Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-09-20
Resolutions Passed by the Democratic
Senatorial Convention.

We the representatives Of the Democrat
| ic party Of the fifteenth senatorial district.
reaffirming the time honored principles OF
| the founders OF American institutions, In
| convention assembled, do declare that the
| tendencies towards centralized government,
| both In the nation and States. are SO dan
gerous to all citizens irrespective OF past
party utilization. 80,
| ed by the fathers OF our American instito-
| tions that the law-making power or THIS
| country should be controlled by the execu-
| tive q nd q selected few OF the Legislative
| branch and we do believe that this tenoen,
/ cy on behalf Of our national legislative ana
| executive departments has been the incen-
| tive and criterion for recent shameless leg
| islation in our own commonwealth OF west
Virginia on the part OF those In power
| We believe in local self-government, and
| we believe In State government as provided
| by the fathers Of the country In three co-or-
dinate departments. executive. laalclary
| croachment by one branch or the govern
ment on the right OF any other branch Is
dangerous to the fundamental principles OF
We do not believe tn at the Legislature OF
| West Virginia has either the moral or con-
| stitutional right to take away from the peo-
| pie in the various counties their inherent
| right of self-government. We arraign the
| last Republican Legislature for having d.
| vested the people, through their properly
| appointed and elected officers, OF the right
| to value our property for the purpose OF tax
| alton, except by making he Board OF FuoIc
| Works a part OF the assessing scheme as well
as self.constituted Judiciary with or with
out application or petition from property
| owners.
We believe that sworn assessors regularly
| appointed or elected by the people 10 vaIue
| our property should be final. unless the own
| ers OF said property be aggrieved, wnen the
| courts of the State should be ops n 10 them,
| and not after these sworn officers nave per
| formed their lsbors the Board OF fupnc
| Works Of this State, on Its own motion, LOT
| the purpose OF raising more money TOT its
| eItravagant administration, come lnto the
different counties without moral right anu
/ without the constitutional righ I, increase
| or decrease the values on property, tnus
| taking away from the people OF the counties
| their right OF selfgovernment. we are OPP
| posed TO the inQuisitorial tax law passed py
/ the Republican Legislature, the ENFORCE
| m emit Of which is put into the hands OF new
tax officer OF the State called the state lax
| Commission, who through the orders OF Inc
executive department OF the Sta.s mas ranis
| edies to destroy our county court system py
| forcin the county courts 10 DO MS piuulng.
| We condemn the last Republican Legisia-
| tn. Q in not passing registration laws AS de-
| manded by the people in the amended con-
/ stitution OF the State. We condemn the
present Republican administration In west
| Virginia for It's extravagances and central
| lied tendencies so extravagant has the
| Republican Legislature grown In the last
| ten years that II requires more than twice
| the amount OF money to run the anairs Oh
| state than under Democratic administra-
| ton.
| the government OF this State should re-.
| main In the hands OF the people and should
be again placed there where 1t has always
| been until recently. The Office OF State Tax
Commissioner should be abolished, the
right given to the Board OF Public Works 70
| usurp tn functions OF the courts should pc
| taken away from 1t, which the Democratic
party pledges TO do II entrusted Win the
government OF this State. And we pledge
ourselves, II Democratic representatives
shall control the Legislature, TO pass such
tax laws as will be equitable and just to al
property Interests Within this State that
each property shall bear its just proportion
Of state government; that We Will repeal
all tax laws now upon our statute-books
| which are unJustly oppressive TO any inter-
est that all property, whether owned by q
| corporation or individ ual, shall contribute
its just proportion OF 60 vernmental expense
| economically administered: that we Will
either legislate from office the State Tax
Commissioner and curtail the power OF the
| Board OF Public Works or 80 modify the law
that the Office shall be subsequent TO the
cause OF the people. and put back into the
hands Of the people OF the various counties
the control OF their local affairs.