The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-04-14

made new and bigger. Tta university
and normal schools could have been
maintained upon~a basissFivalinB those
of the greatest commemorative. But
alas, we have let that great wealth
pass from us. More than a million
acres of these rich coal lands have
been gathered 1 n by the money sharks,
most of whom r non-residents OF
the state. There is being mor than
$25, 600 600 in natural gas taken o
this state each year There are many
more millions being taken out in oil.
These gigantic. holdings OF coal lands
were bought up years ago, most OF
1t at a mere fraction of its present
value. The people have Ho title to
it, but by all sense OF Justice they are
entitled to some fair portion of this
unearned increment. Those who own
these vast properties have done moth
ing to make their great value. 1t Is
unlike the lane OF the farmer in this
respect. The farmer improves his
land while the coal operator and the
oil and gas producer destroys the
values as they take the product from
the ground. 1t will be only a few
years until this great wealth is gone
n the people will have nothing to
show for 1t except empty holes in the
ground.
The only way the people can have
anything at all to show for this fast
disappearing wealth is to demand that
a reasonable tax be placed upon the
product of these mines and wells to
build up permanent institutions and
good roads. The one big business Iea-
son why these special interests should
pay an additional state tax, that the
other citizens do not pay, Is that they
enjoy special privileges from the state,
in the protection of their business.
Special bureaus and institutions are
maintained at the expense of the state
for their special benefit. But The fact
that the people have a reasonable in
terest in this vast wealth is the best
reason why it should not be taken
away from them without some reason
able recomQense being left behind to
show for it..
Take the list of millionaires Of this
state and it will be found that every
one of them made his millions from
either coal, oil or gas, and perhaps
some few from timber, which Is going
in the same way. No man every makes
a million dollars from farming, prac-
ticing medicine or law, from teaching
school or working in the mines OF
factories. Fortunes are o mad that
way. Comfortable livings come to
those who are industrious in these
calltngs, but fortunes never. Then
why should not the business that pro-
duces millionaires be taxed as a spe-
cial privilege since SO few enjoy it?
AS an illustration how far the coal.
oil and gas companies will go to defeat
any form of taxation, which reaches
the pocketbook Of this special privi-
lege class the provisions of the Pierce
! hill hnfNFa the la at 1aptRIaf1Tn miphf
be used as an example.
The Pierce bill provided that a tax
of one-fifteenth Of n cent per 1000
feet be placed on the transportation of
gas for each 25 miles 1t is carried by
the pipe line companies. This bill
was bitterly opposed by the pipe line
companies n defeated.
If this bill had become effective a
gas company selling it's gas within 25
miles of the well would have paid one
fifteenth of one cen for each 1000
feet that 1t carried, or one cent on
each $4,000 feet of gas consumed. The
average consumption of gas per month
for domestic use is about Is 200 feet,
on which a state tax was proposed of
one cent. This gas costs from 3 to 4
cents at the we'll n the average re-
tail price is about 90 cents per 1000
feet, leaving 10 cents for transporting
IAS Bus " I1G consumer 4hl5 5do
which costs so cents at the we'll is
therefore sold for $3.45, leaving a profit
of S2.S5 per month from each con
sumner, and in spite of this liberal
profit of $2.85 on a 60-cent investment,
we find the gas monopoly refusing to
pay the pitiful sun of n single little
penny to the state as an indirect tax.
AS long as the dollars continue to
flow into the Golfers of these favored
few. and as long as they can control
our legislatures. Just so long will they
refuse to pay the pennies in taxation.
The combine has millions for the de-
Tense of its safety vaults. but not one
cent to support the public institutions
Of the state. One trouble is too many
representatives in the legislature look
upon this. business like one of
the Democratic delegates from Marion
County, who said, in explaining his
vote, that If 1t was not for the coal,
oil and gas business, he would have no
job"
l.. NJ. DAVIS.