Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-09-02

Legislature:
The extra session of the Legisla
ture, called by Governor White
for the ostensible purpose Of re
forming the tax laws, has adj
journed. Now that it is at an enc
the people will naturally inquire
whether the work done justified
the expenditure of the $4,000
that it cost.
Taken as a whole, | say not
Wholesome measures were passed
that were all right and might
properly be called good ones, yet
they were not of great import
ance and might just as well have
been enacted at any regular ses-
sion. On the other hand, the main
measures were loaded with objec-
tionable provisions that we great
ly fear their effect on the far
mers and small property owners.
The claim of justification of the
session and the work done which
will be pointed to by our Republic
can friends. is the provision OF the
reduction of the State tax, II
cents next year and gradual re-
duction thereafter. This they
point to as a saving to the tax
payer and as real tax reform.
While the money lender and bond
holder will profit by that and the
assessment bill which accompan-
led it, the farmer and owner OF
visible property will certainly SUI
fer by it, for the reason that the
assessment bill provides for as
sessment of real and personal
property. not at it's actual cash
value, but at the price for which
the owner could sell it at vOllln-
tarv sale. The assessors are com
PEELED to make the assessments IN
accordance with this provision
and there is a tax commissioners, a
high salaried State official, ere
ated for the purpose OF pursuing
the assessors and seeing that the
property is raised on the tax
hooks in accordance with the pro-
visions of the new law. This
means that the farmer will have
assessed to him PROBABLY at least
twice as much taxable property
as he had heretofore. His prop
ertv values will be doubled, under
the new assessment. From his as
sessment he can not deduct his m
debtedness, as can the man with
bonds. notes and money. Now
what will be the effect? The far
mer will be taxed on twice the
amount of property he was before
while the money lender. the cor
poration and the railroads will not
have their assessment raised
What is the natural effect? The
farmer will have to pay tWlce the
proportion of the county, district
school and road taxes that he IS
now paying.
Take this illustration: John
Jones has a farm assessed at 81
600 but which he could sell prl'
vatelv for $4,000. on time. Ills
neichbor. John Doe. has $1,000 IN
vested in stocks or loaned out or
interest. Under this new law
which will be applied at the next
assessment, the assessor comes
around and says to John Jones
81 will have to assess your farm
for $4,000. as you could sell it fol
that privately. on time So it Is
nut down at $4,000. He goes OF
TO John Doe, who has the $1,000 or
interest. John Doe has gotten be
hind. perhaps, and owes S2 aN'
This is deducted from his Sloo'
of notes, leaving him $500 to D'
assessed with. Or. perhaps, NJ
does not owe anything, he is as
sessed. and can be only assessed
with the $1,000 he has. Now
what's the result? These two
neichbors, one farmer and th'
other a money lender, who were
both paying identically the same
| amount of taxes before will nov
be ON an unequal footing, and tn
| farmer whose assessment was dou
bled will be paying just twice a