The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-10-24
GOVERNOR DAWSON'S GREAT
SPEECH ON TAX REFORM

make his own lggres from tneuL. ~
would take too much time and too
much space to 80 into these matters
IN such detail as i should like.
The Charge Of Extravaganza.
The reckless extravaganza" charg-
ed BY Mr.. McGraw is an old charge.
It was charged against the admInistra-
ton Of Governor Atkinson by the
Democratic State convention in 1860.
Nobody now believes that Governor
Atkinson's administration was ex-
travagant. It was clean and business
like, absolutely free from scandal Of
any kind, and every dollar Of money
accounted and paid over.
Governor Whites administration
was also charged with extravaganza.
! seriously doubt whether the State
ever had governor with the ability
Of Governor White as regards bust
ness affairs. believe that no fair
minded citizen Of the State believes
that his administration was extraya.
giant.
The only charge of extravaganza
that ! know that can be brought is
that against the Legislature, and this
Is in the matter Of the number OF at
taches, subordinate clerks, etc. There
is AMI has long been extravaganza in
this regard. Both are chargeable with
1t, and It will continue until a proper
law is passed which will prevent the
legislature from doing what they have
been doing for thirty years. How does
Il come about? A Republican is elect
ed to the Legislature from, say, Tay-
Tor county. There has been a warm
campaign. There nave been large
number OF Republicans who have CIV
en- much time and work to the inter-
ests of the party in that campaign.
Some Of them want to come to Char
lesion and spend the winter and have
n clerkship. The Republicans of the
county are very anxious that the
"boys" who do the work shall have
something of that kind, and they urge
their member to see that something
is secured for them. He promises.
He comes to Charleston and finds that
there are three or four applicants for
every Job and that he cannot get his
roen in unless the number OF employees
is increased. II he fails to get his
nan or men Job he will have diff
Guilty in explaining to te voters at
home why he could not get something
when the other counties get some
thing. The members of the Legis'
lature find themselves victims of cir
cumstances. The number of employees
is increased. At the end of the SEES
sion many of these employees want
extra compensation; a few of them
deserve it, because a few of them
have had to perform an enormous
amount of work. The members are
besicged, and a break is made and
the whole thing goes. When had the
honor to be member of the State
Senate fought this thing, but unsuc'
ccssfully. Other members Rave tried
to fight it, but have been unsuccessful.
In the 1905 session of the Legislature
the Democrats almost solidly voted to
increase the number Of employees, and
more Democrats voted for 1t in proper
ton than Republicans. At the begin
ming of the session it was determined
rot to increase the number of en-
ployes and not to give them Increased
compensation, but both were violated
until the proper law is passed. Nov
The Democrats are equally guilty with
the Republicans In this respect. That
is a fact which the records will show.
When the Democrats succeeded the
Republicans in power they increase
expenses in this regard, md yJn WI
find that there has been a steady in
crease right along, no matter which
party was in power. Governor White
called attention to this abuse, and per-
laps other governors have done so