The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-08-27
virginian had to say on the subject
he continued as follows:


he continued as follows:
Naturally, 1t would be pleasant If
we could conduct public discussion SO
as to meet the approval Of all Of our
contemporaries, and more especially
those engagedislde by side with us in.
the same political vineyard. That our
Fairmont contemporary fnd1lges us.
even under constratnt, must be taken
for no more than a complimentary tok-
en- of federation. Though be 1t known
to it elld to all others, that it is a mat
ter of overwhelming indifference to
this paper or It's editor whether our
utterances shall be met by 1t with
commentator or condemnation, toler-
ance or intolerance. restraint or well
come. 1t is our humble aim at all
times to give support to such opinions
as may be expressed. with argument
ample and impressive. In case OF err
ror of Judgment or misstatement Of
fact, there ought to be no trouble on
the part OF those differing with us to
confuse and put us to rout. And in
the discussion Of the matters at issue,
the field is an open one, there are no
handfcaps and before the tribunal Of
public sense, the winner will have the
race. though the victory be.by mo more
than a hair.
'Tf there be aught of argument in
what the Fairmont West Virginlan
says, it is that the attitude taken by
the governor and the tax commission
er, and acquiesced in by it, on the
subject of Ieasehold taxation, us forth
fed by some party committa1. which
It were party treason to contradict or
oppose. The editor of the News is
conscious of no such party obligation,
The resolutions of the State conyen-
ton were most non-committal and
evasive. There was not at that time
any hint of leasehoId taxation. That
was evolved later and sought to be
incorporated in the laws of the State
by stealth. The Legislature discover
ed the fraud that was sought to be
Iperpetrated against It, and openly and
above board. with a full consciousness
Of design made an honest effort to
cleanse the act Of any such intent.
"Then came along an edict by the
State Tax Commissioner and the Gov
ernor,, declaring that Ieaseholds were
in fact proper subjects Of taxation,
and promoted system to that end.
The fact that they were supported in
this presumptlve legislation by, the su.
preme Court Of the State cannot, by
fair people. in the face of the sim.
pie, chtld-like facts, be taken at any
high rate, of valuation in the final
reckoning.
sNow, fnrher. The fact that Mr..
Dillon is townsman and a neighbor
Of, Mr.. Mcintosh gives us no sense Of
embarrassment in the discussion Of
public matter in which he happens
to be concerned, We confidently pro.
| TESS ourself too big, and believe Mr..
Dillon not so small that such a dis.
cussion could In any way affect our
nstghborhood relations. We want no
friends to whose private or public
opinion we must on that account capt..
ulate. If argument against his posi-.
tipn on a public matter is at all trrl.
ttatlng or disagreeable to Mr.. Dillon
Int must be because he IS conscious
ola fault in his position.
$50, having fully answered, or as
fully at least as to ms seems neces'
saFy, the quandary Of our esteemed
Fairmont friend as 10 when lie viii
stop, must go back 20 il t for own,
determine tom or await tile full des
elpptaef 81 eircun tanee
tine Gator Of ne sSetTs were NOT