Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-08-11
MR.. DARST TALKS TAXES
Assistant State Commissioner Visits
This City and County.
TALKS WITH LevYING BODIES
And Finds That all Have Made
Correct Rates Important Case
in the Supreme Court.

in the Supreme Court.
n Assistant State Tax Commissioner
Darst, of Charleston, who has been
in this city and county for the past
two days in conference with several
of the school boards, will leave this
evening after very busy time. A
newspaper man caught up with Mr.
Darst in the lobby of the Berkeley
this afternoon after having pursued
him for "a hours, and the tax officer
very readily chatted for few min
utes regarding his mission to this
county.
He stated that he had been talking
with the members of several of the
different school boards CT this county,
Including the mmissioners for the
Martinsburg district, and that he
found that all had been correct in
levying the assessments for the COM
ing year. He spoke with especial
reference to the levy for the Martins
burg district, stating that the COM
missioners had remained within the
limit, and that he was convinced of
the correctness of their figures. He
found a disposition throughout the
county 20 be conservative, and had no
fault to find in any direction. In re-
gard to the license question, that he
had had no time to go into this mat
ter, but would take it up when he
next visited Martinsburg.
With regard to the tax laws general
ly, he expressed himself as finding a
general unanimity of opinion among
the people concerning their value,
saying that he found very few persons
who advocated return to the old
system. While suggestions had been
made as to the advisability of amend.
meuts. there were few persons who
could point to many specific provis-
ions that required amendment. He
frankly stated, however. that some
amendments might be found neces-
sary in order to make the laws more
nearly perfect, but did not enter into
details concerning any amendment he
may have had in mind. Regarding
the statement published some time
ago. that Tax Commissioner Dillon
declared that the law would not pro.
duce enough revenue to run the state,
Mr.. Dsrst stated that he had not seen
this statement. as he had been away
from Charleston for six weeks, and
could not therefore discuss it.
IMPORTANT CASE UP.
At Charleston on Thursday the state
supreme court heard arguments Of
counsel in the mandamus case of
Dillon. tax commissioner, and others
against he County court of Braxton
county The new tax laws forbid
any county to Law levy that will
produce revenue for this year the total
of which is more than per. cent in
excess of the amount raised in such
county in 1904. The Braxton County
court made it's levy so large that the
amount went beyond the statutory
limit, and the suit was brought to
compel it TO make a new levy.
The court claims that as the county
has outstanding Indebtedness that can
not be paid ont CT the limited levy, it
was its duty TO levy a sufficient
amount to provide for it and tnat
the statute forbding it is unconstitu.
tional
The case is an important one, as
several counties are watching for its
decision before laying their Ievies for
the year The court took the matter
under advissment.