Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-09-02
HON. JOHN. ].
CORNWELL
CONTINUED from Page 81

eitrant Republicans, drove them
from their position. They had to
abandon the criminal charge bill,
, the bills to place the charge OF
maintaining the inmates of the
various State institutions on the
counties and they voluntarily
abandoned the bill to put a State
tax on all deeds and instruments
of writing recorded in the Coun-
ty Clerks Offices after the Demo-
Gratis had driven them to accept
an amendment which would have
graduated this tax so as to catch
the large investors. They also en-
deavored to submit a constitu-
tional amendment the adoption of
which would have jeopardized
, one-fourth of the land titles in the
State, lost to thousands of people
in the southern end of the State
their homes, or involved them in
endless litigation, at least, and
would have passed it, had not it
been defeated in the house by the
Democrats, two-thirds of all the
members elected being needed as
voting for it before it could be
submitted. They have levied a
tax of $40 upon every person who
sells tobacco in any form, regard
less of the amount he handles.
1t refused to submit for the rat
ifcation of the people a constitu-
tional amendment providing that
the Legislature shall levy the 81
capitation, or head tax, already
provided for in the constitution
and that no one should vote at
any State or National election
until they have paid such capita
ton tax for the year in which
such election was held. They de-
feated that proposition, despite
the fact that out Of the 100000
votes cast in this State about TO-
900 Of them are cast by men who
refuse to pay their head tax. The
passage of such an amendment to
the constitution would have
brought into the State treasury
the $4,000 thus lost to the school
fund and enabled the school dis
tricts in every county in the State
to decrease it's school tax, or it
would have shut out from the
polls the worthless and vicious ell
ement that is dominating and con-
trolling our State.
One other thing, lest we for
get One Of the compromise
bills agreed on by the Republican
big four and which was prepared
and submitted to the Legislature,
was the one making the Auditor
statutory attorney for all the non
resident corporations and provld-
ing that the annual fee of $40
paid by each corporation to the
Auditor as such statutory attor-
ney should 90 into the State
treasury. This would have
brought into the State treasury
at least $4,000 or $4,000 annu-
ally and would have effected only
a few people, who are now revel-
ing in the fees. Mr.. Dawson is
the chief beneficiary Of this fee
system. so, from some mysterious
and unaccountable reason, that
bill that was smothered and the
State will continue to lose these
princely fees which the Governor
and his special session promised
to turn into the State treasury.
These are only a few things
which | ask the people to ponder,
study and digest. Things that
strike home to them-that reach
their pockets direct. There are
other matters that will be discuss
ed from time to time.
Of course, every one under
stands that the tax on coal. OIL
and gas, upon which Mr.. Dawson
made his campaign for the noml-
nation, was abandoned by HIM
long before the extra session was
called, and despite the fact that
vigorous efforts were made by one
or two Republicans and several
Democrats to get up the bills
levying a tax on these products,
l. 70