West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-09-01
Suggests the Organization of a Far
mers Corporation to Obtain Re
suits.

am in a quandary. | have a
horrible nightmare. If this keeps
up life is not worth living. The
cause ? Politics have been con-
graduating myself all along that my
political bed in this years campaign
would be bed of roses. Every
thing pointed that way after the cap.
ture of Tax Reform and the nomi.
nation of our own VIM. M. o. Daw-
son for Governor. 1t was agreed
among ourselves, as Bro. Dawson
and myself preached it in the rural
districts to the farmers, whom we
have an undying love for when we
want Office, that if they would nomi-
nate Bro. Dawson we would elimi-
nate taxation from the farm by
placing the burden of taxation upon
the shoulders of the corporations
We promised faithfully to tax coal,
oil and gas. These commodities
seemed to be the discordant ele
ment in our pathway to the Gov
ernorship. This was the bone of
contention, the bone which Bros.
Dawson and Teter. fought for from
one end of the State to the other.
In fact, it was such a drawing card
that we took it to Washington and
exhibited it TO President Roosevelt
and his Cabinet. They advised us
to take it back to West Virginia
and keep it on the sacred soil of the
Mountain State, which had been
made so fertile by the bleaching
bones of the dead pie-hunters. We
accepted their advice and returned
home.
Until Bro. Dawson was norui-
mated in Wheeling we kept the fur
flying in all directions. For the next
few weeks after the nomination of
Bro. Dawson the Teter portion of
the Republican calamity were kept
busy weeping and extracting the
fur from their garments. At this
period Of our harmonious existence
we gathered in Charleston to pluck
the tail feathers out of Tax Reform.
Gov. White issued a call for an ex.
traordinary Reform Legislature to
convene. The faithful gathered and
convened and connived. We were
about to redeem our pledges to the
farmers. We were fully prepared
to make the corporations 60 down
and out as Jefferies did Jack Mon
roe. But they spared for time.
They would duck and side step
every time we attempted to de-
liver the solar plexus blow to coal,
oil and gas They had wonderful
vitality and they finally out witted
us and got the decision. So here
we are, a tax reform without tax
reformation! How are we TO ex-
plain it to the farmers Coal, oil
and gas have escaped taxation, and
they have passed a bill to re-assess
our farms at their full selling value,
which will thnbble the taxation of
the poor farmer, whom we had
promised to free from this burden
of taxation. ] want TO ask in thun.
dering tones, how are we going to
explain this to the farmers Is it
any wonder that have nightmare
and sorely distressed This Reform
Legislature cost us S2s, 900 and
created a Tax Commission at a SAL
airy of 81, 500 to appoint assessors
in every county to assess our farms.
As farmer journalist protest. We
have been deceived by those who
professed to be our friends. They
promised to tighten the burden of
our taxation, but instead they have
piled it on threefold. AS farmer,
who has mortgage on his farm, I
most earnestly protest against this
discrimination against the farmers.
Some one will have to get a good
hard jolt in the jaw for their treach-
cry TO us tillers Of the soil. This
humbuggery has gone on far enough.
have an idea to suggest to my
brother farmers which I believe
will Tighten our taxation. 1t is this
Let us form the Farmers Corpora
ton. We have tried the Farmers
Alliance and failed. There is a
potency about the word CORPORA.
ton" which brings results. That's
what we want-results. We have
had enough Of bucombe and politi
cal promises Let us go after the
results. THE RAMBLER,
The Guards Leave Saturday