West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-06-03
A Hatfield Victory

The enactment OF the law is a glor-
ious victory for Governor Hatfield and
was secured only after the most bit.
ter fight ever waged between the
champion OF the people and the tax
lodging special interests. They spent
vast amount OF money and main
tanned tremendous lobby TO defeat
the bill. seeking thereby TO save
themselves thousands OF dollars in
just taxes which they have been evad
ing. and TO encompass the political
ruin or the man who refuses TO bow
to their will.-Charleston Post.
The Charleston Post is Governor
Hatfeld's personal organ. The vic
tory IL refers to is Senate Bill No. /.
which increases the state levy to IA
cents on the hundred dollars. The
state legislature has forgotten the
people and has levied this increase in
direct taxes on our people. which is
entirely uncalled for.
The oil and gas interests OF the
state controlled enough representa-
tives to put this matter over.
II may be famous victory but such
victories are expensive to the people
OF the state. 1t may be a Hatfield
victory but ii is not victory for the
people. Ii is victory that extracts
from the pockets of the common peo-
pie thousands of dollars but does not
reach the oil and gas which is being
piped out OF the state each year.
Yes, IL is a famous victory when
small property owners are taxed and
the vast oil and gas interests are suf-
Tered to go on impoverishing the state
OF Its natural resources and not pay
Ing anything in return
When the natural resources are
gone from West Virginia the state
has been impoverished that much.
These natural resources should nav
a heavier burden of taxes than any
other class of property. The farm is
visible and will be here always and
can be taxed. The oil and gas is not
visible and the only way to assess
them is by a production tax. The
voters of Preston county should see to
II at the next election that there is no
mistake made in these matters. Men
should be selected who will guard the
interests of the taxpayers and not
trade nor dicker with any one in the
oil and gas belt.
Many of those who voted for the
increase OF the state levy to IA cents
are our personal friends and their ac-
ton has been a bitter disappointment
TO us and il pains US to speak so plain
iy about the matter but we feel that
the people should know about il. and
unless the newspapers give It there is
no other method. The Journal is
printed to give the news first. II
would like to be able to support Gov
ernor Hatfield and every administra-
ton Senator but when the people are
being slugged as they were I'm Senate
bill No. 1 then the Journal refuses to
be with them.
Had Governor Hatfield vetoed the
raise In the state levy 1t would have
been notable victory for Governor
Hatfield and the people, but he did
not and as he did not, it is a victory
ior Governor Hatfield and the oil in
terests, and the people of the state
have to suffer the penalty.
However, the legislature found II
convenient to appropriate $500 900
more of the peoples money, which in
the words of the Charleston Post. is
another rotabie victory for Governor
Hatfield.
God save the Statc!-Preston Coun-
ty Journal, Moy 81, 1915.