West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-02-05
kINGwooD. FEsRuARY 5
THoRouGH UNDERSTANDING

lures Of the Hatfield administration.
There is no misunderstanding now az TO
what we said or as TO what we meant.
We maintain that it will cost the tax.
payers of this state SIS, 900 600 To con-
duet the affairs of the state during the
Hatfield regime. This estimate we shall
not modify nor will we admit that we are
indulging in visionary arithmetic.
We will, however for the sake of argu-
ment, take the figures OF the State Jour
nal which are So, 000, 900 for the four
years of Hatfield's tenure OF office and
this will make il $1,000, 600 year that
the present administration will cost the
taxpayers. Now we ask our esteemed
contemporary il it really belives that even
with winged feet we should fly so far that
ONE year under this administration
should cost as much as FOUR years un
der the last Democratic administration?
The MacCorkle administration cost the
taxpayers 50, 69I $50, TO be exact. II the
State Journal does So believe we desire
some concrete argument TO substantiate
the contention. Does the Argus think
West Virginia has been standing still,
that it could be run on what it could
twenty years ago?' inquiries the State
Journal. BY reverting to our editorial,
which the Jouanal quotes, we stated that.
'whle We are willing to admit that
the state appropriations should increase
Since that time, we are not willing to
concede that the increase shousd average
500, 900 a year, as has been the case Tor
the past seventeen year."
THE increase in the tax receipt is no
burden on the ordinary taxpayer any
more. 1t is secured in the way OF char
tiers and is paid by corporations and in
other ways SO it is no burden to the PEG.
Pile at all" declars the State Journal
This may be true so far as Wood
comfy is concerned, but il il not true OF
Preston. The farmer and small property
holder, in this county, will testify that
his TAX burden has been increased. IN
fact the increase has been such that the
general complaint is heard OH all sides.
The promise that the corporations would
have TO pay the taxes, under the
new tax law, was so timed in its opera
ton that We confess there was reason to
accept the theory OF the tax reformers"
that the burden would he placed on the
said corporations and that the farmer aud
small property holder would be exempt
But those who had made study OF the
new tax laws contended that when they
were put in operation they would IN the
first instance lay the burden on the cor
porations but that this was merely blind
and that the increase, in the ordinary
taxpayers receipt, would gradually grow
until in 1909, at which time the flood
gates would be opened and the farmer
and small property holder would, TO use
the vernacular Of the day. get his In
1909 comparison OF the farmers tax re-
ceipt, under the old law and the new law.
showed that the increase was from double
TO quadrnple. In fact the tax receipt OF
some OF our farmers had actually quad
rupled. As balm to the outraged feel
ings Of the farmer the tax reformers''
quoted the enormous increase i'm the taxes
OF the corporations, which was their Gus
tomary appeal to prejudice. But this
did not satisfy Mr.. Farmer. He called
attention that the promise was 10 de.
crease his taxes, not 10 increase them.
This storm Of indignation grew to such
Il at the tax reformers' sent
a committee TO Washington TO Law the
matter before the West Virginia delegation
Git Was solidly Republican at that time FL
kin~. Scott and five congressman and AZ
one Of tlie delegates pot il OF his arrival:
"Our county is IN a state Of revolution
over the increase in the taxes Of the
farmers, under the new tax laws. II some
thing Is not done, and done quickly, tlie
Democrats will carry the county. And
i Bro. Morris will kindly look 10 the
election returns from Preston since 1909
he will discover that there has been a
slight upbeaval which is attributed L,
Ihe increase in taxation and tId- increase
has been multiplying witb each succeed
ng year. The tax receipt Of the ordinary
taxpayer for 1913 shows healthy in-
crease. And the taxpayer OF adjoining
Sorsties witb whom we have conversd
inform us that the taxes ia their countie.
are on the increase and there is a general
howl emitted against. IL.
The State Journal appeals 10 state pride
md patriotism BY saying, "even fifteen
million dollars seems not an unreasonable |
mn for running great state like West
Virginia Tor four yeaTs-one that f. far
reater and more progressive than 30 wa
n 1896" Grant this viii the state
Journal then join Tng AReus 10 the adj |
'ocacy of Governor Hat6eld's rescindiny
he order Withholding the appropriation
4 SO 900 that We might be- represented /
y befits us. 81 a great state. at
be San Francisco exposition? The
iovernor ia his order has nullifed \ |
legislative enactment. We we're. under |
be MacCorkie administration. properly |
ct the Worlds Fair. in Chi |
aeo. ~ 1893, and We must not retrograde. |
Concluding We will say that the editor
the STATE Journal has been grinding
a. editoral copy for a. many years a. has
se editor oi THg ARoCs weeks aud We
-nsi that Ia tie future Bro. Morris will |
O characterize = contemporary who diff
~ honestly ~ 8 demagogue. And a. 10
Hzen We tynst that with Increasing years
" milk u human kindnes will not
ir1ie We stand far an era Of good