Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-01-19

1890 N-AN#tN AAaAkAto 10 WhAAOftANu nF
the resolution offered by Senator ii. S.
White to nh the following positions
Ten assistant clerks. three Of whom
shah be expert stenographers, one en-.
crossing clerk and one assistant. one
printing clerk and one assistant. one
journal clerk and one assistant. All
with The pay az assistant clerks.
Probable Legislation.
Governor William o. Dawson has
outlined what he hopes will be done
by this session Of the legislature HeI
said
10 is hoped che present session wluI
improve the new tax laws as regards
the administrative features, give
more power and authority to the
State Tax Commission Department.
aud cut down stin further the state
levy or abolish ii altogether This levy
has been cut down from So cents on
the 500 valuation TO IL cents
There are great many amend
ments that should be made 10 the new
laws which viii cure defects and sup.
ply omissions In the original enact.
ments. which have been brought oul
by The practicable application of the
laws.
other legislation il is hoped. chat
viii be enacted are laws providing for
a railroad commission; the regulation
Of production OF natural gas and the
prevention OF It's waste, a primary
election law. which will include choice
OF candidates for United states seua.
| tor; thorough revision OF our cleo
ton laws, which viii include the sim.
plitication Of the ballot and the proven
ton of the use of money and espee-
| tally in the buying of votes a new
law for the registration of voters the
abolition of fees of all county officers
and the placing of such officers on sal.
aries, and the beginning OF legislation
that will end in the getting Of good
roads
There will also Sc introduced and
considered bills for two-eent fare on
the railroads, Something OF this kind
will be enacted, but whether II will ap
ply to trunk lines only or to all the
railroads cannot be stated certainly
The governor said a saving to the
people In state taxes OF more than
s400, 900 had been effected by the new
tax system and that the saving IN To-
cal taxation amounted to much more
The new laws, he said, have improved
the situation very much In the equal
ization Of taxation by increasing the
taxes OF those who paid too little be
fore and lessening the taxes OF those
who paid too much previously The
thing aimed al was not SO much reduc
tion in taxation as justice 10 taxa
ton.
Speaking of the political situation
the governor said
think there D. a better state of
feeling among The republicans now
than there has been for three or four
years Contests over honest differ
ences. however. are desirable, as the
presence Of them indicates life and
the absence of them stagnauon and
decay
Outcome Of the Tax Fight.
The leaders OF tho republican party
made an effort to get together By the
appointment of compromise commit
tee to present something in lieu Of the
tax commissions report which would
be- acceptable to both wings OF the
party The convention which nominal. |
cd the present governor in July. 1904 |
adopted a plank in its platform recon,
mendng the passage Of these compro-
mise bills by the legislature and de
claring for the abolition Of all state
taxes on property.
Governor White. as an ardent re-
former, Immediately called the Iegis-
lature together IN special session right
IN the heat OF the campaign, and thai
legislature enacted q good part %
these compromise hills The succeed
ing regular session which met in Jam
uary, 1905. revised and added 20 he
laws OF the special session These
laws went INFO effect gradually TO ftI
into conditions, some Of them going
into operation in 1905 but The most
important provisions not taking effect
until 1906. Their operation has agree
ably surprised their friends and dis
appointed their critics.
President McDermott, Of the senate
who has been IN IN health from
ptomane poisoning for several weeks
was obliged to so to the Charleston
General hospital, following the ad.
iournment Of the opening session
While his condition is not serious. the