The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-10-06

ations are assessed too high the
courts are open to them. believe
that the assessment OF publics service
corporations by the Board of Public
Works Is what was in the minds of
the men who drafted the Democratic
platform. but they ought to have said
SO frankly.
It is true that the corporations Of
this state are now paying more taxes
than they paid prior to the enact
ment of the new tax laws and do
not believe there Is a corporation do-
ing business IN this state that is not
willing to bear its full and fair share
of the burden of taxation, and am
sure that no Democrat or Republican
Will say that the corporations as a
whole are now assessed too high.
You might be able to find isolated
cases of UNEQUAL assessments among
them, just as you can among indi-I
viduals, but IL true. It is not the fault
OF the law under which the corpora
ton or the Individual is assessed.
I In 1904 the total assessed value Of
all property in this state, was. in
round numbers S27s, 100000; now
it is $93O,O0OOOO. In 1904 the pub
lie service corporations were assessed
at $30.0o0,OO0; now they pay taxes
on $252, 100000 OF property.
Assessments Raised.
The assessment of railroads in
1904 was $30s0O0,OO0 and in 1908
$1S7 100000.
The. express compares OF the state
in 1904 were assessed at $4,000; in
1908 the total value of their prop
erty for the purposes of taxation is
$SOs, 500.
Pipe lines In 1904 were assessed
at $9,379,o00; in 1908 at $5s,379,-i
900.
Telegraph and telephone lines were
assessed at $S93OOO; now at $6s,-i
s341. 217.
Toll bridges were not assessed by
the Board of Public Works until in
1908. Previous to that time they
were assessed by the assessors In the
several counties of the state. This
year they are assessed at $1,399,O0Ol
and this does not include railroad
toll bridges.
These are some of the benefcent
fruits of the tax reform laws passed
by the Republican party. Under
them all property has been assess
ed instead of only part of the prop
erty assessed under previous laws. |
Correspondingly the burdens. on the
property assessed under the old law
have been relieved by the assessment
of all the property. While this is
true the amount OF taxes levied for
state purposes. other than license
taxes. has decreased from $975,9O4,
in the year 1904, to $464,97o in
Ia tho y-aeIHV,-.
of the expenses of the state were rails
ed upon licenses and taxes upon spec
ial privileges. With the great de-
ton in the state. due in large meas
ure to the policies of the Republican
party. there has been increased de-
mands upon the State Treasury in
caring for and protecting those en-
gagged in the various industrial pur-
suits. and in educating the youth and
in caring for the legitimate and UNI
fortunate wards of the state.
Many New Institutions.
In order to perform her duty to
her citizens it was necessary for US
to increase the minimum school term
of our public schools from four to
six months: to establish ten addi-
tional institutions. namely, tht Blue
field Colored Institute, the Keyser
Preparatory School, three Miners
Hospitals, the West Virginia Asylum
at Huntington. the Capital Annex at
Charleston, the Girls Industrial
School at Salem. the Humane Society
and the Colored Orphans Home. And
in addition to all this we have ex-
pended much money in the construc-
ton of additional buildings for our
University and Normal Schools. And
the largely increased numbers at
tending these educational institutions
has necessarily increased the legiti-
mate expenses of such institutions.
Under Republican control the state
has met all these Increased demands
aud at the same time decreased the
direct tax upon the property of the
state.
The cry of eXravagance made by
the Democracy will be found to be
untrue by those who care to investi-
gate the facts. The question is not
how much money we nave spent but
how wisely it has been expended.
While the state has prospered UNI
der wise laws enacted by the Repub-
lIcan party, she has been no less for
tunate in the executive and admins
trative branch of the government.
The administration of the affairs of
the state under Republican rule has