The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-09
III Reference to the Situation.
Which Exists Novyin the
State Senate.


ures. The chief executive repeats
that he has no special method over
another to suggest. to be adopted for
the raising Of revenue. He continues
TO strenuously oppose the direct
method Of taxation. for the reason
that 1t Is ineuuitable. The state
ment follows:
he corporation dominated press,
acting for the henchmen OF some big
interests that do not desire to pay
their proportional part of the taxes to
enable West Virginia to go forward In
developing her state Institutions, at
tempts to hold me responsible for GER
tain method sug gested in the waygo
revenue measures pertaining to taxa
ton that have been su omitted to this
session of the legislature
can say without the fear of con
|tradiction that have not advocated
one single method over another to any
senator or member of the House, but
have contended myself by sending a.
special message upon this subject and
have left the ma tier entirely to the
elaboration and conclusion Of the
legislature. Can the lobby and thoss
who have selfish interests. or thos:.
who seek the opportunity to- condemn
Is Not Responsible. Z.
am in no way responsible for the
states liabilities over its resources.
but 1t is my duty to call the attention
of the whole people to this cond ition,
and this I have done. Not only lis
this true. but have reconvened the
Legislature for the reason that il
passed an appropriation bill far in ex-
cess Of the available revenues, as well
as failed to take care of the accrued
deficit which was called to its atten-
| ton in my biennial message, and for
which it was the duty of the legisla-
tors to provide In keeping with arti-
Gle 10. section 5 of the constitution.
IT has been pointed out that there
was deficit of $3.50 900 when I as
sumed the duties of governor, and.
that the deficit was reduced some
! 81 so, % 90 at the end of the first year
81 my term. and notwithstanding the.
fact that the liquor revenue was lost
10 the state, as was something like
lS5OO.OOO in the Paint and Cabin
Creek coal strike, the dencit for this
year will Increase only about s278.-
COO. All of this goes to indicate, as
has been set forth in my several mes
tssges, that the present administration
has economical and curtailed in
every way possible. Z disapproyed of
items in the appropriation bill passed.
az the last Irregular session of the legis-s
lature aomnnting to SO 5S:6O8.O9.
After my curtailme nt Of this aDpropri-'
alton bill there Will remain a liability
over assets amounting to- 81 ,812,O0O$
Recommended Many Methods.
lsrecommendedm many methods In
/ oy message on taxation and finance.
The most prominent of thses recon-
ms ndatfons was an excise corporation
tax. did this for the reason that 81
thought it was right and equita bic.
| en- srls - that it was cheaper for the cor.
porations than to permit a 10 cent
increase IN the direct tax. It is true
mat ina all states contiguous to West
VT MA have such Law. and have
had It years. Do not the corpo-
ration representatives know that the
excise. corpora ion tax m ethod will be
| less burdensome than a.: direct tax
levy They should stop and take
stoc and decide for themselves. Do
they want to- get away from the direct
nod 81 taxa ton by the adoption
tof5 ansanendment to- the state consti-
tuition which will permit the classiti4
cation OF property, aas is the base in
the state from which the most of the
owners OF our corporations come?
Why is it that these&owners oppose
the methods of taxation that have
long since prevailed in their native
states
have no special method overfan
cher to suggeststo be adopted for tho
raising Of Sreyenue. have stated
frankly and freely more than once in
the ne press, asSwell as inn ny messagesto
the legislature. 4 do strenuously op-
pose the direct method, for the Sreason
that 1t issinequitab1e. This u dis
cussed fullysand freely in my last mes
sage to the legislatures and quoted
nigh authoriti and could have
droted a great many more if space
had permitted me-
We can get along some way or
other. il the legislatures VIII on1yscurs
tail the appropriation bill TO comply
with article ~ of section Is, and close
up some of our institut tons. Has the
time come when the memberssof the
senate feel that they cannot AFFORD to-
enactsanyreye measures which do
not meet with. corporate approval. asI
they seem to be directing the destiny
OF att east7a mai orityS ofst that body;?sTi
dwelt upon the subjec OF retrogresg
ssionsand sretrenchm in my message
on dnancewhich Z here quot
Two Courses Left.
There are only two courses left
open to. use as a state. The first Isl
to stop the progress and development
OF our instftuti Ions and 81 eliminate those
Which cans be most easily sacrif lceds
with the snlalles amount OF 3 harm
and 30 into retrenchment in a mater
ial way and permit stagnation and
re 7strogression to say our hands: as al
In the race with the
other states for civic betterment ami
iaccompl ishment In some regardsI
iwesstand the peer Of any other9com-