West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-12-05
A Wall from TAYLOR,

bent upon itself to do a few stunts
along this line is the venerable
Grafton Sentinel. 1t calls THE
ARGUS to task for what it SAID rel
alive to Congressman George c.
Sturgiss' connection with the fake
tax laws. No doubt it feels that
1T owes the congressman a debt of
gratitude for the appointment of
one Of its warm friends and loyal
supporters as postmaster of the
city that hangs between the hills.
The Grafton organ is quite sure
THE ARGUS "cannot injure the
congressman in Preston county,
and neither is it going to retard
tax reform over there the least.
Before another vote is taken the
taxpayers of West Virginia will
have their tax receipt"
Now we propose to test the sim
certify of the SentinePs indorse-
ment of the iakeship. We chal-
lenge it to publish its tax receipts
for 1906 and 1907, and If the as
sessment is the same for both years
we will risk our reputation as a
guesser that the tax receipt for
1907 cost the Sentinel more than
the one for 1906. Here is an OPP
portunity for the Grafton organ
to demonstrate to the taxpayers
OF Taylor county that the fakeship
reduces taxes.
Why does the Sentinel want TO
wait until 1908 to establish the
fact that the machine tax laws re-
duce taxes when it already has the
tax receipt for 1907? 1t is not
Ignorant of the fact, if it has paid
its taxes for 1907, that there is a
nice little increase in the tax re-
ceipt of 1907 over 1906.
Its hope for reduction in tax
alton in 1908 is due to the special
session of the legislature which
the chief faker has called, when
they intend to pass laws tying the
hands ofthe county commissioners
SO they cannot levy beyond GER
tain per cent regardless of the
needs of the counties. Nor is it an
impertinent question to ask the
Taylor county organ why Dawson
wants to restrict the levyingpower
when he told us that the wiping
out of the direct state tax would
shift the burden of taxation from
the state to the county; that the
counties could levy to suit them
selves and the state would ask no
questions.
We shall anticipate the organs
answer being the same as Dawson
and White, who claim that if the
machine does not pass laws re-
stricting the counties they will in
dulge in extravagant levying and
tax the people out of house and
home! Can the Sentinel substan-
tate the allegation by pointing TO
one case where the county was
guilty of this demagogic charge
under the old tax law where they
were not restricted by such fake
legislation? No, and it is an in.
suit to the people to say that they
are not capable of attending to
their own Legitimate business with
out assistance from a hog COM
bine political machine.
One of the most prominent char
acteristics of the machine organ is
its fawning and arrogance-fawn-
ing to the machine and arrogant
Of the peoples rights. The Graf
ton Republican has made the
charge that "the Sentinel is the
organ Of the Taylor county ring"
and we have observed no denial.
If 1t has made a denial we hazard
the guess that it did not convin ce
"the people who have the intelli-
gence TO think for themselves"
that it was innocent of the charge
We welcome the "butt IN" Of
the Grafton organ, which was no
doubt prompted by a fellow-feel-
ing for its organic brother here in
Preston. If it has the staying
qualities we shall not feel the least
bit embarrassed when we have 10
hand il out a few jolts 10 call to
memory the futility Of defending
a political machine. It is not only
a pleasure, but it is a duty we owe
the people, to punch the organs
Of the machine.