The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-08-18
People Forum



To the Editor Of the West Virginian
The Times mas cut another stunt on
me taix question an i Invariably
does has made an ass Of itself
m an editottal comment ON an edi
tortal rom the Wheeling News reIas
tive TO q license tax on the production
of coal OH and gas The Times would
make us belieye that that paper and
the Democratic party are itlsf favor OF
such tax
Such thing as honesty in the pre-
sentation or treatment Of subject
Is an entire stranger to- The Times.
but there IS this consolation, its edi.
torials With all their mtsststements
are too SHY and stupid to deceive.
The facts concerning the coal OIL
and gas production tax are too well
known and the attempts OF The Times
to mislead will only rebound upon
The Times by the destruction Of any
influence 1t might otherwise have.
In the frst place the controlling fig
ure of The; Times is opposed to such
tax; he opposed 1T when it was first
suggested and before it had become
party question and the pretentions
of The Times that 1t fayors such Al
tax is the lowest kind of demagoguery
and the people know it. Even If The
Times was In favor of the measure,
the corporations it serves and whose
month-piece it is would not allow IL
to advocate 1T. 1t did not advocate
those laws In the campaign of 1904.
when, II The Times and the Democrat.
fc party were in favor of such laws,
was the proper time to have advocat-
ed them and denounced the opposite
party for not placing them on the
statute book. Hon. John j. Cornwel.r
Democratic candidate for Governor
in 1904 did not advocate those laws
no. no. He was more interested in,
winning over to his support the dis
gruntled corporations that had been
offended by the laws that had just
been placed on the tax books than he
was i'm tax on the production OF coal
and gas. And when the measure Of
which The Times spoke came before
the senate, how did the Hon. ]. j..
Cornwell vote? Seems to me that we
heard something about him betaking
himself to the cloak room about that
time
Does The Times remember about
the resolution offered by the Hon. John
u Davis at-the State Democratic con-
ventfon held at Parkersburg in 1909
at which Mr.. cornwell was nominal
ed for governor, denounclng the new
tax legislation in that it had omitted
a license tax on the production Of
coal, oil and gas and pledging the
Democratic party to its enactment, If
successful?
why was not such resolution
adopted? Was not the party from
whom The Times draws its 5inspira-
lion present at that convention and
did he not vote against this resolu-
ton? Is 1t not fact that this con-
yention voted down this resolution, be-
cause it thought its adoption would
lose the party the support OF the cor
porations?
Mr.. Dawson is opposed to the TAX
ON the production of coal, oil and gas
and is honest enough to say SO, the
editor of The Times is opposed to
them, but is dishonest enough to be
rate the opposite party because 1t
failed to enact them and for political
capital is little enough to pretend to
be in favor of them.
why does not The Times contend,
If it is in favor of the measure, that
the party It represents incorporate
plank of that kind in its platform?
why does it not denounce the Demo
Gratis that opposed the measure? The
answer is simple enough. The Times
is opposed to the measure and its by
pocritical pretentions will only tend
to disgust thinking people.
OBSERVER.