The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-11-26
COUNTY LEVIES
and | A ! COUNTY
SALARY Bill
AIS M Modi6cation
OF Ballot Law

vi oolAOI La w
CHARLESTON, W. Va, Nov. 26.-
Imam interview accorded to newspa
per correspondent last night, Governo,
William N. o, Dawson said that he
would soon Issue the formal call for q
special session OF the legislature o
West Virginia to convene on January
21s 1905, for the consideration Of Ger
tain legislation, principal Of which
will be the remedial legislation made
necessary by the recent decision oi
stheistate Supreme Court of Appeals In
ruling thet local road levies in coun
ties shall not be included in the llmi'
tation placed upon the counties rs to
the amount Of taxes that may be lev,
led. In addition, the Governor an.
tnounces that he will call a special elec.
5tion for January II in the Thirteenth
senatorial district to elect a successor
to the late Senator Talbot. This dis,
trlct comprises the counties OF Bar.
ibour. Pendleton, Randolph and Up.
shur, and Talbot tR.) was elected in
,iso4;by a plurality Of $40.
The matters to figure in the call fo:'
the special session. said Governor
Dawson, would include the following:
Ffrst-RemedIal Legislation for the
Limitation Of county levies, this being
made desirable since the recent de-
sclsion Of the State Supreme Court Of
Appeals, holding that road leyies are
not included in the Limitation the leg.
islature has placed on taxation by the
counties. In the opinion of the tax
commissioner. unless the limitation is
Te.imposed, the taxpayers Of the State
will be called upon to pay from $1,000.
,ooei to s1,5O0,OOO additional taxes,
through the extravaganza OF local tax
Slevying bodies.
Second-A county salary bill. put
ting all county officers on salary
basis, including county clerks, circuit
clerks and sheriRs, and transferring
from the pockets Of these officials to
the county treasures the large
amounts they collect in fees. reaching
from sl5o.0OO to 100000 a year. Re-
publican platforms have long pledged
to the abolition OF the fee system, anl
now the special session will give an
opportunity to make good on this cam.
3paien promise, So far as State offices
are concerned the fee system is al.
ready a thing Of the past, thanks TO
Republican legislation.
aThird-Amendments to the ballot
and election laws. intended to simplify
the State ballot, also with the objecz
Of preventing fraud and the illegal use
of money in elections.
Fourth-Amendments to the regis.
'trationr law. the present law being
conceded to be defective in some par.
.ticulars.
Fifth Consideration OF a general
and uniform system OF accounting by
counties and municipalities. Ohio has
had such system for the past two
years, and the results have been more
than Its promoters had predicted.
Through this uniformity different
counties and municipalities are en-.
;abled TO make intelligent comparisons
with others, and thus enable them to
rexercise economies where 1t is ascer.
tained that excessive expenditures in
any department are In evidence. This
system Is SO clearly desirable that the
governor, believes II the matter Is
properly presented to the legislature
It will be enacted into law without
objection from any source.
Governor Dawson has been be.
sought by the best citizenship Of the
State to include other subjects in the
call for the special session, but It has
been found impossible to do SO. These
other measures are meritorious and
should come in time; such as prIm-
ary law and railroad commission
law, but It would not be possible to
seenre satisfactory consideration. Of a
larger number Of measures at the
special session.
While other matters than those
iHeadoned BY the correspondent may,
Be finally Included in the call for the
special session, II Is not considered at
an, hkely. y