West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-06-01
And Governor About to Collapse With
Grief Over The
IEGRATITUDE OF THE PEOPLE.
They Are Receiving Letters From
People all Over the State Con.
demning Their Tax Laws.
The Governor Commands His Loyal Sub
jsets in Preston to Vote the Ticket
Straight From His New Tax
Laws to Lakin

Gov. Dawson and myself are ltv
ing examples tEat trials and tribula-
tions never come singly. No one
but the Creator who placed us here
know the anguish of our hearts.
Our heads are bowed down and we
are offering up many supplications
that light may be given us TO untwist
our new tax laws which have been
twisted by the Supreme Court of
Appeals until we scarcely recognize
them. For years we have watched
the growth of our new tax laws with
the pride of father, mother, broth
er, sister, uncle, aunt and cousin,
for our relationship has been that of
all. In their infancy we administer
ed the Standard Oil syrup to relieve
their collie and ease their pain.
When they grew to manhood and
had to have their wisdom tooth ex.
tracted we used the laughing gas Of
the Trust that they might not dis
turbe the peace aud comfort Of the
poor people. When the circus and
the elephant came to town we de p.
manded a double tax for exhibition
or free pass to the show. We
have done everything we could for
our new tax laws to make them a
credit TO ourselves and an honor to
the State which gave them birth in
the throes of Primary war, a war
which came near sacrificing the
father upon the compromising act.
| am so overcome with grief that
can send no cheering news back
TO Preston this time. We are re g.
ceiving daily, thousands of letters
from the poor people praying that
we save the new tax laws from the
horrible death which awaits them
when the farmers start their reapers
and mowers after them. This is the
blow that will kill Papa Dawson and
Uncle Rambler. My bed at Char
lesion has been a bed of roses until
now. / am now sleeping with one
leg in the air and the other on the
floor. The Governor declares he is
legless, for the Supreme Court has
not left him peg TO stand on. In
our hours of torture we cry out {;
"Why did the Supreme Court dis.
embowel our tax leases, the pride
and JOY of our new tax laws !"
During our tour of spellbinding
the last campaign we told the farm
ers that all tax leases would have to
be paid by the corporations. We
told the farmers that there would be
no increase in their taxes; that when
our assessors came around to assess
their farms that they would receive
them with open arms and fondly
embrace them. The Supreme Court
has just notified us by telephone
that the Standard Oil Company in
the generosity of their benevolence
have turned the tax leases over to
the farmers for collection. The
farmers are too busy ploughing and
sowing their crops TO take a day off
and collect the tax leases. We are
in full sympathy with McGinty now,
we know what ii is to be swiming at
the bottom Of the sea, with the air
tube IN the hands of our enemy.
But this is not all. The farmers are
complaining bitterly about the in
crease in their assessments. Here
is an excerpt from a letter received
this morning
" Your assessor was here today
and paid rue visit, visit that il
will not be necessary for me to mark
down in my diary TO recollect. 1
talked myself hoarse the last cam.
paign telling the people that your
new tax laws was the very thing we
farmers needed. / want to inform
you that / have changed my mind.
The assessor is responsible for my
change Of mind. My farm was as
sessed at 81 an acre and the assessor
just put il up to $50 an acre. II
you have any friends down there
who are still laborine under the i'm
preston that your tax laws will be
the salvation Of the farmer you cant
send them to me too soon. am
in the market to sell and I will sell
cheap. Raising the value Of my
farm from 81 to $50 is more than
bargained for and you have no
tightening calculator in Charleston
that can figure aud convince me
that my taxes will not be increased
under your tax law"
Such letters from our old friend.
back ia Preston Us the cause Of ,h,
leakage ia our eyes. ] will Civ,
another extract from a letter which
Is not calculated to bring Joy to us
"As a hotel keeper want to in
form you how your tax laws reduced
my hotel license. ] voted for yo,
and your tax laws and / don't know
t1st have any kick coming, but fl
some man who voted against yo,
and your tax laws was 10 come alon,
and induce me TO retire to the rea
Of the hotel and kick me until /
would be impossible for me to si
down for a few weeks 4 am not sur,
that / would be entitled to any lega
redress. II there was, I would no
bring suit against him until he coul,