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

Governors Message.
To the members of the Senate and
the House of Delegates.
Gentle.nen:-T matter OF reve-
nue.. like the poor, you will always
have with you 1t has always been
so in West Virginia. especially as
YOU are inhibited by the constitution
from creating debt. and we must
therefore pay as we CO. which IS
difficult for young and fast-growing
state. Almost no cities, nor other
states, nor other governments, have
been able to keep out of debt. usu-
ally those that have grown and de-
veloped most have the largest debts.
Doubtless the experience of the
mother state, with her big debt in
1861. and so little to show for 1t, In
iuced the people In both our constr
buttons to prohibit a state debt
Hence. our problem Of meeting the
financial wants of the state Is a
peculiarly difficult one.
The need of money for public pur-
poses grows faster than population,
grows faster in a new country than
the increase In the value OF taxable
property. The wants of man increase
with his development In education,
couture, and retirement. Our W. &s
and needs are greater than were our
fathers. We want more than our
grandfathers wanted. A luxury oil
/ one generation becomes a necessity
to the next To enlarge our capito,
building to build new institutions and
to enlarge and equip properly with
hand, water and other desirable things
/ the existing ones; to build good
roads; to protect our forests and our
water sources; to care efficiently for
the public health; and to do many
other Miserable things, would require
several millions of dollars more than
we can hope to raise by taxation. II
the money should be wisely spent,
it would pay us to borrow 1t, for
these desirable things are permanent
improvements, and coming genera
tions would have use of them and
should pay part of the cost of them.
So, there is no hope that we shall be
able in the future to rid ourselves On
the ever-increasing problem of reven-
ue. Especially is this true because
of the unwisdom of our forefathers,
who gave away, not only the soil OF
our state, but all the vast mineral
wealth that unierlies 1t. There are
those who believe that the land
should no more have passed into pri-
vate ownership than should air water
the navigable seas However that
may be, there was no necessity to
give away the minerals under the
soil. The pioneer cared for the soil
only-the mineral wealth under 1t
had no value to him-had no value
to anyone in pioneer days. Virginia,
when she freely granted the lands
that comprise the soil of our state,
could easily have reserved the min
erals. III she had, what heritage 1t
would be! The royalty from our coal,
oil, gas, limestone, and the like-with
such an income there would be no
problem of revenue, no taxes; our
only problem would be how to expend
1t wisely. But these great natural re-
sources, sof untold value, the gift OF
God, and existing independently OF
the wit, wisdom or work of man, have
become the subject of individual
ownership, and 1t can not be changed
now. But certainly it is good reason
to insist that these resources. placed
here for the benefit of all, shall pay
the last farthing of just taxes, and
that they shall no longer escape their
full share of the public burdens. And
is it not also good reason to stop
giving more of them away? When
the state finds vacant or "unappro-
priated" land. or when land Is forfeit
ed to the state for non-payment OF
taxes, or for want of heirs. or for
other cause, why sell it? Why not
keep 1t. especially as the price the
state receives at sales is usually
merely nominal? Let US turn about,
and undo as far as we can the UNI
wisdom OF our fathers, and recover
the soil that above it and that below,
whenever circumstances afford oppor-
tunity.
Receipts and Expenses.
During the past four years the as
sertion has been frequently made,
especially when there was an election
by the people pending. that there was
a large dedicit in the state treasury.
that the treasury was bankrupt: and