Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-01-19
TOO COLD TO LEGISLATE
Senators and Representatives Are
Shjyoring at Capita,
NEED MONEY FOR STATE USE

Effort viii sc Naae 70 Get an Appro-
Priaton Ter Erection Of Memoral
at veksbars,
Charleston, Jan Bota houses a
the legislature cas- their ss aas
shori Ne3ns 1ay owing "a che fac.
thar q break had occurred Ia tha main
through which natural gas is brought
into the city, the capitol building being
thus deprived ct its means OF heating.
Governor Dawson sent a specIai
message relative TO the report of the
special committee appointed TO sug.
gost amendments To the mining laws.
The governor called attention to the
number of mine disasters in the state
during the year by which nearly 100
lost their lives, and strongly advocated
the passage of laws that will furnish
more adequate protection to the min.
ers.
In the senate Mr. Montgomery offer.
ed a joint resolution to send greeting
TO President Roosevelt upon his stand
against criminal trusts and especially
! the Standard OH Co II went over
under the rules.
Need More Revenue for State.
The raising of additional revenue
for state purposes will constitute a
most important part of the work OF
this legislature
The acts of the legislature of 1905,
fixing the state levy for the purpose
Of taxing real and personal property.
permits for the year 1907 maximum
rate OF cents per hundred, all of
which must be used for school pur-
poses. 1t preseribes no tax whatever
for general state purposes
This in effect reduces the state tax
on real and personal property more
than forty per cent, through the low
ering OF the rate OF eight and one.half
cents per hundred, as liked last year
by the board of public works to five
cents. the rate fixed by law fcr the
present year.
While this reduction OF the tax rate
viii prove gratifying to the taxpayers
of the state, the legislature must
find new sources of revenue TO take
the place OF that now derived from
present tax ON property tor general
state purposes. The amount coming
from this source in round numbers
equalled last year approximately So,
600, which about represents the new
revenue that must be found 10 run the
state government and which of neces
sity must be provided for by this leg
islature.
This estimate Is made often. anttci
pating "A change IN the law, which vii
give TO The state for state purposes al
taxes collected from licenses, two
seventies Of which nov goes into u,
general school fund
I With the school fund receiving tn,
benefit OF all state taxes. as the Law
nov requires, IL will not stand in neeS
Of the income heretofore derived IRON
licenses
Should the legislature at thisa SEES
sion decide 10 abolish ali state take,
on property, new sources OF reveuu,
TO the extent OF approximately $1,000.
600 would lave ts be found to take II.
place.
In the event tax should be placed
0n the gross income of public servic,
corporations, the proceeds would, foi
constitutional reasons, have 10 b,
placed to the benefit Of the genera
school fund The governor states the
gross earnings OF these corporation
in West Virginia to be $4,000 900. A
tax Of one per cent. would equal $3.50,
900. a sum very liule less than thai
now accruins 10 the general sehoo
! fund from state license taxes.
Monument 10 Veterans.
General John l.. Vance veteran OF
the civil war. is here for the purpose
OF securing an appropriation from the
legislature for the purpose OF Erecting
a monument and markers at the Weeks
burg National park in honor Of the
Fourth West Virginia infantry, which
took prominent and very honorable
part in the Vicksburg campaign which
opened March 20 and closed On July
4 Of the same year with the surrender
OF Pemberton's army and the surren.
der Of The city Of Vieksbmg.
In his late message to the legisla.
ture. Governor William N. O. Dawson
refers TO the combat az and around
Vicksburg as zone OF the greatest and
most decisive battles Of the civil war"
The Fourth West Virginia participat.
ed in the preliminary battles and took