents
in 1906 and an additional eight cents
in 1907, leaving only direct State tax
of five cents after 1907. which shall be
devoted to the public schools 1t will
thus be seen that the Legislature has
provided for wiping out siX-sevenths OF
the direct taxes of the State inside Of
the next three years. | MS "a ltScIi -
magnificent achievement.
The proposed constitutional amend
nent, permitting the total abolition OF
all direct State taxes. was defeated by
the Democrats, including Senator
CORNWELL, the Democratic candi-
date for governor. This measure re-
CURED a two-thirds vote. and as the
Republicans did not comamnd a major
ity of the House they We're unable TO
pass it over the solid Democratic opPo-
sition. Every Republican in he Legis-
lature voted for the measure, and they
were unanimous. apparently, in their
desire to eventually abolish all State
taxes. Not being able 10 do this the
Legislature did the next best thing.
After 1906 the State taxes are only
five cents which is to be devoted ex-
clusively for the State school purposes
until such time as the constitution
is amended and thus permit all direct
State taxes to be abolished
Assessment of Taxes.
The act (chapter four) relating to
the assess nent of taxes and also TO
create the office of Tax Commissioner.
is the longest. as we'll as the most i'm
portant one. 1t occupies siXty-siN
pages and revises the entire system
of laws in regard to the assessment of
taxes. It provides for a better system
of assessors and assessments. The
office of Tax Commissioner. which is
created, is an exceedingly important
step and creates for the first time in
the States history a head TO the tax
levying and tax collecting System OF
the State. This Office is destined to be
one of the most important offices in
the State, and Will amply Justify the
wisdom of the Legislature in creating
it. The appointment of the Tax Com
missioner is by the governor for six
years. and he is ineligible to reap
pOintmCnt.
All property. real and personal, MUST
hereafter be assessed at it's actual
value. After 1909 the real estate shall
be assessed annually by tho county
assessor. The assessor collects the
al -;