Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-03-25
Senator -Kurnp Explains.

>Cu6AOt
la q courteous letter 10 The editor OF
the Register. @. X. Kump, Of Romney,
one OF the State Senators from this dis
tict. asks Us 10 publish his explanation
OF his vote on The bill providing for q
production tax On coal. gas and oil, which
I he made on The floor OF The Senate. IL
IS as follows:
Mr.. President While ] wish 10 be
understood as voting against the propo-
siuon, ] desire 10 Ssy thai THIS does moi
refecl ny personal views On the general
question OF production tax on oil and
gas OF on pipe lines.
Il viii be recalled that early in the reg
ular session Of The Legislature ] intro
duced in thls chamber Senate bills Nos.
% and 81, providing ioI license tax
UPON the business OF producing gas and
oil, and IN he latter bill there was created
z State permanent road fund. The pur-
pose OF those bills was 10 benefit the
public school system OF this Stste and 10
establish soma comprehensive system OF
permanent Toad lmpT 9Vement and 10
leave 10 pOSieTITy some permanent BENG
III iron the splendid natural wealth that
IS rapidly being depleted by us eXp!OIts-
non, believing that unless S0ne vigorous
sffoT Is mace 10 leave something Of Z
permanent nature in inns State i vii Dc
only lev wears until al Of that great
natural wealth Is gone forever, with nOth-
inc lSfi but rs memory. Eighty per cenl
OF the real profit from the OIL and gas
-. -
an IN favor OF an indirect tax ICT Inc
purpose OF permanent Improvements 50
Is 10 N Z measure reimburse future gen
ersuons fof the explorations Of this gen.
Grafton
The bill proposed here IS not sucn
measure as 10 leave 10 future generations
sny permanent benefit. because the rev
enue thai would be raised as proposed
Will be Tor present purposes and vii
leave nothing Of substantial benefit Tor
The future
As tbs controlling reason Tor nv vote
OF this measure, permit ne 10 Ssy-ano
! betrsy 10 parry secret when J make the
stsfeneni-Ihat however much ] might
hsve desired 10 vote Tor z producuO1 tax
on oil auc gas q z revenue producing
MEASURE. the tact the eight splendid mem
bers OF The minority with whom ] an as
so~zttd. and with whom ny LOT IS c2Si
on ms side Of ire chamber. having N
PAW caucus determined thai for reason
Of ECONOMY. and because We have already
provided ample revenues Tor al egitl-
mate purposes, and believing that IN
necessary tsxan0n Is unjust taxation N
Whatever form imposed, ana 10 curb ne
- -. r rHr HE
running not IN on STATE administration,
that We, The minority members q the
Serate. should u justice 10 ourselves ano
10 the taxpayers OF the State o. NeSi
Virginia vote Is unit against any and IL
measures aimed a an increase Of taxa
uou. n which reasons J most heartily
concur, therefore vote NO
We regret thzt We cannot agree with
the position Of OH State Senators on inns
important question. and We reIterste or
opinion mai the Democratic minority Vas
very badly advised when Il agreed 10
vote against tins bill. Had We been IN
the position q Senator kunp or Senator
Beckwith We would have expressed The
sentiments Of ON constituents rather thsa
o6eyed the mandates Of Z partisan csucus
formulated in the poisoned atmosphere OF
the STATE capital, where intrigue and &C.
cap,-a ana double dealing oeclogd lhe
ISSUES.
Senator kuuq' own argument II favor
OF z Tax on these co1DooIues IS Irret-ts-
be, and Il ne was not able 70 Secure per-
ma1ea1 benents 10 poslerily Is proposed
ID MS Own oil, We FINK that ne should
hsye held ont ior present advantage Is
promised in he measure against which
he cast MS vote. Coal and oil and gas
ought really 10 Dear very large proper
non Of me Stale expenses, End If ihis
Dill had become Z Law Il would have been
comparatively easy II the iIiure 10 hsve
increased the lax on these commodities
Is the needs Of administration increase.
As II Is, The battle wsged Tor years has
been lost, and II must al be fought over
again.
We believe mat The caucus which rec
the hands Of on Seniors erred very ser !
iously In lis schon-thst Il vas iuimical
10 The best interests Of the people ana
hs--fu1 also 10 fhe Democratic. marty.