West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-02-16
THBFEE SYSTEM.


er is apparent We recognize in
the writer a gentleman and a scholar,
and we further believe the writer TO
be honest in his defense of the fee
system. We make no appeal to
prejudice and political bias, but to
reason and common sense. The
Journal writer thinks that those who
cannot subscribe TO the new tax laws
and the fee system, that their op.
position emenates from ignorance,
or they are actuated by desire "to
SANDER the new tax laws" This
assumption is entirely wrong. For
the past fifteen years both political
parties are on record as opposed TO
the Secretary of State being the sole
beneficiary, and they have adyocat-
ed making the Secretary of State or
the Auditor statutory attorney and
turning the fees into the State Trea.
sury.
The office of Secretary of State is
the one office in the State that all
politicians want on account of the
large revenue. -Four years in this
capacity means that they can retire
and live the balance of their days
without worrying about the "rainy
day"
The people must be the Judge as
to who is the ignoramous. They
must decide if the opposition to the
fee system and the new tax laws is
based on hostility to the Republican
administration. "Unus Populi'
cannot be judge and jury in this
case.
The Journal writer is the first one
we have heard to advance the argu-
ment that the statutory attorney
would be an injustice to the lawyers,
and he endeavors to draw a parallel
case by citing DIR. White as a geol-
ogist and DR.. Pratt as a physician,
which Is quite ingenious, but falla-
cious.
Will the Journal writer advise us
why it is that the corporations al
ways employ the Secretary of State
as their attorney3 Isitnot because
they know Git is not a matter OF be-
lief that the Secretary of State
holds the key to the situation and
can render them eminent service,
which nothing but his political pull
can give him. No outside lawyers
are employed in this capacity and
therefore there can be no injustice
done them by making the Auditor
the statutory attorney and turning
the fees into the State Treasury,
which is Conservatory estimated at
from $50, 900 70 $3s, 900 per year.
This would help to tighten taxation,
and we take 1t that there is not a
Republican farmer or laborineman
who would object to it. There will
be no injustiae done to any one in
the passage of the Montgomery bill,
except that il will deprive the Sec
rotary of State of these enormous
fees which he has been fattenine on
at the expense of the tax payers.
The Secretaryship of State is a SAL
aried Office and he should be satisf-
ed with the salary. If he is not
there is no law compelling him to
serve.
We fear that "Unus Populi" is
not thoroughly acquainted with the
history of West Virginia politics.
Gov elect Dawson himself has on
more than one occasion protested
to be in favor of the MONTGOMERY
bill, but this was before he became
Secretary of State and the Demo
Gratis were getting the "rake off. "
If it was wrong then, and Gov-elect
Dawson and every other Republican,
who knew that there was such an
office as Secretary of State, SAID il
was not only wrong but a robbery
of the people. Before the enact.
ment Of the new tax laws Mr.. Daw-
son and the other managers of the
party advocated the Montgomery
bill, but when it was voted on they
were there to see that il was voted
out Of the new tax bill The editors
who exposed the new tax laws on
this vicious fee system were not so
profoundly ignorant as to what
was promised the people in the way
of turning into the State Treasury
the SIS, 900 corporation fees. And
Cunts Populi" will have no occa-
sion to become alarmed that ga
dangerous precedent" will be estab.
lished when this is done. The peo.
pie can Withstand all such "prcce.
dents" and meet them with open
arms. They are understanding the
new tax laws better every day, and
the more they read and study them
the better able they are to appreci-
ate that it was the Republican news
! papers and spellbinders who misrep-
resented the new tax laws to them.
They arc observing the action OF the