The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-11

nave no patience Whatever with
this too much talk about the privacy
of ones own affairs-that the State
must not inquire into private bust.
ness. Under our associations as clti-
zens we are partners. We have come
under obligations to share equally the
burdens Of government; and you have
a right to know whether I am paying
rEy share or not. You hare a right
to demand that r shall make a disclos-
ure. Of what ! have. / should %
think it too severe a penalty for this
prevalent offense II, In the exercise
of their. rightful power, the Iegisla-
lures we're to enact that a Iegatee
shoufd not taFe any property that the
testator had fraudulently concealed
from the assessor. II one re~pudiates
the ownership of property for aSseries
of years in his tax returns II might
very we'll be regarded as an estoppel
when the lsgatee claims TT
The New Tax LAWS.
The new tax laws are the result Of
years of agitation. Governor Henry
Nj. Mathews tfs77-1sS1) called atten-
ton to Inequalities and injustices OF
the old laws. Governor Jacob B.
Jackson (1sS1-1Ss5) took up the mat.
Ter in his vigorous aud ~forceful man.
ner, and in his message TO the Leg1s.
|. ture of 1889, reviewing the growth
Of the State from 1870, declared that
the taxable values of the Stae had not
increased in proportion to the popula-
ton. and that the large immigration
to the State In the ten years apparent
ly added nothing to our wealth and
personal property, which, of course,
was not the case. The State Senate
In the same a took up the question
and adopted a resolution and had a
report from its finance committee,
pointing out and condemning the In.
qualities and injustice in the old laws.
That Legislature passed a bill creating
the Tax Commission OF 1888, the mem.
bership whereof was designated by
Governor Jackson. This commission
made a number of reports, and no
such scathing criticism and condemna.
ton of the old laws have 1 aver seen
elsewhere. Its efforts bore no prac.
teal fruit. however, and not until 1901
was any substantial change made In
the laws. The Legislature in that year
passed an act very largely increasing
the revsntie from the license taxes on
the charters of corporations; and, get.
ting interested In the taxation ques.
creating the Tax Commission of 1901;
which commission made Il preliminary
and a final report to the Legislature
of 1903. These reports are very able
discussions of the subject from a
practical point of view under the con-
stitutional limitations and conditions in
This State. There was no partisan
politics in the mater whatever at that
time. Its recommendations, however.
unfortunately. evoked the Opposition
of certain great interests and class OF
tax payers. 1t seems to me IL these
had read and considered the strong
words and ringing appeals Of General
Harrison, extracts Of which are given
elsewhere, that they would have come
In and assisted In %perfecting a better
system. rather than standing out in
unyielding opposition. These new laws
have agreeably surprised their friends
aud disappointed their critics. Under
them we have had by far the best as
sessment of real estate and OF per
sonal property in the history of the
State. The assessment of corporation
property by the State board marks n
new ri in our history.
The total assessed value OF the prop
erty under these laws for 1906 is as
follows:
Property assessed by Board Public
SITS, 725, 256.00: personal property,
$194, 1875 $4,000 Total. $3.50. 544, 611.0
The new laws did not arrest develop
inent-it was never so great as in
this year. The production Of coal has
greatly increased, and wen the depos-
its In the banks, which are such a del
icate barometer, have greatly incrcas-
ed. The new method of collecting cap
itation taxes puts $4,000 more money
into the. school fund. There is , a
saving to the tax payers OF the State
cf fully 100000 a year is the matter
of State taxes alone they pay In about
$4,000 less and get back aboat S22o.-
900 more from the school fund than
ever before. Nor does this include,
of course, the immense reduction IN
county and other local taxes; in sew
eral counties the taxes were reduced
one-half. The property Of the people
is safeguarded against extravaganza.
corruption or Incompetence in local
levying bodies as never before. The