Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1906-10-16
ADORE
Democratic state Executive Committee,
{Continued from first page J


CONTINUED from first page
standpoint of the principal involved and
not measured exclusively by the way It
affects some individuals in mere dollars
and cents. A tax ticket argument,
based upon a single year, is an Insult
to the intelligence of the citizen VINO
believes that taxation, like any other
governmental policy, should be based
upon correct principals OF justice OF
equality, and not dependent upon the
Juggling policies of partisan boards
which lay levies at the discretion OF
party bosses and to subserve partisan
purposes. The real question is not
whether the taxes of one will be less
than those of another greater, in any
particular year, but whether the system
Is fonded on just and fair principles and
will bear equally and uniformly on all
classes of taxpayers and every species
of taxable property.
This the Dawson system fails to 90.
1t being the result of compromise be-
tween warning partisan factions, the
spirit of principle was subordinate, to
party harmony and political expendiency.
The bipartisan State Tax Commission
reported that in order to dozequal and
complete justice to allinterests the Tax
Commission scheme must be taken as a
whole. The selfconstructed partisan
committee, which finally determined the
system, imposed the scheme of the Tax
commission on some classes of taxpayers
and shielded others from it, accord
ing to the manner in which the several
interests of the members of the COM
mittee CHANGED to be affected, thus
robbing it of that spirit and quality of
uniform fairness and justice essential
to every fair, honest and wholesome
system of taxation. 1t is also quite APP
parent that if there be reduction in
the taxes of some taxpayers, it will only
be temporary, and will be mainly be-
cause local authorities are proven
ted by temporary laws from taking adj
vantage of the greatly increased valu-
atoms to increase local taxes; and be-
cause tremendous pressure has been put
upon local levying bodies by the State
Political Machine to bring about low To-
cal levies for political effect, with the
inevitable result of creating debt that
must be met later, and of preventing
public improvements necessary for pub
lie convenience and safety.
While there have been contradictory
statements given out by different men,
bers of the State administration as to
whether deficit has been brought about
in the State fund by the new tax system,
and the amount of tia careful considera-
tion of that portion of the States revenues
that goes from the counties into the State
treasury-the only portion accessible to
the public-points convincingly to the
conclusion that the revenues that are
properly to be credited to the years 1905
and 1906 will fall considerably short of
the appropriations made by the Legisla-
ture for those years. thus making itneces-
sary for the next Legislature to unload
additional State charges on to the coun-
ties. or in some manner procure still ad-
ditIonal taxes from the people.
STATE TAX COMMISSIONER.
Que of the results of the new tax system
has been to make the State Tax Com
missioner with his irqu1sitorial powers
of questionable constitutional authority
and his host of subordinate assessors
and assistant assessors, scattered in every
county. one of the most powerful spokes
in the political machine that now has its
grip fastened so relentlessly on the State,
and to make the ascertalnment of the
amount of taxes to be assessed against
large property interests, question of
politics rather than of mathematical de-
duction. To prevent this discrimination
in the assessment of taxes to serve pollti-
cal ends. and to make SO powerful an
official directly responsible to those whose
most vital interests he has in charge.it is
eminently proper that the State Tax
Commissioner should be elected, in non-
presidential years, directly by the people.
so that he may be responsible to them.
and not be controlled by the political
machine to which he owes his appoint
ment
After the lapse of two sessions OF the
Legislature devoted to the new tax laws,
it is plainly apparent that the Republi-
can State Machine has no intention of
giving the people completed system OF
taxation in the near future, but intends
to protract this question from year to
year. so that it may have specious ex-
cuse for asking to be continued in Office.
SYSTEM cUMBERSoME-CRUDEA AND DANCE
RoUS-NoT ADOPTED ON ITS MERITS,
Two years ago the Democratic party
strongly opposed the Dawson tax laws
just then being forced upon the people
by the Dawson Machine. Under the
leadership of its candidates strengthened
and supported by earnest and forcefui
allies in the Republican party who re-
belled not only against this drastic tax
system, but the means as well by which
L
uponythe vitals of their party, stagger-
ing blow was struck at both the Machine
and the System which would have effec-
lively silenced both. had it not been for
the active energies exerted by certain
+ large corporate interests in the State,
which for reasons best known to them
selves were brought to the support OF the
Machine candidates within a few DAYS OF
the election.
The Democratic party insisted that
these laws had been lily considered, were
unjust and dangerous-the spawn OF
legislative usurpation--and were the
creature and offspring of party exigency,
made necessary by the turbulent dissen.
tons within the Republican party and
passed as compromise make-shift tc
save that party from Acknowledgement
The workings of the new system in the
one year trial have fully INDICATED the
Democrats III their position, and proved
that the apprehensions then expressed
We're Well founded, aud the criticism:
made wers just and well directed. Thess
laws are unjust, because they fail grossl,
to distribute the burdens of taxation witt
fairness and uniformity on all interests
They are dangerous because propel
limitations have not been fixed and neces
sary safeguards tor the protection of the
people have not been provided. TIL,
very fact that the State Machine. wher
it found that the system had utterly failec
aud fallen short in the chief virtue,
claimed for it, and in producing results
necessary to political success at critica
Juncture. could, and did resort to al
enormous and radical increase in tn,
assessment of corporations, proves vel
the dangerous possibilities of the system
in the hands of an unscrupulous and wei
oiled political machine and demonstrate:
that those who manipulated it could. a
any time. when in party distress or Fl