Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-10-12
Which Binds Big Corporations
TO Bosses Watson and
Chiffon.
KILL THE TAX LAWS
Story Of Attempt to Garry il Out
At Session Of 1911 and How
is Republican Senators
Thwarted Crime Against
the People.

was Matched two years ago by
certain Democrats Of wealth and
influence and the corrupt repre-
sentatives of great corporations
doing business in West Virginia,
is in existence today. 1t is the
great motive power. behind the
democratic campaign, and its
dominant note.
The combination formed then
had tor its purpose the election of
Watson and Chiffon to the SEN
ate and the abolishing of the sys-
te moi taxation written on the
statute books by the Republican
party. This system has proven
! popular, because it has proven
equitable. 1t has distributed the
burdens Of taxation fairly, reliev-,
ing the farmer. merchant, wage
Garner and small property holder,
OF the unfair apportionment Of
taxation, which he was forced to
bear in the years when the Demo-
cratic party was in control of the
government of the state. h 4s
Watson is up, for reelection
this, year. Also, he has a per-.
soiral candidate. for governor.
Other iservile fools OF his political
nnaehine are running for other
Offices. In the event of Repub-
lican defeat at the polls, the en-
tire machinery OF the government
OF the great state will be turned
over to Boss Watson to run.
Then his corrupt corporate allies
will come into their own, and the
tax system now in use will be
done away with.
This is no idle campaign state
ment, issued thoughtlessly. 1t is
a very serious fact. The purpose
to do away with our tax system
is upheld by the official Demo
cratic record of the past. Under
the terms Of the agreement which
bound Watson and Chiffon and
the big corporations Aho seek
to again shift their tales Dnto
the bent shoulders of the COM
mon people, attempt was made
at the last regular session OF the
legislature to do away with the
present tax laws. Only the lack
OF a constitutional majority in
the State Senate prevented the
Success of this scheme. The
owned, controlled and bossed
state senator's of that party
lacked one vote to carry through
the plan of the Watson-C Chiffon
Machine and their corporate al
lies. Let us see about this.
Senate Bill No. IA: Introduced
by Senator MacCorkle, had for
its prime object to tear into
shreds and fragments our sys-
tenn of taxation. There were los
pages OF this vicious and de-
structive bill. 1t changed the
basis of assessment in favor of
large taxpayers in spite of the
fact that West Virginia has the
lowest tax rate, including public
utilities, of any state in the
union. 1t is now one cent when
it used to be thirty-fve cents on
the hundred dollars valuation,
Section l32 of this bill reads as
follows: THE Office Of tax COM
missioner heretofore created and
now existing is hereby discon-
tinued and abolished" Think OF
that Abolish the very founda-
tion Of the tax system, an Office
which has made the system a sue
cess, seen to its rigid and i'm
partial enforcement and admins
tration, and pays for itself every
week in the year
In2the. House soi Delegates was
the sBiHs H ,NS a9,Seyen
" Y'fse md q Ares thanl the Mac
coTkleSb:lI EqFfioh3 Of 4 title
,reads To abolish the ofises Of
I a IL. "a IL. 8 sxsfte. 4tsf1EaN