Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-16
TAX BILL CAMPAIGN
PLANS OF THE WEST VIRGINIA
REPUBLICANS.
pecial CORRESPONDENCE of The Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
| WHEELING. VIVA, September Is. 1906.
West Virginia republicans are going 70
| make tax bill campaign and wiz launch
\ it as soon as they get their figures in
| shape and the printers turn out the jol,.
Perhaps this unique method of campaign
| ing will not apply to every one of the
ffty-ive counties. but it will certainly
apply to a majority. Every man who has
| had his taxes reduced this year as cont
! pared to the year 1904 will be apprised
of the fact in little printed slips sent to
! him through the mails.
The republican state committee thought
! of this scheme almost a year ago. II was
| intended to organize a literary bureau for
| the purpose at Charleston early in the
year. Reports from the counties were to
| be sifted out and compiled, and where a
mans tax bill had been lowered since the
new system of taxation became effectt re
| he was to be gently reminded of the fact.
| 1t is understood that this scheme will be
| carried out under Chairman Harry C.
Woodyard's direction. now from the
Parkersburg headquarters, although 1t
may not go into detail as much as orig
inally scheduled.
But already in Ohio county the local
| republican organization has put force
of clerks at the task of going over the
assessments. similar plan will be fol-
lowed in Marion and other counties. The
slips to be sent to the voters benefited
will almost uniformly read thus:
Your taxes amounted to SO much in
1904. They are so much less in 1906. Re-
member that the republican party is :e-
sponsfble for this reform.
Attitude Of Democrats.
How the democrats will meet this on
slaught through the malls Is not known
yet. Likely they will argue that the re-
publicans were careful to omit the peo-
pie whose taxes are higher. and to assert
| that levying restrictions imposed by the
legislature are responsible and that the
Saln is but temporary. with taxes lower
this year than they will be in succeeding.
years. But despite their charges that pc
litical exigencies suggested reductions to
the limit, the republicans can confidently
expect the voter to be governed by his
actual saving. and not by theories, and 10
| take his chances with the future.
Senator Elkins is dwelling on these
benefits accruing to the masses this year
from tax reform. and the republican
stumpers will endeavor to drive this point
home: Two years ago they used the
blackboards of schoolhouses to illustrate
what would happen. and now they will
point with pride to the predictions they
then chalked up Senator Elkfns. how
ever. says that some amendments should
be made to the new system, and that he
personally has some to offer to the Iegis-
lature but he has not yet taken the pub
lie into his confidence on this score.
If the tax question. which was the para
mount one In 1901, Is to be discussed
with equal vigor this fall there will be
little doing on federal issues. AS for fed
eral issues. the republicans have already
taken tarin stand-pat position. They
will reiterate this IL tax reform leaves an
opening and will also sound the glories
of President Roosevelt and Of the amend
ments Senator Elkins secured to the Hep
burn bill
Tillman and Elkins.
Along federal lines the democrats will be
at home better than on the taxation issue.
If they can succeed In their effort to have
Senator Tillman take the stump. they will
strive to show that Tillman and not Ell
kins was the whole thing, and In this con-
nection they will ring the changes on the
celebrated Dawson Tillman letter. The
democrats are prone to go slow on tariff
revision in West Virginia. the removal OF
the tariff on coal and lumber being a tick
lish point. for 1t was free lumber that de-
feated the late William L. Wilson In the
second congressional district. where the
lumber industry is important.
The troublesome state senatorial issue In
the Marshall Wetzel-Tyler district has been
adjusted at last by the withdrawal OF
Charles E. Carrgan of Marshall. VINO was
the nominee of the regular convention.
and the substitution by the senatorial COM
mittee of ]. w. Santee of Wetzel. whose
followers bolted the Sistersville convention
1t was conceded under the custom of rota-
tion that the nomination should go to San
tees county this year, and he was entitled
to it after defeating Mayor Frank w. Clark
of New Martinsville, at the Wetzel delegate
primary.
Carrigan's Withdrawal.
Carrigan's withdrawal followed a whirl-
wind of conferences, appeals and threats
His statement was not lucid on the vital
point of why he stepped down. but it is
passed over as being Tin the interest OF
party harmony He did not withdraw in
favor of his rival. and Santee's selection
could have been blocked by a change of
committee picked him by vote of to
at New Martinsville this week. The anti
Santee men vainly tried to have Judge I. p.
Jacobs and Frank w. Clarks elected.
election would be a foregone conclusion,
but the senatorial contest. coupled with
various vague rumors. and the chaotic con-
ditions In Marshall one of the banner
smooth sailing to win over Alexander
Campbell Chapman. the democratic nem-
inee.
Senator Scott is back In West Virginia
after extensive stay in the west and ne
is to take the stump in the interest of
The senator's popularity is constantly on
the increase and he is due for hearty greet
ings. He will probably spend the most OF
his time in the interior of the state.
The junior senator has managed to keep
free Of any fractional entangiements. and
he is consequently strong with all ele-
ments of his party, and particularly with
the active party workers. He is a stall
wart standpatter, becomes one of the
'tOld Guard" and he will urge continued
fealty to the protective policy.
NO ~rYDnED