West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-04-15
KiNoWoop. APRIL IS
CLINICS TO SINKING SHIP

desert the sinking ship In last weeks |
Journal he comes out boldly and defiant
~ as the lone defender and advocate of |
the Dawson tax laws. With an admix- |
ture OF sophistry and inaccurate conten.
ton he makes fairly good showing and
one that would have been accepted with.
out questioning by the faithful less than
DECADE ago. But not so today. Ii was
the Misrepresentation of the new tax laws
that made the faithful, full.fledged Mis-
sourians!
The refrain OF the Senator's advocacy
IL the deceptive state tax, which has been
exposed 80 often that it no longer de-
ceives. He points to the reduction OF
the state tax from 30 cents on the one
hundred dollars under a Democratic adj
ministration to one cent under Repub.
hcan administration. (This was under q
Democratic legislature in 1911 Fine
showing, eh? How was the reduction
brought about? BY trebling and quad
rupling the assessment and then shifting
the burden from the state to the counties
The taxpayers now thoroughly under
stand this and il is useless for Senator
Flynn to hope to deceive them.
The Senator can hardly be excused for
miss.ating the facts Although his Ian.
guage is somewhat ambiguous his evident
intent is to make it appear that the Re
publicans were responsible for the reduc-
ton OF the state tax to one cent in 1911.
and the increase to ten cents the years
following was chargeable TO the Demo
Gratis. 1t is directly the opposite.
In rendering unto Cesar the thing
that are Cesar's it can be truthfully said
OF Senator Flynn that the state does not
contain more sagacious and resourcefu
politician than he. And it is not within
the realms of possibility that he has for
gotten the legislative session OF 1911 A
most conspicuous member of the immor-
tai Git is hardly likely that their statues
will be placed in the hall OF fame y fifteen
Republican senator's who fled to Cincin.
natl, Ohio, and were the guests of Mr.
Chas T. Taft for fifteen days. 1t has
not parallel in the history of American
politics. This senatorial outing cost the
taxpayers some $25, 200, and Senator
Flynn CANNOT escape bis b. part Of the re:
Democratic and the senate tie. By
strict economy they were able to reduce
the state tax to one cent. Compare In.
amount paid the attaches of the legisa
tive session of 1911 with that of the pre-
vious and later sessions under the Re-
Puohcans and note the saving to the tax
payers. When the Republicans got con &.
troll again the state tax was increased 10
ten cents, which under treble and
quadruple assessment means 80 to 40 cents
on the one hundred dollars, besides the
counties paying under the new law that
which was paid by the state under the
old law.
Senator Flynn is not only shrewd
politician, but an acknowledged finan.
cier. AS fnancier, will he 90 on
record as saying that 80 per cent in
crease In population and a 500 per cent
increase in state expenditures is a fair
Ratio? Would not this in itself indicate
wanton extravaganza
Senator Roy Parrish Republican, Of
Harrison county, on the floor OF the sen.
ate justified the action OF the anti
administration senator's on the ground OF
wasteful extravaganza in the admins
tration OF state affairs" The Charleston
Mail Republican presented a series of
editorials Eve have not the space 10 re-.
produce them in which il quotes from
the records, showing most fragrant ex-
travsgance.
1t has been repeatedly charged in the
public press, giving the names of the
officers) which has never been denied 90
lar as We have noted, that during the
Paint and Cabin creek coal strike that
officers OF the state militia drew TWO
and THREE salaries. We suppose these
are the pFe9Hisites that 20 with all well
regulgfed political machines.
When bills were introduced in the
Legislature to reduce the salaries Of com.
missioners and clerks from 5000 to
1900 per year they were defeated. and
this in the face Of the admitted fact that
there is deficit approaching one million
dollars.
IL was alleged time and again that
there were 80 many attaches in the last
session OF the legislature they were in
the way Of one another. They were paid
big salaries, but to be generous with the |
peoples money the Legislature voted At
the close Of the session an additional
dollar day for each attache. n THE +.
not wilful extravaganza please define IL
Why did Senator Parrish's declaration I'm
open senate Of "wasteful eztravagance
In the administration Of state affairs" 90
nDchalIensed il il was not true?
Reducing the new tax laws to their
final analysis what do We end? That
they would reduce the taxes Of The mid. |
die class by placing the burden Of taxa
ton upon The corporations. which falla. |
cious contention we note you It'll adhere
20, has been a dismal failure. Also that
the state tax would be entirely wiped |
ont in 1909 II IL now up TO you, sena.
Tor, 10 explain why the farmers, bust
ness men and boUsebolders property"
has not been reduced and the state tex
wiped out a. promised. The only conso.
Iation you tax reiormers' offer the
farmer IL that insomuch az The Dawson
lax lags killed The corporations be Che
Iarmer) should not object % being exc
rutedi
Under the macbine-made tax laws the