Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-05-02
PAY, PAY, PAY.


way its wonders to perform thinking
not OF the hardship entaiied. That
such an adept i'm the political game
should be foisteed upon the people
of the state was bad enough but that
he should pose as reformer and
the peoples champion is so utterly
ridiculous that none hut those OF his
own ilk will for moment take Sc
riously his professions OF solicitude
for the public welfare. While seem
ing to say II have stood sponsor for
these tax laws" IL is only n covert
way of calling on the poor man To
pay. pay, pay" Pay for the ex
travagance OF Republican admin
istration; pay for the taxes that the
railroads should pay. pay To over
come the deficit that "A continuance
OF such extravaganza would bring
about; pay to satisfy the greed of
group of hungry politicians: pay for
the organization of "A machine that
would forever hold the State in It's
power; pay for the luxury OF
spendthrift administration.
Tax reform Is nothing more than
a preteNt to cover the tremendous
OUTLAWS that have grown and grown
since Republicans came into power.
That there has been an increase In
expenditures owing to the growth OF
the State, no one denies, but that n
should have reached the proportions
IL has, can not be attributed to nat
ural growth but TO willful and useful
extravaganza and the tax laws that
were enacted by the last legislature
were simply placed on the statute
books to raise more revenue.
What has raised the salaries of
clerks from $4,000 in 1896 to
$4,000 I'm 1906. a three hundred
per cent. increase? Have the rev
enues OF the State increased in pro-
portion i'm the last decade? Isn't
II rather a part of that extravaganza
which tried to vote additional mil
cage ut the end OF the last session
OF the legislature? The Legislature
Contingent expenses i'm 1895 were
5000 In 1905 IT amounted to
$4,000. almost a five hundred per
cent. increase. The legislative de-
partment in the year 1895. next to
the last year OF the last Democrat
ic administration, was charged with
$22,935. Ten years later. we find
them charged with S6O.432. The
Judicial Department managed to do
pretty well on $56.35O mp until 1895.
and after that year by year. the ex-
penditures have increased until 1905
they amounted $1O0,SOO. The 10
tai expenditures out Of the state
Fund i'm 1896 were $G33.59O: for
1906 they were $1,S7SlS7, expendi
lures having more chan doubled i'm n
decade. Is II any wonder then that
II became absolutely necessary to in
crease the states revenue in such
way that the people might not be
alarmed and visit their distrust upon
the men responsible for such an I'm
crease. by ousting them from Office
OF the Increase in revenue that be-
comes necessary to- keep pace will
expenditures. Randolph county must
bear more than her burden because
the County Court OF this county en-
tertained different political views
from those held by the board.
If You espostuate that you have
too much taxes TO pay the answer
is, you did not pay enough before"
No, gentlemen and taxpayers You
were not contributing enough and
so they raised your contribution
There were some, we are told. who
were not assessed AZ what their real
estates was worth and IT. was at those
the new tax laws were aimed. Have
they accomplished that aim? Not a
bit OF H. The very men who were
paying more than they should be
fore have had to- stand the onus Of
the increase. Justice was not the
consideration which led TO the adop-
tlon OF the tax laws II was not