Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-10-29
ABOUT TAX ASSESSMENTS.

A6OO U M ~
The Republican organs are making
a great TO do over the fact that Louis
Bennett does not like the Dawson tax
laws, and set up their usual cry about
tax lodging" 1t has become such
a common thing for this cry to be
raised against anybody who refuses to
declare his belief in the divine origin
of the Dawson plan of taxation that
little heed is paid to it any more.
But the utter falsity of the charge as
directed against Louis Bennett is so
easily shown that it may be we'll to
state the case here.
The specific charges against Mr..
Bennett are based upon the fact that
his tax assessments have been large
" increased in Gilmer and BraXton
counties. OF course the same could
he said of anybody else, and every
body else, owning property In those
counties, or in any other counties OF
the state. The fact is, however, that
Mr.. Benefits criticism OF tax laws,
so far as they relate to him personal
". is not based upon the increase In
his assessments, but upon the fact
that his lands are assessed at hlgh-
er figure than those of other persons
owning lands of the same character
in the same locality.
In 1904 Louis Benefits lands IN
Gilmer county, all unimproved, were
assessed at $3.50 an acre, while the
average of assessments throughout
the same district was $2.67, including
improvements on such as were I'M
proved, many of them being farms
with cultivated fields, houses, barns
and stock. In 1906, under the new
law, Mr.. BENEFITS lands were reas-
sessed at $15 an acre, while the gen
eral average of the valuation in that
district was $9.S7. Later the
timber was sold to the Interstate
Cooperage Co., and assessed to IT, and
the lands without the timber were
lowered to SO. So that as the mat.
ter now stands, Mr. Benefits wild
lands. unimproved, but with the tim
her sold and assessed separately, are
assessed at a higher figure than the
average of lands, many of them high
" improved farms and with valuable
buildings.
/ Mr.. Bennett owns lands in Birch
and otter districts of Braxton coun'
nv. The average assessed valuation
of lands in Birch district is Sl2.2O;
the lands of Mr.. Bennett are as
sessed at $14.22. The average valua
ton in otter district is $11.57; Mr.
Bennett's lands are assessed al
s1257. In Braxton county Mr. Ben
nett claims q tract of land that an
other man claims-a Republican, by
the way. Both claimants keep 1t on
the assessors books, and both pay
taxes. To Mr.. Bennett it is assessed
at $500 an acre; to the other claim
ant at $500 an acre.
It is of determinations like those
that Mr.. Bennett complains, and he
certainly has the right to complain
Let us look at the record of some
of the high priests and apostles oil
tax reform in the state, and see how
they fare under the same laws.
In Charleston Governor Dawson
owns a large brick building, on Sum
mers street, which is assessed al
s11.550. Last year he was offered
$1,000 for it, and asked $4,000.
Ex-Governor White lives on Muir
doch avenue in the city of Parkers
burg in handsome home that sits
on a lot of 200 feet front and run
ming back to great depth. Attached
to it at the back is tract of two
| acres of land. The Murdoch avenue
lot is worth from $4,000 to $4,000
without the house. which is a large
| and handsome one-worth $4,000 tc
$4,000. The two acre lot lying bach
of it is worth at least $4,000. A fail
| estimate for the whole would be
$50, 900 to $4,000. 1t is assessed a.
| S23, $50.
Candidate Glasscock has a hand
some home in Morgantown, worth, al
a conservative estimate, $4,000. i
is assessed at $1,000. In another
ward In the same city he has piece
of real estate that conservative mer
acquainted with real estate values IL
that city estimate to be worth from
$4,000 to s13,500. tits assessed a
$500.
Is it any wonder that these three
priests and apostles of the tax laws
sit serene and happy while othe
men, who find themselves discrimin
ated against by the laws, rail on
against them? The new laws dis
criminate in favor of the Dawson
White-G lasscock outfit, and, there
fore, they favor the laws. They dis
terminate against Mr., Bennett, AM
he has a right to kick,