West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-08-05
Don't Look So Good.

lhey nave been doing some real true
and actual value" assessing this wear.
which is the least bit provoking to some
OF the tax reformers" who were not let
in on the ground floor when the tax laws
had their birth. The Wheeling News pro-
iesses to be somewhat puzzled in regard
TO the assessment of the public service
corporations for the year 1909. II can
not understand how some OF the CORPORA
tons are assessed less i'm 1909 than 1908.
1t is with feeling OF awe that we men.
ton this lest we arouse the resentment of
the Journal and provoke il 10 a spasm OF
righteous Indignation IL has been one
oil Its siren songs i'm discussing the new
tax laws that they were intended to re-
lieve the middle class Of taxpayers, such
as the farmers and workingmen who
owned their humble homes, and place the
taxes on the corporations where they
rightly belonged
But like all the other fables which the
Journal has been spinning to its readers
to deceive them on the tax laws il will
find it quite difficult TO satisfactorily ex-
plain the assessment of 1909.
We may be pardoned when we call at
tention to what THE ARGUS said about the
new tax laws as far back as the year
1901. 1t will be recalled that THE ARGUS
stated then that Sin 1909 the bars will be
let down and the farmers and the small
property holders will get their first taste
OF the real genuine tax reform" 1t
fully explained at the time how il was TO
be doled out in small doses so as TO not
kill the taxpayer.
The Dawson tax law is the most Won
derfully constructed piece of legislation
ever enacted 10y sane man. 1t was full of
jokes from beginning TO end. II had n
threefold purpose to accomplish. In its
first year to prevent an increase in taxes
to soak certain corporations and shield
others; to get billions of assessable prop
erty 10 meet the enormous increase in the
state appropriations from $780, 900 TO
1000, 900, due TO the creation of hun
dreds OF unnecessary offices to reward the
Republican machine henchmen. Besides
all this 1t was necessary to increase the
assessment of property to meet the Vir-
ginia debt.
The new tax law was so constructed
that it has been at the mercy of the "tax
reform" juggleS. They have juggled il
in every conceivable way to deceive the
taxpayers. But from present appearances
they have juggled their last game of de-
| ception.
The assessments as announced show
that there has been no material increase
In the assessments of the public service
| corporations, but there has been an in
crease of $500, 900, 900 in the realty valua.
ton of 1909 over that of 1908. The in.
crease in Preston is something like 81.
100000. That's pretty fair sized JUMP
Tor tax reform" under the vigilance Of
the Preston County Journal.
We must confess that it makes us trem.
BILE when we ask the Journal for an ex
PLANTATION. 1t has been such devoted
and ardent champion of the people anC
such an unrelenting foe of the detestablC
corporations that we fear it may ruptur,
n blood vessel when il learns that tho
people have been caught in the tolls Of
the tax reformers'' from which there il
no escape. However, it is possible, and
also probable, that the Journal is still il
total ignorance of the assessment of 1909
1t would be in keeping with its record, a,
it is generally from two TO three years
behind the times. We will listen to is
explanation, however, for we somehow
think that this prod will awaken it from
its slumbers.