The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-12-30

CT AR X S b u r O d.
f lud sous
TIE lee oE
c5tisgiitte ,9A
td1 Ter coal
III, PROT iaed
re esn Be 11er d9
7 sene ~ 80 eree tliat the
iig5ps Ole and iandergge eilsiIse
true that tlie iesi bon PE.oft iHti
f5i the taaatI9r Ok lease o4ts serept
INTO me Etatut ltl1Silly. = Rps
SeREeti IN two sep sts allts distinct
acts. both pissed while was governs
or and two weeks apart. ard Will
ne fuif lnoWIedge and intent 20
those fGFpring the phssaga 81 tire
nlAla-s Is setst14 L-As74A 50
aid not know what i was
doing IN thiF MISTER Possibly soTls
dliIards may plead ignorance, hut
sarely not tue legal .siedths WHO
prey uBon the Legislative bills and
ACTIONS. ANYHOW. the supreme court
81 West Virginia has decided thati
leaseholds are property subject to-
tax ..
nut
the faSation OF coal sIeasehoIds. tllel
tax comm fssioner says:
'.VVhate4-er the state does should
be done IN q spirit OF absolute fait4
ness and Justice to this great indus{s
try. IT Is better not TO act at All ltllstEl
to act ,un56stly: but to arrive ut thet
lustice or any proposition there must
be consideration or both or rathers
Al SIDES and there should be p1ani-B
Tested spirit OF helPfuiness and ri
iesire to carry our slIare OF the publ
burdens of the government.
Financial Needs of Office
In reference to the support Of thief
.ax department. the report sta.esk
hat the appropriation for clerk hires
contingent expenses. etc, for thet
years Il 800 and 1908 was $4,000, apslE
his would have been sufficieJtt stoe
meet the needs OF the office. but. ferrE
lie Legislature materially increasinsf
he work OF the office. The approSs
prlatIon for 1909 ard 1910. should ben
or each year ZIG. 900 for the tax dN-s
ohrtnent. and $4,000 for the uni
,orm system of accounting act.
Praises HIS Assistants
In concluding the work Tax CONF
missioner White praises his faithful
,orce or assistants and eal;s atten-
ion to the fidelItys and efficiency OIL
ASSISTANT Tax Commissions John $. 4
oarst and stae chief clerk and leGalI
tdviser II. G. Townsend In closihg3
le says
"In laying down the work of thisf
department. at.the close of the pres-i
mt calendar year. 1 do So with the
belief that, SO far as IN me laid. III
nave endeayored to see that the laws !
we're faithfuIlS inpartially and. soE
ar as possible, efficiently administer
d. The movement for the reform
If the tax laws began in the very
of my four year term
IS governor. in tho spring OF 1901. an
he appointment Of the tax conamis-i
ion, whose unanimous findings and
eport made in the fail of 1902 lolaz-
ID the way for the tremendous ana
ar reachins reforms which hav+
,een of such great value to the taxi
payers OF West Virginia. The year
4 1903 was year of education aad
Il public discussion of the great re-
orns proposed and illuminated in
he summer OF 1904 ia the eNtraor-
inary session of the egisla tnre, II
fhieh passed the first tax reform
,gislation. To .orgsI nize the new de-
artment of taxation IL was my priv
ege in November of that year to
anne as the, tax commissioner. Hon. 1
!. W Dillon. whose work in creating
he department and in fighting tbs
sgal battles Of the new system mark
n epoch in our states history 1t
-as my further privilege In january
nd February. 1905, to see the iegis-
iture amend amplify and re-enactL
he entire system of tax reform lcEts-
alton, so as 10 ma kc II a more ef-
ective and beneficial piece OF con-
sructtve Legislation. These laws arc
ow vindicated. by their results. tot
he people OF the state and haze
cen three times endorsed by theirt
otes. The tax reform statutes. a.
system. have at least earned ami
bidinE place on our statute books.
a deemed it an honor to succeed
Ir Dillon in April 1907. as stale
TX commissioner when enIled to
he office by the leader OF our cause,
Governor VIM. NJ. o. Dawson. who
,on the tight for the people in 1904,