The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-06-05
STANDARD OIL ASSESSMENT.

In a news item passed out from
Charleston the statement is made that
the assessment by the Board Of Pub.
liz Works for next year Of the. taxa.
BE properly OF the Standard on Co.
IN this State Is to be raised from ST..
1000 900 to- s30ooo.OOO. The article is
50 strongly favored with criticism Of
The Slerying power Of taxation for
which the administration stands spon.
z ser, that possibly a few members Of
the Democratic party may be led to
believe TINT a great injustice is be.
4 Ing done 70 the phllanthropic Stand.
ard Oil Company, all Of which is strIk.
ingly Kindred to the same argument or
lack of argument that was put up in
4 behalf Of the railroad companies when
their assessments we're very greatly
increased. How the Democratic Or
: gans can ever hope to derive any ben.
Netits fromFsuch statements or how
sthe numerical forces Of their voting
!: power lis to be enlarged thereby-which
y seems to be their sole aim-is one Of
the most fpuzzllng conumdrums that
has ever been advanced. II for the
sake of political argument 1t should
(. be admitted that this assessment is
unreasonable there Is no power on
earth 10 prevent It being a popular
measure with the masses Of the pco.
L PIE TO which all parties must submit
their leaders regularly and unhesitat.
Singly for support. But no such admls.
slons will ever have to made. In the
:. assessments Of this corporation as fix.
led by the Board OF Public Works the
STANDARD has the same right that the
railroads inyoked-that Is, an appeal
from the action Of the board to the
courts. This last step was rcsortcl to
8by them and the assessments have In
the opinion Of all the courts of the
y State been held to be lawful and
Just. It cannot for moment be urg.
ed that partisan politics entered Into
the decisions OF the courts because
the facts showed that the valuations
were not only reasonable, but
when based upon the earning
I power Of the roads were in some In.
stances found to be under the true
i and actual value,
Notwithstanding the popular preji.
dice that Is held against the Standard
5Oil Company there Is no power to pre-.
vent 1t from having its valuations MS.
$certained upon evidence before the
4 courts and no party can be so parti.
; san as to deny it this constitutional
light.
Wrong ifyou do, wrong II you
4don't,"is the proper characterization
of the altitude Of the minority party.
The criticisms Of the board for not
increasing this assessment last year
have not lost their echo until the rever.
Iteration has hit the back track and
p The Board Is now being denounced for
4 doing what It was no less vehemently
criticised for not doing few months
ago. A system Of taxation completely
.ireSolutlonizing the basis Of value,
with its corresponding difrerentIal
rates OF tax, TO be without fault or
Z blemish on It's inception and possessing
the superlative degree Of perfection
Itself. would naturally have to be in.
Il sp.lred ior enacted by higher power
: Than that OF any legislative body that
sshas yet been assembled on earth.
The strongest point in It's favor Is
the marked degree of perfection that
has been attained In so short time.