The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-11-06
LIAR HOIST on
Ills OWN ! J | ! ARD
IA REVIEW OF TAxpopeER UT
TERANcEs ON THE TAX
QUESTION in 1904.
rom the wheeling News.

u
indnlBlng in.
The organ has not only been CRITICS,
ing the tax laws but 1t has been reck
lsssly predicting dire calamitles in the
future as the result Of such laws.
The best way to judge a newspaper
which assumes to instruct the pub
Lie on any important matter and to i'm
part Information on Important ques'
lions as we'll as to forewarn us as to
" hat is to come to pass in the future
by It's past performances; to inyesti
gate the soundness Of the information
IT, has impaired in other days and to
compare its predictions with what has
actually occurred. A few mistakes
or errors may not he material but u
lit has proved to be consistently and
habitnaIly wrong not only on every
question of known fact hut on every
prediction, It is safe to conclude nc
dependence is to be placed upon its
re marks now or at any time.
The News. believing 1t would be in
terestlng as well as instructive in the
way OF showing West yirginians just
lhow trustworthy the morning organ Is
ON the tax question, recalls some Of Its
observations and predictions on that
question during the campaign Of 1904
trhese quotations from the organs owl
Inns soIemnly made two years ago ar!
proved so ridiculous by the actual!
| tacts as everyone knows them to ex
isl as to damn decidedly every single
uuerance the organ may now attempt
ON the point at issue. For example
read this gem from the organs col
lnns, October II, 1901:
How Dawson's Tax Laws Will Work.
1t would seem from this, that i
would be no exasseratlon to say tina
the reassessment now to be made viii
have the effect of doubling the ia,
value on al real estate. And Il the
levy rates should be cut even one.hal
tic correspond with the doubling of rea
estate values, the fact remains that the
real estate owner must under any rate
Of levy pay a much greater portion o
all the taxes than he now does, since
The tax value of his property is douhl
ed, while the tax value of all otheI
property remains exactly as it is.
This statement was made with al
semblance of truthful ntterance. W.
all know now what a reckless lie u
was. II says emphatica1y: 1.-The ta'
values Of all other property remain.
exactly as it is" We all know tha'
The tax laws have doubled the valua
ton Of personal property instead of al
lowing it to remain as It was and has
increased six times the assessment oi
railroads and public service corrora
lions. The percentage of real estate
aiuatIon to the total valuation is les
this year than it was under the OLE
laws. In 1904 the News said real es
tate was paying more thaH It's pro
portion of taxes, and that the new
laws would increase the share Of cor
roration property,
Under the old system real estate
and personal property paid nine-tenths
the total tax and corporation proper
/, ouetpnth. Under the new system
Ireal estate and personal property pay
Tut seven.ninths, while corporate
nroperty pays two.ninths, while The
aggregate amount collected is reduc
ed. SO much for one taSdodger state
tment.
WHICH WAS RIGHT, THE NEWS
Ion THE REGISTER?
On October IA, 1904, the taxdodgins
organ said:
A vote for Dawson is vote to dou
BILE your tax bills. This much stand'
out plain.
We ask inc taxpayers whether o
not this startling event 10 come doc
stand out plain? The News in 100
said the average taxpayers bill
would not be loIbled, but would b
reduced,
WHICH WAS RIGHT, THE NEWS
OR THE REGISTER?
October IS. 1904, the morning tax
lodging organ impaired this piece q
information to the public:
"Dawson permitted the tax-dodaln
corporations in return for their sur
port to write their own tax laws, an
he proposes through the State asses
, sor to permit them also to name thel
own assessors if they will but renal
true to him and supply his campaig
fund.-
This wasn't a joke, II was puhltshe
as truth. Queer isn't that now tn
| Baltimore & Ohio and other railroad
.houll be fighting in the courts to III
set laws they wrote themselves an
.,,In .,Ioo0d V1n0