Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-01-16

nor never said. There was no founda-
tfon for these oft-repeated reports
They were simply bald falsehoods.
! The persistency in such lying BY men
| who would aspire 10 the dignity of
| politicians, shows that the street
properly designates them when 1t con-
temptuously calls them peanut poil-
ticians." There was no excuse for
such falsehooiS, because the month
| " reports OF the state treasurer al
ways showed a satisfactory balance
| In the state fund That balance at
the close of the first fiscal year OF
the biennial period. September 30,
1907, was s27S.9Sg.sf: nt the close
OF the last fiscal year. the 30th of
| last September, II was S17SSis4-59.
| There was then due from sheriffs for
license taxes enough to have made
this balance 100000. had hfs money
then DUG and payable been paid. I
confess to an agreeable disappoint-
ment over this balance OF SITS. S0f:
for. when prunesi the appropriation
bills for the biennial period. passed
by the legislature of 1907. in order to
bring the disbursements within the
4 L S1&A1Atc hVsu iIf(tAACC3 bt1 ttOt 1OkCStf
the necessity of the etxra session OF
1908. which added about 100000 to
the expenditures. 1T will be noted
that out OF the revenues of the last
year there was paid into the general
school fund, to bring It up to the
lminifnum OF three quarters OF a mil
/ lion, S29701579. Except for this
burden on the state fund, the levy OF
five cents on property for this fund
would not have been necessary: as
1t was. the expenses of state govern
nent proper were met without this
income. This tax ce2Te cents can be
abolished.
4 IN considering he matter Of rev.
enue two practical questions arise, ~
What are the ordinary expenses of
the state government, including in the
term Ordinary expenses in. addition
Il to the cost OF the several depart
ments, the disbursements for main
! tenance of the public Institutions.
and repairs, additions and improve
ments thereto ami
What are the receipts and the
sources thereof, applicable to the
payment of these Ordinary expenses"
and other appropriations by the leg
islat,lreg
The snditors report for the fiscal
!. years ended September 80. 1907 and
: 1908 shows total receipts INFO the
: state fund for the biennial period, of
Sc, 447, 1911. To ascertain the
amount of this total available to pay
, ordinary expenses and other appro-
priations we have to deduct from this
total the receipts into the state fund
not so liable, namely, the taxes col
, lected for counties, districts and mum
cipalities by the auditor from the
railroads and other property assess
able by the board of public works
the income from redemption of land,
belonging to the counties, districts
and municipalities; militia fines,
which GO for the support of the mill
tary department; in 1907, one-seventh
of certain license taxes required to
be paid to the general school fund by
1904 acts 1860; and in 1908 the pay
ment out of the state fund to the
general school fund OF $297, ola. 70,
pursuant to 1908 acts 2740, In order
to bring the total of the general
school fund up to $750,O0O. These de-
auctions in the two years aggregate
So. 4O5, 0978S ($1.400. 408.99 i'm 1907 and
81, 004, 688.S9 in 1909, leaving the net
receipts into the state fund OF $3,042,-
665.23 for the two years The bal
ance of state fund in the treasury
on September 80, 1906, was $1S6, 391.
SO; on September 80, 1908, $178.S04. SO
difference OF $7,5S691.
II Considering the expenditures caus-
, ed by the necessity OF the extra ses-
sion of the legislature of 1908; the
increase i'm the number OF judges,
both supreme and circuit, and the in
crease of their salaries, as well as the
increased compensation of other Of
ficers; the jamestown exposition; the
Virginia debt suit; the increased cost
of maintenance OF the public insti-
buttons caused by the increase in the
number of inmates and the advance
in the prices of supplies; the business
panic and resulting period of depress-
ion; the increased appropriations to
the general school fund, to the nor-
NAL schools, to the university, and to
other useful purposes, the financial
showing is extremely gratifying.
i More Money Needed.
i But the business cf the state de-
mands more money than the present
revenues afford. How shall we raise
this revenue?
4 Beginning with this year 1909. the
real estate will be assessed annually,
as also will the personal property as
heretofore. There ought to be a con-
siderable increase in the taxable val
ne of the real estate, because the last
general assessment OF that property
was made some five years ago. I'm
der this heading commend to you
the recommendations and discussions
in the able report of the state tack
commissioner. The Inheritance tax
laws can be amended so as to in
crease the revenue materially from
this source Further increase would
be the result of the repassage by you
of house bill No. 20 of the extra SEES,
sion nf 1908 which | was cOmDelled