The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-07-26
SPECIAL MESSAGE
OF GOVERNOR ALBERT B. WHITE TO THE
LEGISLATURE OF WEST VIRGINIA.
EXTRA SESSION, 1904.
10 the Members of the senate ant

s entlemen:-Acting under the au
Sss thority conferred upon me by section
# of article VII of the Constitution OF
West Virginia, which provides that
the governor may, on extraordinary
q occasions convene; at his own in
stance, the Legislature; but when so
convened it shall enter upon no bust
ness except that stated in the proc
lamatfon by which il was called to-
gether - have deemed it my duty to
convene the Legislature Of said State
& at Charleston, on the twenty-sixth
the following subjects of legislative
business, Fo-wit:
To consider the bills prepared by
che Commission appointed by author
& ftys of Joint resolution No. Is, adopted
81 by the Legislature of West Virginia
on the goth day of February, 1901 and
any amendments thereto; and also
( nySother bills relating TO the assess
nent, collection and disbursement of
taxes and other revenues.
T.. To consider the submission to
the voters of the State of constitu-
s#tional amendm lent expressly permit
ting the Legislature to dispense with
all State and State school taxes on
property.
III. To create the independent
school district of Chester
- To make the necessary appro-
priations for the expense of this call
81 ed session of the Legislature, and for
Expenses arising from laws enacted
by tit: ito provide for the expenses of
rnoving&into and fitting up the new
Offices, including law library and
court room, in the Capitol Annex
and for altering, fitting up and NOV
ing into the various executive Offices
I'm the Capitol; to appropriate for the
salary of$the ianitor during the SEES
sion of 1903, and for ..criers. messea-
gers and janitors OF the Supreme
5reappropriate to pay for the pur-
chase of a coat of arms to be made in
bronze for the armored cruiser West
Virginia.
To provide that such laws
as may be enacted upon the foregoing
subjects of legislative business, or
any of them, shall take effect from
their passage, if. in the judgment of
the Legislature, it be proper
The. regular session OF your honor
able bodies adjourned in February,
100 ,,swithout having taken any action
upon the report of the State Tax Com
mission, and the bills prepared by the
same, which We're presented in print
ed form and the consideration of
swhich$I earnestly recommended. The |
3i1nlted%Gt1me of the regular session,
and great extent of |
the LEGISLATION proposed and the lack |
of familiarity with what was proposed |
both by the pablo and the legislators, |
We're urged as reasons for postpon-
ing action until special or subse-
.quentS session of the Legislature |
should be held.
};s& During the past eighteen months |
the report and recommendations of |
the Tax Commission have been very |
widely and thoroughly discussed and |
have become matters of supreme |
public interest to the voters and tax
payers of this State. The public in
terest in these matters has devel-
oped such general and intelligent I'M
derstanding of the whole subject as
anu warrant dCtlOn the
law making power.
Some months ago a committee of
ten of the prominent citizens. of our
State was created to take up the re-
port. and recommendations of the Tax
Commission and to formulate there
from, if possible, such measures as
would give the people relief from part
or all of the direct taxes now levied
forSfhe support of the State govern
ment, Secure many of the administra-
tive reforms of the Tax Commission
measures, which all could agree upon,
and.tos reach basis for present and
immediate action, which would permit
the people to pass upon the question
OF authorizing the entire abolition of
direct State taxes, through consti-
tutional amendment. a sub commit I
tee of four of these eminent citizens {
Of our State, in the persons of Hon
W4sssP- Hubbard, Hon. A. C. Dayton, {
Hon. Reese Blizzard and Hon. G. c. |
5turgiss, was appointed to take this /
work in hand. The result of their de- i
fberations, including the Tax Com
mission bills as amended by them and T
several new measures, was placed in I
nyEhands on the first day of July and y
X. s. .-