Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1908-09-29

1 49, ~-~~@ - :
| in comparison with realty. and the
owners Of realty will more than ever
become the burden-bearers of taxa
| ton. and the visible personal prop
erty of the farm will swell the assess
or's total more than the money in the
pocket of the tax-dodgers.
Democrats confidently assert that
this new system has done nothing to
relieve the people from taxation as
compared with the old system. On
the contrary, it has loaded them with
an additional burden,-many of them
made necessary to support the great
| hoarde of new officeholders, that have
sprung up under it, and become part
of the political machine. The very
head of 1.-THE TAX COMMISSION
| ER-is made an officer appointed by
the governor instead of being an
elective one, or instead of his duties
being a part of the duties of the State
Auditor with which they are in line.
And the REGULARS" go so far in
their platform as to give special
praise to the Public Accounting
Act passed at their last special ses-
sion, which gives the Tax Commits
sioner power to appoint innumerable
assistants,-spokes in the wheels of
the same old Political Machine. And
one of his first acts was to appoint a
FIELD INSPECTOR at $1,000 a
year. And some of our leading Re-
publican papers are bold enough to
intimate that this was the price of a
change of political affiliation on the
part of the appointee.
But there is one thing in which they
have called no halt or stand still.
| And that is our extravagant expens-
es. In spite of our large increase in
revenues, these expenses have outrun
them, and we are informed from the
best authority that at the end of this
fiscal year there will be large def
| icit for the people to make good, and
for Republican politicians to charge
up to a Democratic administration
who will have to raise their tax rates
| to do it. And we are further in
formed that Governor Dawson has ex-
pressed the opinion that bond issue
of $2,000,000, or more, would be adj
visable to repair our public buildings
buildings that they have neglected.
and that Democratic economy built
at a revenue of far less than 100000
a year, which 100000 is less than
the average cost of the most expen-
sive four years of their administra-
ton.
The people are becoming greatly
interested in knowing what all this
great increase of expenses is for.
Were / governor of this State and
had full access to the books, ] might
perhaps be able to tell As it is
can only imagine know that the
salaries of practically every officer in
the State has been increased. And
know that new offices and appoint
| ments have been made and jobs given
out for the apparent purpose of only
paying political debts, and perpetual
| ing political machine. And know
that the expenses of practically
every public institution in the State
has been increased out of all keep
| ing with what has been necessary.
And / know that these institutions
could receive thorough overhauling
with marked benefit both to the in
stitntions and the State. Machines
and like luxuries come high, and look
good But when the people become
wise, beware of the wrath to come
cannot go into great detail at this
time as to these expenses and ex-
travagances. But one of the most
glaring of them all. because it is too
open to conceal, consists in the clear
| ing house that politicians seem to be
making of our legislature to even up
their personal political Indebtedness.
Compare the Democratic Senate for
the session of 1893 with the Repub-
lican Senate of 1907. The Senate of
| 1893 employed three assistant clerks
as against Is in 1907, one stenograph-
er as against FIVE, six committee
clerks as against twenty-five, nine
pages as against sixteen, or in all
twenty-one employees in 1893 at a cost
of 1927 per day per member, or a
total of 1881, as against III en-
ployes in 1907, at a cost of s15.42 per
day per member, or total of $40, 1928,
many of which employees did not do a
single hour Of work during the entire
session. Think of it, lit employees
to stand around and look at thirty
Senators. l am told that it required
four great big colored gentlemen to
hang up the hats and coats Of these
self same Senators in the cloak
room.
Further, in 1898, the contingent ex.
penses of the Senate were s1.45 per
member, or a total of only s1,7O0, as