The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-01-09
The Extra Session.

Governor Dawson has not only
proved himself faithful to the pledges
of his party and those made by him
self in his call just issued for an ex-
ira session OF the state legislature,
but he has displayed an interest in
the welfare of the State and its citi-
zens that squelches the intimations
of political prejudices unjustly as
cribed to him by critics of opposing
parties.
Thirty-seyen subjects are set forth
in his proclamation to be acted upon
by the legislature and while this may
seem large number to some it must
be remembered, as Governor Dawson
says, that there are great many
things that demand legislative atten-
ton. The chief item of Importance
in the call and the one that prompt
ed the extra session is the one to
provide for limitation OF the amount
or rate OF levies for taxation by
county courts and other bodies. In
Governor Dawson's judgment this is
a most important subject, action up
on it being necessitated by the de-
cision of the supreme court in the
Writ county case. The legislature
intended to fix maximum rate for
levying bodies but failed to do so
by inadvertance.
The following good and sufficient
reasons on this prime feature are
given by Governor Dawson:
THE re-assessment of the real es-
tate three years ago increased Its tax
able value nearly three times. The
board of public works has increased
the assessable value of railroad
property in the state in some in
stances five times; it has enormous
ly increased the value of express
companies properties, the oil and
gas properties, telephone property,
and all other property assessable by
the board of public works has been
very greatly increased. consider
it Just as much our duty to safeguard
the property of the state against ex-
cessiye taxation, whether caused by
incompetence, extravaganza or some
thing worse, as it is to get the prop
erty on the book at its true value.
The two things so together.
Next year we start in with an an
nual re-valuation of all the property
of the state, including real estate.
This will doubtless result in a large
increase in the taxable property of
the state. For my part 1 am I'M
willing to leave this property without
any adequate protection against ex-
cessive and confiscatory taxation"
As to the placing Of county officers
on salaries and providing for the pay
ment of fees into the treasury the
Governor says there is a tremendous
public sentiment in favor of it and
that it is a matter of urgency as the
officers who hold for the next four
and six years will be elected before
the next regular session.
Several other subjects included in
the call are ones obviously demand
ing legislative attention at this time
such as those providing for action
on the Virginia debt suit case. the
state mining laws, the laws pertain
ing to the educational system, the
corruption of the ballot, amend
ments to the license laws and others.
Those who may whine about the
expense of an extra session of the
legislature should remember that an
expense OF this kind that has in view
the protection of life, the betterment
OF our system OF government and the
saving of future expense to the state
is not by any means money careless
~ and extravagantly thrown away,