The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-10-07

-e~efs ~ VI. AtAS t1e-sAA.ea>S ReSAf>e-IS,
to be laid upon Them 1t means th'
fankrnpting of these companies. 4
tax off one-fonrth Of a cent PEI
thousand feet means confscation o
from six per cent. TO twenty-fiv,
per cent. Of the gross receipts OF this
companies with which / am familiar;
and a tax of one cent per THOUSAND
iiteet will result in confscating from
% per cent, to IS per cent. of such
, gross income. The gentlemen inter.
Il ested in these companies are not be.
coming plutocrats at any alarming
rate. even when treated fairly in the
matter OF taxation. and the added
burden proposed means the de.
\ struction of their investments. Now.
~ 70 resist this unjust discriminatory
comes within the 1ntelligencer.s
charge Of selishness then we plead
guilty to the heinous oifense.
But IN order to prove that there
are others. We make this proposition
70 the company owning the Wheel.
ling Intelligencer. We will throw
open the books of each company i.
which we are interested, submit to
an examination into all our affairs
'|by experts, and II we are not as.
Isessed at higher rate in produc.
ition to actual value of our respective
investments than the property OF the
lntelligencer Company, we will ask
for an increased valuation of our
properties. On the other hand II
We are now paying more than our
fair share OF taxes, the Intelligent
Ger will covenant to refrain from
further disseminating false econo-
mics. in order to shift from its own
|ers the obligation to pay their Just
and fair part toward the support Of
the government.
Revenue.
That the state needs more revenue
for the economical administration
Of Its government is proposition
asserted by some people and vlgor-
|onsly denied by others. AS to the
actual facts, we are not advised. III
more revenue is needed. it should he
raised. The tax rate is low and III
should be increased II more money
Is needed. If any class of property
is valued too low, the valuation
should be increased.
We can all afford to be honest
from the dignfied governor down tol
the contumaceous "gas man." Lett
us all step up and pay, according toll
the value of what We possess, money
support with dignity our
splendid government. Don't let usI
try to compel some one else to payl
what we, ourselves, justly owe.
When the great examplar said at is |
better to give than to receive" he did
not refer exclusively to lemons"
The constitution OF the state con-
tains the following provision: Taxa
ton shall be equal and uniform
throughout the state, and all prop-l
erty, both real and personal, shall
be taxed in proportion to its value.
to be ascertained as directed by law
No, one species of property from
which tax may be collected shall
be taxed higher than any other
species Of equal value"
1t is proposed to evade this pro-
vision and circumvent the intention
of the trainers of that compact, by
calling tax license. 1t is neces-
sary to resort to some such device in
order to tax gas and those producingI
1t. at higher rate than other prop
erty is taxed, based upon equal val
ues. The oath taken by each per-
son who has filled the exalted posi-
tion OF governor OF this state, con-
tains pledge to support the constt-
tuition of the State of West Virginia.
lie the legislative body should be
called in special session to consider
the question OF laying a special and
unequal tax upon gas production. we
suggest that there should also be
included in the call, a proposition to
change the official oath of the chief
executive, so that 1t may contain
pledge to support the constitution Of
the state, except when and wherein
it may he deemed advisable by some
shift. scheme or device to evade its
provisions. in order to confer spe-
cial favors upon one class of citizens
at the expense of another class.
a Rurry-up Medicine.
|. Every hOuSekeeper recognizes the need |