The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-07-19
DEMOCRATS DID NO GUT
OARS I
FALL AcY or TaElR CLAIM IS Ex-
POSED BY STATE AUDITOR.
cREplT lss DUE TO REPU PUBLICAN
LAWS ABLY MlltlsTERE0.

LAWS bly, DmlNlS 81 EhE lEs.l.
CHARLESTON, W. Va, July 1s-
IN a statement made public here.
today, State Auditor John s. Darst
who vas potential in bringing about
tax reform and successful in the In:
slalafion Of the new tax laws, and
one of the best informed Of the state
officials ON matters Of taxation, com.
pieteiy exposed the fallacy Of the
Democratic claim tnat the recent re.
dueaon of the state levy TO 3 1;2c
was due 10 the economy effected by
the petiocrsts;In the state legislature.
Discnsslng the reduction Of the
state tay levy to the lowest figures
In the history of theYstate, Auditor
Dafs contends that the credit for
this remarkable achievement very
properly belongs to the Republican
party which. in spite Of bitter Demo
cratic opposition before the people
and In the halls Of the legislature,
carried forward the tax propaganda
intiIt stae property tax has been
almost entltely eliminated.
Republican Claims Fulfilled.
FURTHERMORE, Auditor Darst be-
lieyes that the assertion made by
tiie Republican leaders several years
ago and derided at the time by the
< Democratic bosses-that the state OF
West Virginia could maintain her gov
eminent and support her Institutions
without the direct property tax will
be proven TO the people in short
time, In fact already has been proved
FOR the small amount Of direct taxes
paid 10 the state during the next tax
year, will be returned to the people
along with considerable sum de-
rived fro% nther sources.
Result Of Business Methods.
Auditor Darst said: Continuing
tfe policy lnaugurated by the pre-
ceding Republican administration,
which had reduced the state tax from
s5c on The 500 taxable valuation to
81, tlle present administration has re-
dticed this tan to. 21s cents and hope
10 make 1t still lower next .yeaf. Z his
has not come about by accident, but
Is the result Of the Republican party
putting business methods in practice
IN the business affairs Of the state.
These methods. thought out in ad.
vance and eractfd d into law have
made possible the present startling
resilits very few years ago there
was levied S5 cents on each $l0O
valuation 10 meet the expenses of the
goYefnmept. The Republican
party declared that 1t did not need
any state tax; that 1t could maintain
d more efficient government and sup
port all of the states great institu'
lions without a direct tax. To that
end wise measures were enacted into
law. and lighting for the elimination
4 ol the stae property tax the Repub'
Ilcan party had to fight the Demo
cratic party every inch of the way.
Democrats Amuse.
As / have been interested in this
tax reform movement from the very
inception Of the contest, and as a
nienhberof the board OF public works
which has Just recently reduced the
direct state tax to 21s cents, have
been no little amused at the explana
tion given by some Of the Democratic
newspapers. quote one as follows:
he state tax levy has been reduced
20 cents on the hundred dollars
This reduction was made possible by
the policy Of economy in appropria
lions that was adopted by the Demo
cTats in the legislative session, BY
which the expenses OF conducting the
state government we're materially re
diced. The board OF public works
lixes the tax levy at figure thit vii
produce revenues sufficient to NEE
the appropriations. The credit fol
the reduction must be given the body
that made the reduction possible"
THUS the Democratic press would
heguile the people into believing tha
the Democratic party, bitter antag
onist OF tax reform was responsible
Tor the reduction OF the state property
tax. Certainly, 1t requires a consid
cradle amount OF "nerve" for thu
Democratic press, after following IL
the wake Of the Republican party Iol
all these years attempting to defea
IN every way possible the measures
that have made possible the elmina
lion Of tn direct property tax; saying
they are "a fraud, deception, a sub
teffnge, q snare and devise for th,
purpose Of carrying a few men int
oIfine and not intended to give tht
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