The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-10-21


county. district. and town taxes OF the
railroads, street railways. pipe lines.
telegraph, telephone and light com
penfes have been Increased from
1850 900 in 1904, to 200 In.
1907, while tho total state. county.
district and town taxes OF real esthte
and personal property have been re-
duced from S5,712. 900 in 1901 to $5.-
OS6. 800 IN 1907.
Thus has the burden OF direct taxa
tfon been shifted. SIX hundred and
nifty thousand dollars annually has
been taken or the holders OF real es-
tate and personal property, and ST.
49,, 200 annually has been put upon
the great public service corporations
and the owners % the lease holds
ana intangible property. that for
merly escaped taxation altogether.
And this splendid work has not been
done by an act OF injustice: not by
confscation or extortion. but simply
by enforcing just and equitable laws
upon all property owners alike. We
submit that the whole history of West
Virginia furnishes no other single
achievement so worthy of honorable
as this splendid record
made under the new tax legislation
initiated. enacted and enforced by a
Republican administration.
Some Pointed FRcts.
In order that fuller understanding
of the tax laws may be attained. We
submit herewith a few facts that will
illustrate their operations:
Previous to 1909, lease holds or
chattels real had never been assessed
for tnxatlon In 1908 $50, 100000
worth of such property was assessed
and taxed. and every dollar OF tax
this property paid was a dollar of re-
lief to the farmcv. merchant and
nottingham, who had for years
borne the greatest share of tax buT-
den.
In 1903 the property OF public
utility corporations was assessed at
S4O,73S.241 In 1908 the property OF
these corporations was assessed at
$3.50. 61O. 423.46. an Increase OF over
six for one. In 1904 real estate and
personal property, not including chat.
tells real, were assessed at 23s,0p0.-
900. and in 1908 at s62s,o00.000, a
little over two and a half for one.
Thus has the tax burden been
eqnalized by full and fair assess
ment of all property at IT'S true and
actual value, and thus are tho tax
laws passed by a Republican admin
istration amply justified.
In 1905, express companies IN this
state under the old system were as
sessed at S12.295. In 1908 they were
assessed at $5OS'OOO, an increase Oh
twenty-five to one.
In 1905 pipe lines IN the state were
assessed at $9,379.oO6. In 1908 they
were assessed at $5s,341,217.4s. an
Increase of nearly $4,000. 900.
In 1905 telegraph and telephone
companies under the old system were
assessed at $S93.541. and in 1905
hey were assessed at $4.16S,9 19.15.
These were some OF the Inequalities
and Iniustices In assessment under
the old system, that have been cor
-ected by the principle of assessment
1t the true and actual value. while by
the new assessment farm lands and |
other real estate were Increased in I
assessed ynIue about two and one
half times, other forms OF property. I
and particularly that owned I
~ the great public service corpora
lions. were multiplied from five to
twenty-five times. The result wns II
secure the equal and uniform assess /
nent of all property. on the only safe
ind reasonable basis, Its true and
lctuai value. and by reason OF the
lotable decrease in the rate of taxi
ItIon TO bring relief to those who had ?
20 long borne much more than their
ihare OF the burden.