The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1904-07-26
M SgssIon
fContinued fon first pages

no special session had been had Ahlz
alone, in my estimation, justities ms
call for The session at this time
II the Legislature approves she hlll,
submitted herewith, the reduction IN tiie
direct State taxes in 1905 will he eleven
cents. ana in 1900 anotner e5cven cents
thereby reducing IN two years the ID
rect Stase and State school taxes frcm
thirty Ave cents on the hundred dollar
10 thirteen CENTS. This reduced taxa
tion should be enacted into law now
and by tine present legislative body ;
and, If i:a is done, The expense 81 hold
ing special session is saved times over
in ey,I-y enc OF tie many years to come
4 But this is not all of the tax reduc,
tfons proposed. Tie bills provide not
only for the aggregate reduction o.
( twenty-five cents of direct taxes IL:
1905 and 1905. but also provide that fol
ssthe year 1907 and thereafter" there
shall be no state nor State school take
levied. provided that the proposed con
stitutional amendment is ratified by tns
people this fall The goal in sight If
three years is the abolition of all direct
State and State school taxes. if the PEG
pie want it so: thus doing away witt
the inequalities. iniustices and unfair.
ness of the present system of ievyine
direct taxes for State purposes on the
property of ffty-five counties, with all
their unequal and varying valuations
To secure the abolition of the present
system of direct State taxes is, in my
Judgment. worth many times the cost OF
any special session OF the Legislature.
The administrative and economic re
forms in county and State government
provided in the proposed bills are 81
very great and desirable. and effect snch
great savings. that they alone would. I'M
my opinion warrant the converting of
your bodies in extraordinary session
The provision for a reas-sssment of
the real property of tine State in l9o5, il
being five years since the last assess
meut. Is another matter. believe which
of itself justifies converting your bodies
in advance of the regular session of 1908
The proposed changes in the method
Of assessing certain public service r
porations and the creation Of the ailiee
of Tax Commissioner are mo-t desirable
and worthy of immediate action by the
law making power. The provision for
the cfeution of a Tax Commissioner
deem very important. because it is al
most a necessity to have a head to the
assessing and taxing departments of the
state.
In every light We may view it, the
measures as agreed upon by the Com
mittee OF Four. if enacted into law by
your bodies are ample justification for
conyening you in extraordinary session
1T this time. / am confident that the
neoplc OF sine state will regard il 50.
Certain proposed license taxes. about
which there have been much controversy
and discussion are not included in the
new sources Of revenues provided in the
bills Of the Committee Of Four to make
up for the proposed reductions in direct
state taxes as aforesaid, and. possibly.
Il is iust a. well that this is 50, pending
he decision by the people as to tne pro-
posed constitutional amendment. wei
an ali agree trust, witch the conclu-
.ions Of the Committee of Four, so far
Is they have gone. and thus enact into
law and complete the first steps towards |
INK reform When the people have act
81 upon the proposed constitutional
amendment. we can t.afely leave to otner
legislatures. fresh from the people. the
determination Of such proposed license or
-peeini taxes as may be necessary or de |
sirable. 1t seems to me that what is
proposed now i wise and cafe. 1t isl
right to give she people the opportunity
to express their wishes in a constitution
i amendment. Then. if the amendment
is approved the succeeding Legislatures
can move on by other legislation to SC
curing the needed revenues 10 administer
the State government. We reach th
end sought in that event, in three years
Nv gradual reductions and without in
Jury or injustice to any persons or in
terests,
1t was with the profound conviction
that It was my duty to do 50 that
nave called the Legislature together tol
consider the bills in regard to the "taNI
assessment and revenue laws in relation
10 the disbursement Of revenues" as pre-
pared by the Tax Commission and sub
seduently amended, revised and added toI
by the Committee of -Four, Including al
eonstiu ional amendment permitting
the abolition of all direct State and
state school taxes. ] trust that YOU,
is members of the Legislature, wilt
,grec with me that the measures pro-
posed are proper necessary tnd desirable
In accordance with promise made to
the delegate from Hancock county, late
in the night of the last day of the rcgu-
lar session Of 1908. when the bill for
that purpose failed to be reached for
final passage by the Senate, have in