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

1--WE speak from actual knowledg
and, stand ready to convince any fail
minded body. that coal and COS
land: In the northern part Of Wes
Virginia, and most farm lands. ar
assessed at much less than their maj
Iket value, and in good many IN
stances at much less than hfty pc
icentum OF their fair market value
1.-THE local gas companies. producih
sand selling natural gas, cannot in
-,single instance within our know
ledge sell their properties for Al
IIamount equal to the value fixed 10
! taxation. These properties. alread
paying more than q fair share o
taxes. should not be burdene,
further In order to relieve thos
'[now paying less than their fai
lEshare.
2. The gas companies do not nd,
Ito the burdens Of the state or loca
government. There are no hospital
provided at the expense of the stat,
Ito care for their employees when slcl
|or injured: no special police or con
Estnbufary are required, and no Of
lficials detailed to guard their prop
Ierties at the general expense.
Coal companies are much more IA
vored. and derive much greater ben
efits from. and cast much create,
burdens upon the state. Is it. at al
fair or just that persons engaged ii
producing natural gas should b.
compelled to pay all the taxes Will
which to provide and maintain hos
pitfalls in which to treat persons in,
jured in mining coal?
Restrictions on Commerce.
The Governor announced that he
was in fayorsot placing tax of one
cent Thousand feet upon all gas
produced in the state, and attempted
ito create sentiment to support thi.
confscation Of property. by general
Eities abs natural tate losing one OF
its eng! out to, tnef9urces; and by
poihrm money agftsed trcaultitude that
lthsld be s}itiRFScisht to 4 this source
Iva that h5Body; excepsl the state
Iaajmbahies. would have Il the gas
lstate taxes. This PROPOSE pay any
shardly fair 10 the persoytion seems
{. .as, and II made bYas produc-.
ing - 800 ~ any person
other than our most excellent gov.
lernor, I would be very much tempt.
led to characterize it as demagoglc
and as an APPEAL solely Ito that
which is seldsh"In man. j will say
that the proposition is inherently
dishonest, although 1t may have
lheen, and doubtless was made. with
perfect honesty.
Gas. like most other kinds OF
property. is the subject of private
Ownership. 1t has been bought and
lsold and is owned as private property
Men and companies have invested
large sums OF money in acquiring it
and are spending thousands, and
Ieyen millions OF dollars in producing
and marketing 1t. The state owns
no gas toutside OF the capitol build.
Iing). The persons owning gas
lshould..be permitted to sell it within
ior without the state, just as coal, oil
cattle. horses, lumber and other
kinds of property. are sold withou,
1.-THE state. There is not and should
not. and we believe cannot be, an,
restriction placed upon selling natur
al gas wherever the owner can Sc.
|cure the best price for 1t. There
lare no tariff walls around the state. !
1 hope there never will be. The wild
lest claims OF the old protagonists O
1.-THE State Rights doctrine. neve,
went so far as to hold that person.
living in one state should not 'be per
united to sell their property in. othel
states If purchasers could he found
tor. sell It to those who wished to re
{ move 1t beyond the limit of tn,
state. There is no more reason VIII.
natural gas should not be sold out
!, side the state. than there is VIII!
lumber, oil, coal, cattle or any othel
product should not be sold or re
moved beyond the limit of thu
state There never has been. any
where. any time, by any person, AM
,ithere cannot be, single argumen
advance that will bear the test I,
: reason. against permitting the own
t ;er of gas or any Of the kinds o
property mentioned from selling
4 within or without the state whereve
o, the best market may be found. !
g, It is a good thing to compel the own
tier of gas to kesp it and not sell !
. until some one in the state wants I,