West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-08-24
ONLY A FARMER
Replies 10 Republican" and Submits
a Few Nuts Fer Him 10 Crack.
ro the Edilor OF rnr ARous.

farmers are not concerned whether
| am a '1iar," a damned fool" or
a "hypocritc." The personality of
myself and "Repubhoan" has moth
ing TO do with the discussion of the
tax issue. Casting aspersions upon
the character of one another will
not enlighten the people upon the
tax question. am simply submit
ting my side of the case and il is
for the people to say whether have
been falsifying the tax laws.
What the farmers and the people
who own their little homes want to
know is whether the Dawson tax
laws will increase or decrease their
taxes. So far l think Republican"
has failed to prove that when the
Dawson laws are put into full oper-
alton tina, they will not increase the
farmers taxes.
You have used up many columns
in the Journal with abuse of those
who differ with you, but you have
not proven that the Dawson tax
laws will not increase my taxes.
Abuse and villifcation has never
won converts tn any cause.
Republican" has placed himself
beyond the pale of public contro.
versy by violating every rule of
decncy in the discussion of public
questions. The sum and substance
OF his argument has been that /
am a 'liar," damned fool" and
a "hypocrite."
According to all rules governing
the discussion of public questions
"Republican' has been worsted i'm
this discussion by losing his temper
and substituting vllifcation for ar
gument
But | have few more nuts for
"Republican" to crack and am
anxious that my farmer brethren
observe with what dexterity he will
avoid cracking them to expose the
"tax reform" contained therein.
Is it not fact Mr.. "Rcpublican"
that the Board of Public Works
have increased the railroad assess
ments for the entire State of West
Virginia but $4,000, 900 ? Thus we
find that the old assessments were
50 900, 600 and the new assess.
ment places it atS36, 600, 900. Now
at IS cents on the Sroo valuation
the railroads paid into the public
treasury the sum Of SIo85oo in taxes.
Under the Dawson tax laws ut 20
cents on the Sroo valuation the
railroads will pay into the State
Treasury S72, 900 on the $50, 600, e
900 assessment, a difference ofS36,
500 in favor OF the railroads. or
in other words, that may be plain
and my farmer brethren may under
stand me, while the Dawson law has
raised the railroad assessment from
S3G 900, 900 to $50, 900, 900 the
railroads will pay Miyly-Sir MoHsand
ETc hHHdrcd doilays LESS fuses to
the State Of West Virginia than they
did under the old law.
Now this is one Of the nuts that
want Republican to crack and see
IT he can find the ingredients Of
liar" damned fool" and "hypo-
critic"
Brother farmers, does the saving
Of S36,5oo year to the railroads
in taxes look like the Dawson tax
laws have placed the burden Of tax
alton upon the corporations and
lightened the burden Of the farmers2
Nor is this all my farmer breth.
rem. / have another nut for Gre.
publican" to crack. want to con.
fine my remarks to the Dawson tax
laws as they appear on the statute
books and not as Republican" or
myself would have them. want
my farmer brethren to pay psrticu.
lar attention to how Republican"
will crack this. The farmer. accord.
ing TO the Dawson tax laws, must
pay taxes ON the full value Of his
land, without deduction being made
for any debt he may owe, and the
personal property owned by the
farmer is Of such a character that
no deduction for indebtedness can
be allowed from It's taxable value
nor is it possible for him to hide it
from the assessor. On the other
hand those holding personal proper.
| ty ia the shape of moneys, " "cred
its" and Investments" may by
law Che Dawson law) deduct their
Indebtedness from their assessment
| valuation.
Can you not see my farmer breth-
rem that this wonderful Dawson law
is so worded that those who own
the wealth of the country and spec.
ulate have loop hole to escape