The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-03

l.sensible that his business is any
lfreer than it was in 1872 or is by
any chance likely to be in the fu-
tture
An Obnoxious Measure.
The special tax bill which is now
pending before the Legislature at a
special session is the most Obnoxious;
measure ever introduced in a West
Virginia legislature on the question
iof taxation. It violates the funda-
mental principles underlying the mod
ern theory OF taxation. While Henry
George may have been an extremist.
yet the world is getting around to tic
general principles advocated by him
In the matter Of taxation. The main
purpose of the.AGeorge dogma was u
compel the utilization of property. He
was one of the humanitarianS who be-
tslieved that the natural resources OF
THE world should be placed at the
disposal af the people and utilized for
the benefit OF mankind. He looked
abroad and saw the richest part Of
natures store-house bought UP and
held for. speculative purposes. Man
kind was receiving no benefit from
that to which the race was entitled
and only those who had cornered the
earth profited by what he called the
I"unearned increment, that is, the
value which was being constantly
added to these holdings by the Use to
which the people were putting the re-
manning property. The George sys-
ten was SO TO tax the amused prop
erty as to make it imp rotitable to with
hold it from use That such system
would be the very acme of human
ir1s1.aY.I tn11ne.
tons. But, evidently. the special tax
advocates believe that George was
entirely wrong, and that all taxation
should be placed upon used property
or the use Of property.
The income tax bill 1eEies not one
penny upon the man who has bought
up great quantities of coal and timber
and holds the same for advanced
prices. He is to enjoy the "unearned
Increment without any abatement in
the way of taxes. The Legislature is
asked to adopt this policy and to give
1T the title of .progressiveness, y
while, in fact, it would be a leap back
wards into the Middle Ages Illus
itrations abound In every part Of the
state which show the profound in-
justice If this plan. There is one coal
company operating in Harrison cOun-
aty which owns and has under lease
hold twenty-three hundred acres OF
Pittsburg coal. 1t owns about one
half OF the coal in fee simple and pays
"a royalty for the coal mined from the
residue. tho lding it under lease. This
coal company is exceptionally enter.
3prising. and from these limited prop
tons OF coal per year Every acre OF
its coal is taxed alta high valuation
In addition, the improvements are
taxed at IA figure which adds more.
than one hundred dollars per acre TO
every acre Of coal held in fee and
under lease. On this valuation. it pays
all tax levies This company gives
employment on an average to twelve
hundred men Counting four to the
family, ita-supports four thousand
eight hundred people, During the year
closing December By. 1914, 1t received
less chan three cents a ton for its coal.
after paying the cost of production,
and fixed charges. 1t contributed one
per cent of its earnings TO the federal
government. 1T is now propos ed to
make it contribute Il large special tax:
to support the mining Department.
state government.
r Gl1lCeSSdu sSWIflEItf
its properties are located. the Wilbur
Coal and. Coke Company owns thirty
two thousand acres of Pittsburg coal.
The J " Thompson interests own
approximately fifty thousand acres OF
sPittsburs coal These coal holdings
are assessed at SO much per acre
much less per acre than the operated
coal
We do not want to scriticise the sEa!-g
suation for the reason that VIC think
the assessment is fully as high as the.
market for tile property will 'iustif y.
Scattered through these holdings.
two citizens OF Harrisburg each own
something like ten thousand acres or
land including tic coal. These lands
arc assessed at so much per acre. and
land and coal included at not more.
per acre than the coal alone which
is held in large tracts BY others
The Wilbur Coal & Coke Company:
and the q . " Thompson interests do.
not give enIpI oyments tosa single indi-,
yfdual. They DO not pay one penny on
these properties into the federal treas
5ury, and the special takers insist that
they shall be relieved from all taxa
ton for the benefit OF the state The
two Individuals who hold these inns
mense> boundaries of land give cn-
Dleyment to a few tenants on their
farms They pay nothing into the
FEDERAL treasury, md 1T is now in.