The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1904-10-26

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Republican Legislature On The
Question Of Reducing The Coun-
ty Levy.
The mendaoity and ignorance Of
the SO called authorities ON tax re-
form continues to develop and
grow with the agitation on that
subject. The Republican party
evidently imagines that all the
tax payers of this state are easily
fooled or it must confess it's utter
inability to deal with the tax ques.
ton which makes it's position pitt
able.
The press and orators of that
party who have spoken here, as
we'll as the street urchins in its
employ in this city. endeavor to
impress upon the citizens that the
recent extraordinary session of the
Legislature reduced the maximum
county levy from ninety-five cents
to sixty cents on the 500 valua-
ton of property. This is not true.
They are ignorantly or wilfully
incorporating this matter. Let
us investigate.
Section of article 10 of the
State Constitution reads:
County authorities shall never
assess taxes. for any one year. the
aggregate of which shall exceed
ninety five cents on the 500 valua-
tion." etc.
By the term county authorities,
in this connection, is meant the
county commissioners composing
the county court.
Every sane man knows, or should
know, that the county commission
ers only make two levles One is
called for county purposes" and
the other for "road purposes"
The boards of education of the
various districts make their own
levy for teachers and building pur-
poses, and they are likewise author
lied to do so under sections 3S and
40 of chapter 19 of the new law.
The levy for county purposes is
made under section 80 of chapter
80 of the cods 1t has bean fixed
by the county commissioners in
this county and standing at sixty
cents on the 500 valuation for
many years.
The levy for road purposes is
made under section % of chapter
43 of the code, which today stands
unrepealed and is an entirely differ
emit law from the one under which
the levy for county purposes is
made. The levy for road purposes
has been standing at thirty-five
cents on the 500 valuation on
property in this county for the
past several years. Or, in the
aggregate, the county levy of sixty.
cents and the road levy of thirty.
five cents, make the constitutional!
limit of ninety five cents.
The title to the new act reads:.
IAN ACT to Amend and Re.enacts
Section 90 of Chapter 80 of the
Code"
1t will be seen that the only
chapter or section of the code
which is attempted to be affected
by this new law is that part which,
provides for the raising of revenue.
for county, purposes, zot road pur.
poses, which is provided for in am
entirely different chapter and sec
ton. The only restriction plaoedi
on the levy by the new aot is the,
amount to be levied for oountvy
purposes which it says shall not.
exceed sixty cents on the 800
valuation. at which figure it has,
been standing in this county for.
many years. The new act saws
nothing as 10 section % of CHAPTER
10, under which the levy for road
purposes is made, aud it remains
in full force and effect, and the
county commissioners will have
the same right to levy the road tax.
in addition to the levy for county
purposes, as heretofore. Any argn-
ment to the contrary must be
characterized as wiIful falrifioa.
ton of the law or made through
ignorance.-Fairmont Times.
The uprising of the taxpaying
class of Republicans all over the
state against the new assessment