Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-07-28
The Legislature in Session.


TEN of this State.
1t will be remembered that the er-
iginal bills for tax revision were pre-
sented by the non-partisan commission
appointed in accordance with an act
OF the Legislature of 1901. The Leg
islature of 1908 refused to consider
these measures, although strongly
urged to do so. The agitation Of the
subject was so strong and the criti-
cism of the Republican majority in
the Legislature SO severe, that the
Republican leaders found it necessary
to take action of some sort in order to
save their party. Accordingly at a
conference in Washington last winter
a committee to consider the question
was appointed, and the committee put
the bills in the hands of sub-com-
mittee composed OF Hon. A. 6. Day
ton, Judge Reese Blizzard, Hon. VIM.
P Hubbard and Hon. Geo. c. Stur-
g!ss. After long discussion and con-
sideration the subcommittee agreed
upon "a bills, twelve Of them as the
original commission had drafted them,
but the more important ones very ma
teIially amended and altered. IL Is
the Republican plan to pass these
measures which were
agreed to by both factions, Dayton
and Blizzard representing the corpor-
ations and Hubbard and Sturgiss the
tax reform element.
On Tuesday, Immediately following
the announcement that the Legislature
was convened, Governor Whites mes
sage was presented, accompanied by
the draft of tax measures to be con-
The Governor message was
brief and confined strictly to the OBJ
iect for which the extra session was
called. He urged the concurrence OF
the members in the measures as pre-
pared and recommended by the COM
mittee, and asked that the session be
made as brief as is consistent with the
Importance of the legislation to be
considered. After the reading Of the
message both houses adjourned until
10 o'clock Wednesday. The after
noon was put in by members Of both
houses in studying the bills prepared
for their consideration. These meas
ures differ so materially from the or
iginal bills as presented at the last
session that comparatively few were
familiar with what they are called up
on to pass.
The most important of the bills Is
that which proposes to abolish the di-
rect State taxes on property. Itseeks
to do away with the 50 per cent tax
and provides for the ratif-
cation by the people before it can all
be removed. 1t is proposed to make
no change this year, but takes off II
cents in 1905 and II cents in 1906.
There will be Is cents left in 1907 if
a proposed constitutional amendment
is not ratified by the people. There
will be none left if the people vote in
favor of the amendment. AS there
was some doubt of the legality Of re-
moving all the State tax without
amending the Constitution, it was de-
cidpd to make certain of this course.
From the direct tax there is now
an annual revenue Of approximately
100000. From new license and
taxes proposed 100000 will
be derived, and this will be ample I'M
til the entire State tax is removed,
and by the time it is all abolished it
is expected there will be legislation
which will fill the vacuum.
One Of the most important and ad-
vaneed measures is the bill which
specifies how banks, trust companies,
merchants, pipe lines, telegraph, tel
ephone, express, railroad and street
railway companies-in fact, all public
corporations-shall be as
sessed. The intent of the bill is to
fix the basis of taxation Cd the amount
of business done annually by cor
poration. Companies will be required
to state the amount of their capital
stock, its market value, the amount
of their bonded Indebtedness, etc.
The revised system is expected to
catch in dragnet corporations which
were assessed unduly low and is the
first step along this line of corporation
assessment in West Virginia. 1t re-
quires gross earnings returns from
pipeline companies, railroads and
other utilities as to the business they
have done. Brewers, stock brokers,
telegraph, express, railroad and oil
pipeline companies and banks and
corporations in general
come in for very important considera-
ton, and although the tax compro-
mise measures do not touch on the
vital issues in the tax reform agita-
ton Of taxing the output of coal and
oil companies, it will be seen that
the bill which touches on gross earn
ings of corporations is in this direc-
ton.
1t is proposed to tax all collateral
inheritances, distributive shares and
legacies-that is, where they do not
descend to heirs in direct line of de-
scent, and this innovation in West
Virginia is modelled after a system in
existence elsewhere.
One Of the bills proposes that junk
dealers shall pay a license tax of $25
a year. To conduct the business of a
stock broker $50, but $500 where
stocks are sold on margins. Liquor
licenses, wholesale and retail, are in
oraose1 from o95O m S45O On q