West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-10-12
KICKED ON ASSESSMENT.

counties were three of the large Re
publican counties of the State that
stood Loyalty by Dawson and his
tax laws. They rolled up their usual
Republican majorities for Dawson
and tax reforml They responded
to the slogan of "stand by the par
ty," give the old party another
chance" "you can trust the old
party" aud ''vote the ticket straight
from President to Constable, which
was the stereotyped argument of the
Journal during the entire campaign.
AS loyal and patriotic Republicans
they felt it was their duty to stand
by the party, on the principle that
"The King can do no wrong" They
believe the fairy tales that the Daw-
son tax laws would cure all the ills
that taxation is heir to.
All went as merry as a marriage
bell until the Administration Asses
sors got through assessing their
lands. Then it was "Presto
changed" They awoke from their
trance. They made bee line for
the County Court. They declared
in language more emphatic than ele.
CANT that the "stand pat" spellbind-
ers had lied to them and they would
not stand for such assessment. AS
loyal and patriotic Republicans it
would ruin them. The Administrs-
ton Assessors had assessed their
lands from FIVE to ten times higher
than the old law. They had voted
for Dawson and tax reform because
they told them it would reduce their
taxes They demanded of the Coun
ty Court to cut them down. Mercer
county responded to the demand
and cut it down IS per cent. Not
to be outdone the Mcdowell County
Court went Mercer twenty better
and cut it 65 per cent. BY this time
the excitement was great and the
news had spread into Fayette coun-
ty, the home of State Tax Commits
sioner Charles Wesley Dillon. The
FaYette County Court took far off
look. The farmers were coming like
Father Abraham's forty thousand
strong. The Fayette County Court
was facing fact and not a Theory.
The Court would have to act and
act quick. Mercer and Mcdowell
had slid down the greasy pole. The
Fayette County Court resolved that
Mercer and Mcdowell could not
whack the Dawson assessment of
"true and actual value" any harder
than they could and get away with
the goods. So the Fayette County
Court proceeded to 90 into execu-
tive session and 7Oipe tie entire
Da7OS0H assessment eff tie 6oOkS and
md6e the assessment Of Fayetfe e0Ha-
" as IL /ormerip aOaS HHGer the old
IaS0 ! And the band played, evil
lie Dawson we don't want any of
your tax laws l''
But seriously speaking, farmers of
Preston, what do you think of such
internal tax laws? Talk about "true
and actual value" of assessment.
Roar about uniformity of taxationl
Shout about just an equitable tax
lawl Why, if this State of affairs
continues in other counties the State
will go bankrupt for want of funds
to meet the expenditures. The
counties that have been assessed at
the "true and actual value" like
Preston has been assessed, will have
to pay the burden of the taxes.
AS "Only A Farmer" has we'll
said, Gov. White said the reason
we needed the new tax laws was to
''raise more revenue" II the old
tax laws would raise enough revenue
to meet the eFfyavagaal expendi.
lures of the State government under
Machine rule, how are we to "raise
more revenue" with such damnable
tax laws2
Farmers OF Preston, can you re
member when this State was cursed
by such tax laws1 The fact is that
the Machine has lost its head. It
started out by promising the people
that the new tax laws would redRfe
their taxes. When the assessment
was fairly completed at the "true
and actual value" they discovered
that it would largely Aeyea5e the
taxes. The people we're up in arms.
The Machine had deceiDfd them.
They we're thirsting for revenge.
The Machine saw its doom The
result is that the different County
Courts are cutting and slashing the
new assessment in order TO calm
the anger Of the people.
Yes, in some counties the taxes
will be irS5 To other counties they
will be much higher, and in the