Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-10-26

State. We collected, under the
same law, two-thirds as much in
two years as the Democrats col
lected in seventeen years from
this source. We have since
amended the law until ii now av-
q ages ABOUT 9Ioo,0oo year, nl-
stead of $1,000, as was collected
under Democratic rule.
Preventing Legislative Extrav-
agance.
Not only have the Republican
officers enforced the splendid
laws which have made possible
these results, but they have even
gone SO far as to question the
constitutionality Of appropria-
tions made by the Legislature.
One Of the State officers refused
to issue his warrant on the treas
ury for appropriations he be-
lieved to be unconstitutional.
The matter went to the Supreme
Court Of Appeals, and that body
sustained the opinion of the Off
Ger in two separate cases, and
$4,000 was saved to the State.
Now, | want to call your atten-
ton to the first item, State Tax,
which was ~ cents on the 500
valuation of all the property in
the State. This amounted to
.S353343.74. Then we transferred
from the State fund in that year
to the School Fund $4I2,7I6.oI,
Ior $79,372.27 more than we col
lected from the ARGENT levy, so
you see we are not only running
this State without any tax on the
real and personal property, but
we have handed back to the
schools $4,000, in round num-
bers, for good measure.
And so / could continue. but I
have endeavored to show how it
was that we were enabled to do
away with our State tax, and. at
the same time, spend twice as
much money on the State gov
eminent as did the Democrats,
without the people having to pay
anything for the support of the
state government on their real
estate and personal property.
In case you do not engage in
any OF the special privileges that
! have mentioned-if you do not
run hotel, restaurant or circus.
or merry-go-round, or keep a
billiard table or bowling alley. or
sell liquor or tobacco, or operate
an automobile, or have stock in
a corporation authorized to do
business i'll this State, or do not
have stock in an insurance COM
pany, or some one has not died
and wllled you their property,
then you do not pay anything
toward the expenses of the State
government, with all of its chart
table. educational and penal in
situations, which are costing the
State annually approximately
about 81 100000.
SO | think you can see where
our money comes from to main
tain the State government. and
why It is possible for us to run
this great State without any di-
rect tax upon the real estate or
personal property "a most re-
markable achievement. The first
reason IS, that the Republican
party has put into law in West
Virginia common sense methods.
In the next place, she has elected
officers who have fearlessly en-
forced this law, which is the rea-
son for the results that | have
mentioned, and which have at
tracted attention not only in
West Virginia. but have set the
pace Tor the entire SiSterhOOd of
States, and they have been COM
ing here TO learn more of the
wonderful accomplishments and
business methods of the Repub-
lican party now in practice in this
State.
Much Greater Benefits.
Not only, my friends. have we
made possible the elimination of
the State tax, which in itself is a
great achievement, but the bene-
hts received by the people from
the re-assessment annually of all
real estate and personal property
Is much greater. Our law now
provides that the Assessors in
the various counties shall assess
the persontl property and real
the personal property and real
firms and joint stock companies
annually.