Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1910-10-12

bUARD III
ased Expenditures for Maintenance
Number Of thousand cubic feet of
gas produced in the year
lSs6-Not available but worth
S64O.OOO
19OS-112.1S1.27S, worth s14-
SS7,1SO.00
Number Of State institutions in the
1Ss6-14
1sOs-2S
The average salary paid teachers in
the year
1SS6-S313O
19G9-S41
school purposes in year
Per capita OF the distributable
school fund in year
1S96-s1.2Sl5
19O9-l.67I
Number of miles OF steam and street
railroads in the year
1882 .9G0.O6.
-5.625.3S
to the question Of taxation prom
erty was grossly UNDERMINED an5
'hucp OF 1t escaped taxation alto
sether Coal. oil, gas. and timber
Iahd' railroads, oil and gas pipe lines.
wafer companies, express companies
( Telephone and telegraph companies
the Pullman Palace Car COMPANY
ana other public utility proDerfv
We're grossly underaSsessed. The
burdens of taxation for quarter of
a century, under Democratic admin
istration had fallen upon the shout
ders OF those least able to pay them
that is upon the farmers. and the
small property owners.
First Progressive Step.
The movement for better things in
taxation in this State started with thu
enactment of the Dawson CORPORA
uon Law of 1901, whereby the IL
cense taxes on the charters of cor
porations was increased from about
SNo,OOO a year under MacCorkle TO
nearly 100000 under Glasscock.
The Legislature of 1901, by an al
most unanimous vote. created the
Tax Commission of 1901. This
famous body was composed of Henry
u. Davis and John III. Holt. Demo-
Gratis, and William p. Hubbard. l.. !.
Williams and John X. Thompson. Re
publicans. Their recommendation
We're unanimous. They declared in
their report to the Legislature of
l9U5 That - per cent of the wealth
OF the state was paying Z , per cent
OF the burdens OF taxation. Such
remarkable condition called loudly
for redress at the hands of the Legis-
lature. The facts shown by this re-
port were contrary to the letter ana
spirit Of the Constitution. which de-
clares that taxation shall equal and
uniform The Legislature of 1903
rejected the report OF the Tax Com
mission. In 1901 the Legislature
was convened in extraordinary ses-
sion. and a number of tax reform
measures were passed. 1t is not worth
while to recall all the legislation en-
acted in 1904 and since. but it is
worth while TO note some of the re-
suits Of such legislation
Property Should BE Listed At Its
True And Actual Value.
The Legislature of 1904 and 1905
provided that beginning with 1906
all property should pay taxes upon
its true and actual value. I'm 1904
the total taxable wealth Of the State
was S2IH,S29,G59.O made up as fol-
lows: Real estate, S16S,4SO,150.
personal property, $SO,3O6.2O9, pub
lie utility property, $30,043 800,
total $21S.S29, G59. In 1910 the
total taxable wealth of the State is
approximately, $1,114. SCI 900, an in
crease OF four times. made up as fol-
lows Real estate, S59S.5O0, 900,
personal property, 5000. pub
lie utility property, $3.50. 200.
Real estate is increased 3.55 times;
personal property 2.93 times. ana
public utility property 9.42 times.
the proportion of the total tax
levied upOn real estate in 1904 was
G04l,; in 1905 1T was u 70, The pro
portion of the total tax levied upon
personal property in 1904 was 2S8@,;
in 1908 it was 21.6't. The proportion
Of taxes levied upon public utility
property i'm 1904 was 1887, and in
1908 2G.5r, In 1904 there was levied
upon real estate total taxes to the
amount OF So G2G.576. while i'm 1905
there was levied upon real estate taxes
10 the amount OF s4Gjj.6IS. an increase
of $529.lO2. I'm 1904 there was levied
upon personal property taxes to the
amount of SI129.22S. i'm 1908 there
was levied upon personal property
taxes to the amount Of St.729j30 an
increase OF 1902 I'm 1904 there was
levied upon public utility property
taxes 90 the amount of S6IS. 400. while
in 1908 there was levied $2121S7S. an
increase of $ti73112.
" will readily be seen from these
figures that there has been a shifting
and readiu tmcnt OF iho tax burdens.
Taxes ~ the Aggregate Have Been
Increased.