The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-11-01
T4 AM GAS

people about the taxatfon 81 coal oil
and gas as proposed BY he tax com
mission. So much emph has been
laid upon this. propogition that some
worthy people actually appear to be
from real estate and personal proper
tys and to be placed upon these prod
iucts. II is also graYely asserted by
practically every Democratic ora tor
who has come this way that the pro-
posed tax upon these interests was
the fundamental feature OF the tax
commission plan. John T.. McGraw
vent SO far as to say that the tax
commission recommended that most
revenues of the State be collected
by the special tax upon these inter
ests.
The fact of the matter lis the tax
upon these interests was merely an
Incidental feature of the tax commits
sion plan. There was nothing funda-
mental about it. In brief the tax
commission plan was the following:
i. That the IS cent State and
school tax be abolished
I: 2. That real and personal property
be assessed at its true and actual
value, and that taxes collected off
these properties be devoted exclu-
sive1y for county expenses.
4 8. That revenues for the support of.
the State governmental after certain
charges on the State treasury had
been transferred to the county treas
urtes, be collected by corpora ton
taxes (the same now collected under
the Dawson law) liquor licenses, Ii
cense on coal, oil and gas, physicians,
lawyers, druggists and various inter
ests, some taxed under the old law
and some not.
Now let us see how fundamental the
license tax upon. the production of
coal, oil and gas was. The recon-
mendation was for a tax of third of
cent a ton upon coal, half a cent
a barrel upon oil and a cent and a |
bird upon each 100000 cubic feet of
gas. The total amount of State reve-
lue as estimated by the tax commits
sion under its plan was $1,3OO,O0o. |
The total amount estimated from this
ak upon coal, oil and gas was just
- fV-cO''.. 1ilio > otI lSSiiL see lHdI Tie
ak commission expected these in
erests to pay only one-ninth of the
sntire State revenues. This small |
'ercentage could scarcely be consid-
red a fundamental proposition
But this special tax was not the
My tax which the coal, oil and gas
interests We're expected to pay by the
AK commission. They We're also to
etEEtaHed upon the true and actual
alue of all their properties by the
ounty- This license tax was an extra
ak for. the extra privileges these in
ereStS enjoy as State corporations
But the tax commission never in
ended that this tax should be levied
lille State tax remained 1t SO
appens because of the defeat of
TO submit an amendment
} the constitution a State tax of five
ents or less Will remain Upon
lis tax of five cents, if the figures
John H. Holt are true as to the as
essment of coal property at its true :
I'D actual value under the new law. !,
greater tax will be collected from ;
val, oil and gas for the State than r
=
on. Moreover these interests will '
! paying their just share to the S
UNITY which they have hitherto not '
me- Now, so long as the five cents e
ate tax remains it is evident this IL r
nse tax on coal, oil and gas should il
It be levied because these interests :
II be already paying more than the +
X commission considered just X
are. Abolish all State tax and then "
IS your license tax. Y
In connection with this license tax e,
coal, oil and gas always remem- OF
r that instead of the tax commits al
n recommending that these inter- NJ
$ should pay the greater part of Fl
II taxes as Democratic orators tell lii
!, the fact is, the commission rec w
mended that they pay only one
It'll of the State tax. The laws
v passed, according to Judge Holt, ~
heavier tax than this. So an ~,
er anti-tax reform argument pass II
News
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