Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1904-10-14


approved by him. Governor White and
Mr.. Dawson, therefore. stood by and saw
Tax Reform" as proposed by the Com
mission, emasculated by striking out IL
cense taxes on coal, oil and gas, the
taxes on the gross income of railroads
and other reforms which they had de-
clared as imperatively essential to the
interests of the people, acquiescing and
agreeing to all that was insisted upon by
interests which they had represented
themselves as deiantly opposing-all to
conserve Mr.. Dawson's personal ambi-
tions. But notwithstanding his ac-
quiescenee in the compromise measures,
Mr.. Dawson continued to make his cam
paign by representing to the people in
every section of the State that he stood
for tax reform as expressed in the orig
inal Tax Commission bills, and that his
nomination and election would reduce tax
burdens upon the people and impose them
upon corporate interests.
Mr.. Dawson Continues to Play on the
Prejudices of the People.
On the other hand, his rival for the
gubernatorial nomination within the Re
publican party boldly accepted the com
promise measures, and made his canvass
for the nomination upon the theory that
this question was settled by the agree
ment reached by these Republican lead
ers. Needless of all charges of bad faith
and regardless of his pledged acquiescence
III the compromise measures, Mr.. Dawson
continued to play upon the prejudices of
the people, and to insist in his appeals to
them through his organs and by his spe-
cial advocate, Governor White, that not
only coal, oil and gas should be the spe
cial subjects of the taxing power of the
State government, but that railroads
should by system of taxation ON their
gross incomes be made to contribute a
larger proportion of State revenues for
the ostensible purpose of relieving the
farms and homes OF the small freeholders
of the State from any burdens of State
taxation.
His Success in Securing Delegates and
His Methods of Controlling Conven-
tons.
These appeals were successful in Sc
curing him many delegates to the Re-
publican convention. Another element
that entered into his success was the un
precedented and indecent manipulation
OF the political organization which he
controlled as chairman OF the Republi
can State Committee, and by and
through which system of corrupt and
fraudulent primary elections and conyen-
tions for the selection of delegates to
the State conventions was secured IN
order to accomplish his nomination, also
MIR Dawson not only retained his place
he
personally cast his vote and influence in
favor of seating contested delegates to
the convention who were favorable to
him, many of whom were chosen by
primary elections and conventions that
were conducted admittedly in violation
OF all honesty and deeency, but it was
also necessary, after the State committee
which he controlled had seated, these del
egates, to force the convention, through
the aid of the votes of these same Illegal
and fraudulent delegates, to dispense
with the committee on credentials III or
der that there might be no investiga
ton of the methods by which such dele
gates had been chosen. And thus Mr.,
Dawson was made the nominee of the
Republican party for the high office OF
Governor of the State of West Virginia,
before the convention which nominated
him had adopted any platform or decla-
ration of party principles and policy.
Now mark what followed That same
convention, absolutely controlled by him
and his personal adherents, afterward
adopted platform in which it endorsed
by formal resolution, not the plan Of
taxation upon which his nomination had
been secured so far as any fair in
fluenees were invoked to obtain it, but
the very plan of taxation which Mr..
Dawson had repudiated, and for advo
eating which Mr. Teter, his rival, and his
friends had been denounced from one
end of the State to the other as tax
dodgers and corporation hirelings!
His Change of Sentiment After His Nom
nation.
And with his nomination a marked
change of sentiment appeared. He at
once began systematic effort to in
duee the interests represented by rail
road, coal, oil and gas investments to
align themselves in his favor as a can
didate for Governor. In his willingness,
nay his anxiety, to abandon every prin-
ciple of taxation he had heretofore ad-
Nutdttu that ne nilgut SEIZURE the support
of the corporations in the general cleo
ton, through his advocate and friends.
Governor White, an extra session of the
legislature was convened for the sole
purpose of passing measures which would
on the one hand pretend to carry out the
system of reform which was pledged to
the people, and on the other hand would
enact legislation so satisfactory to cor
porate and invested interests that no
excuse would be given for their opposi-
ton to his candidacy for Governor.
Like demagogue who plays upon the
prejudiees of the people for self-interest.
Mr. Dawson had promised the people in
making his canvass, that the whole
scheme of present taxation should be 50
changed that the corporate industrial and
developing interests of the State shoulI
be made to bear nearly the wnoie bur
dens of State taxation, and that their
property should be exempted practically
from the burdens Of State and State
school taxes.
Let us see how far these pledges have
been redeemed. He promised the people
bread; let us see if be has not given
them a stone.
The Compromise Bills-How They Were
Hidden from the Legislature
When the legislature was convened in
extra session by Governor White, the
bills which were agreed to in the com
nrnnli-e "a heretofora stated were sub-