The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-09-16
MR.. DAVIS
ASSESSMENT LAW

RSDACsJlfAEel A~fh "
The favorite argument Of Mr. John
J. Cornwell and his supporting news
papers against tax reform measures is
that the extra session OF the>Legi5la-
ture departed from the original ta5;
commission bills ana adopted $ubst-
iutes which are iniquitous and hu"tful-
Mr.. CornwclI and his papers mourn
fully say that the commissions plan
was wise and just. but that the laws
adopted are in the interests of the cor
porations and will raise the farmer s
taxes. Those good Democrats, Henry
G. Davis and John H. Holt. they said,
never contemplated such acts as were
passed by the Legislature. q would
have voted for the tax commission
bills said Mr.. Cornwell.
Now, let us go into detail as to
Mr.. Cornwel1's objections. He specifi-
cally objects to assessing property at
it's true and actual value" He Sc
lects section ] 2 of the new assessment
law as case in point and in every
speech and utterance dwellS upon the
niquty of this passage. His newsDa-
pers publish this section in big black
type as an awful warning. The local
organ did it Tuesday 1t is denounced
by Mr. Cornwell and his papers as the
most outrageous thing the Legislature
did. Now. let us see what this dread
full provision is. AS stated it is section
70 of the new assessment law and
reads as follows:
10. All property both real and per
sonal in any county, except as herein
otherwise expressly provided, shall be
assessed as of the first day of April
of each year at its true and actual
value; that is to say, at the price FOR,
which such property, the value of
which is sought TO be ascertaincd,. is
usually sold, and not the price which
might be realized if such property
wer sold at a forced sale.
Unfortunately for the argument that
the Legislature departed from the
original tax commission plan ana did
things Henry 6. Davis and John II.
Holt would not sanction, we find on
pages ca and GS. section II OF Draft
c OF the original tax commission bills
the following:
-. All roperty both real and per-
sOnal in any county, except as herein
otherwise expressly provided. shall
be assessed as of the first day of IAN
uary of each year at its true and ac-
tual value: that is to say, at the price
for which such property would sell if
voluntarily offered for sale by the
owner thereof upon such terms as
such property the value of which is
sought to be asccrtained is usually
sold, and not the price which might
be realized if such property We're sold
at forced sale.
The only difference 1t will be seen
in the original commission bill from
the bill passed is that the assessment
shall be made April LIST instead Of Jan
nary list. The original bill also had 2
sentence at the end requiring that if
property were sold during the pre-
ceding year the sale price should be
taken. This was cut off to lessen the
severity of the law.
IN another pamphlet an argument
favoring the adoption OF this law may
be found signed by five gentlemen of
John Fl. Holt.
"DawSOn'S bogus tax reform" is
what Mr.. Cornwcll and his loca! organ
call this articular law Perhaps it is
bogus, but if it is Mr.. Dawson is not
responsible Mr.. COrnWcll should cal!
it in that event Henry q. Davis's and
John n. Hollis bogus tax reform
Ii is sad that a Democrat should have
to make his sole issue upon d twelve
line paragraph prepared by men prom
incnt in Democratic circles when he
was unknown, but he should be fair
enough TO give the real authorship
Wheeling News.