The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-10-23

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State Just previous to the election IN
November, 1904. an imaginary list was
made up Of the items Of household
property that the poor man had to
give in. and with the face ofhonesty
1t was declared that he would have
to do this. notwithstanding that the
law said that in the assessment of
household property It should be. con-
sfdered as whole, and would not be
ttemfzed, and this paper was edited
by an able Democratic lawyer. He
knew, / believe, II You will excuse
the expression. that he was lying. A
good deal of fun was promoted at the
Democratic meetings by description
Of how the assessor would go after
"old speck." Now this prediction has
not ben. fulfilled. The assessor has
not been chasing your chickens about,
nor has he compelled You to itemize
your household and kitchen furniture,
and II these articles have been as
sessed, as the Democratic constitu-
ton provides they must be and as
Democratic Governor Jackson ordered
that they should be, still your taxes
bova baa, roduoad
Collection Of capltatIon Taxes.
It was said also by these Demo,
cratic leaders that the assessor was
clothed with autocratic powers in the
collection of capltatlon taxes, and il
he happened to catch you on the pub
lie road and you did not have your
dollar in your pocket he wout't at
once levy upon your baby's crib, or
some other sacred piece of furniture,
and Immediately sell 1t at sacrifice
sale. I have made diligeRt inquiry
since, and l haven't heard Of a single
baby's crib that has been 50 sacrl-
feed, or any other property; but I
have heard Of great many men who
were compelled to pay their taxes
who had never paid 1t before, alb
these men were men who came into
the State without any intention Of lie.
GINNING residents of 1t, but to work
and make some money and go home
with The money This feature Of the
tax laws has been vindicated also. In
1905, the first year It went into eff.
feet, $4,000 more money was col
lected from the capttatton tax than
was ever collected before; every dol
lar Of which went into The school
fund and came back to the people to
help them educate their children.
Increase Of Public Officers.
Il was said also that these new
laws shoulA mult!p'y officers, increase
expresses en- otherwise become bur
rvoMc on the people. On the con
rary they have effected economics.
will mention one. Under tie oil
laws the sheriff cf the county con
vey,u the convict to the peni!enttary
and uLder these avs 1t cost or an
ayera;" s44.2O to take a convict TO
the State prison. Under the new law
Whereby the warren sends out for
these convicts, the cost is AD.51 per
ronvir.. The cost IN this regard has
Teen cut Town move than -four times.
Criminal Charges.
1t was said that the new laws
y ould lay on the State large b"rdens,
anil throw these rpcr The county, and
that the county taxes woRM be high
rr: "rat you :HisE, save in "rhnc-
lion az State ta\eS wonld ia lore
I;,an made up by an increase tr cHnn'
" .axt S. but nJl G..ii' have your state
axes Len re'irrel, Lut your cvInty
laxes nave beea ye.'uced. Now the
Iotal cmount Of appropriations for
criminal charges for the years 1902
1905 was $4SO,OOO, or an average of
$4,000 a year.
The auditor estimates that the saw
ing to the State will be 40 per cent. or
$4,000 year. This is the amount
then that is distributed among the
counties; but the counties
will not pay $4,000, because when
they have to pay 1t out of their own
county treasury they will save great
deal Of that money, ana TINT is just
what they are doing, as the auditor
Informs me. AS long as the counties
could put their hands in the State
treasury, and none Of the money
came directly from them, there was
sound to be waste and extnvagance,
and always will be under such d con
litlon. Every sensible business man
inows that.
Limitation of LeVies.
It was said in 1904 by these Demo.
cratic leaders that there was not
proper Limitation put on the local
eayying bodies, and If property of the
state was valued al its true and &C
ual value. as ably proposed by the
State tax commission, the amount Of