Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1910-09-02

state are now busy telling how the
| present state administration has lower
the state levy to four and half cents
on the Numbered dollars valuation and
the beneficent effect of the Dawson tax
| avs in the farmers interests. We
have not heard better answer than
the following from the Fairmont Times:
Al Charleton on the 18th inst, the
Boart of Public Works fixed the levy
for state purposes, exclusive OF road
tax, at Al cents on the hundred dol
lars valuation. lmmeiially came the
suggestion from member of the
Board doubtless as hint to RepubIi-
can papers, that when the Democrats
we e in control Of the state, the levy
YVES 30 ceuts, while "uow il Is COM
pafatlyely nothing. "
Now watch for the annouuc ment
from every Republican paper in the
state as to the great reduction II state
taxes.
This announcement will be in keep
ing with the usual effort to fool and
deceive the people on tax subjects.
Let us see how state taxes have
actually been reduced.
Under the valuation OF all property
in Marion county in 1904. which was
in round numbers $l0,000,000, the
state and state schoo, tax at 35 cents
on the one hundred dollars valuation.
produced S35 900 as the whole amount
of taxes paid by Marion county into
the state treasury.
Under the present valuation, which
is over S60,000,000 on practically the
same property, a ~ cents levy on the
one hundred dollars produces $27 600
That is a big sum for levy that is
comparatively nothing isn't it?
But that is not all. If the Board
laid the usual road levy Of one cent
on the hundred dollars, the aggregate
of taxes derived from tina direct levy
made by the Board will be increased
$1,000, or the sum of state taxes taken
direct from the people of Marion ceun.
ty will be S33 900, or within $4,000 oil
as much money as was ever taken
from them in any one year by any
Democratic administration.
So it will be seen that the little, old
measly levy of 4 cents, like the bed
bug, "gets there just the same" when
1t comes to yanking taxes out of the
tax payer.
Now if you add to this $3.50 di-
ect taxes the indirect taxes that the
people OF the county pay, we will see
that the a! cent levy which Is said
to amount to "nothlng at all, and
other forms of taxation paid by the
county for the state, is practically
equivalent to what would be more
than sixty cents levy on the value
tons as they were under Democratic
administrations.
Take the cost of the intermediate
Court, formerly borne by the state,
cow wholly borne by the tax payers
of Marion county, which certainly
amounts to from five to ten tn usand
dollars annually. then add the large
part OF the criminal charges, formerly
b.rne in whole by the state, now
charged back to the county, the part
maintenance of the inmates of the
humane and charitable institutions
also formerly borne by the state and
now paid out of the county treasury
and various other former state ex-
penses that are BOW charged to the
county and paid by the tax payers III
the form of county taxes, which have
been largely decreased by reeson OF
these state expenses the county must
bear, and add all of them to the 1913, :
600 derived from the diret levy, ant
every one can readily see that any pre-.
tense that state taxes are really les,
than under Democratic administra
ton Is simply monumental lie.
Besides the great amount of stat,
taxes that under This attempted from
OF deception is paid through the me.
oium OF county taxes, there are sew
eral thousand dollars of licenses, eon
On new subjects, in excess of thoe,
levied by Democratic administrations
which are paid by Marion county tax
prayers. In fact, ifthe truth was read
I lily ascerIainsble, we have no doubt il
/ could be Shown that instead of pay
/ ing less statetaxes now than formerly
the people of Marion county are pay
ing more than twice the amount o
taxes into the state treasury than the,
ever paid in any year of Democrat
control. But Republican official
and newspapers always urgue thi
tax question and matters that relat
to II as though they thought the poe
pie were fools and could not see til