The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-04-20

this was bTough to a peaceful end I
within a few weeks, there came iln-i
Emedtately disastrous food IN the I
Ohio valley nsc.ssitating in1nediate#
refiaf TO many VINO were destitute.
The Virginia debt case, the gov
tcrnnr pointed out. had taken much /
time, but this had been opened and
the original amount OF more than /
81, 900, 90, v with interest amounting /
ing 10 Vtrginia's claims. was reduc-#
ed one half with an attempt b--aE /
nladf FOR further reduction.
The W orkmen's compensation de-4
partment. he said, is protecting /
a1 SO, 0oe 3iaboring men, while the pub
t:.ic servlce commission is protecting
the people from corporations which !
Prior to that time went on without |
regulation.
Ia Referring TO the litigation over the /
Manufacturers Light and Heat Com "A
Hconnection herewith, Including the
against Al. Leo We'll
lcounEei for the company. charging
that he attempted to bride members
of the commission. Governor Hat
field declared these .so-called sensa-
itions had been developed by the
icumpany's representatives with All
\ dishonest purpose He said the
people have waited patiently for tho
true situation. but through the ell
forts OF Wells counsel every effort Isl
\ being PHI. forth to prevent the de-
icision of either the civil or the crin
Eina1 case, The one involving rates
land the other involving his own lib
i erty Adorned in the robe OF a rel
former, how long has ne been able
Ito fool the people of the sister state. |!
Now That the cloak OF deception has
been dismantled and the real truth
has been permitted TO prevail, let
JUS hope for the filings Of the II 1
Isponsibiljty where il rightly belongs
land a!lEU1ution 10 those entitled toll
tit
Continuing liz TO the Well case
Governor Hatfield said:
The real fucts will mean utter
! disaster to those responsible for the
colossal temple of corruption and
crime upon which this unholy al-t
l1arce had built its hopes OF de-
tstroying regulations as well as those
4 in whose hands the administration OF
| the law was left. From the acts at
tempted by the chief performer of
this big and corrupt institution, the
themselves what an awful conlbina-
zion greed and money make in thei
hands Of unscrupnlors and dishonest
men ] have naught against this
man or his company. I know moth
ling Of the merits OF the case that
was passed upon by the public serv-
Ice commission OF this state. "A
Governor Hatfield made the state
ment that West Virginia has been
fair to corporations and that it has
the Lowest tax rate of any state in
/ the union, made possible by the tax
reform which was adopted by Re I
publican legislature some ten years
ago, and through the development
of this reform since 1906 no corpor-s /
alton has been asked to pay on AMI
average of more than one cent of dill
rect tax toward defraying the ex-
nenses of the state government, not [
withstanding that many Of them had
many considerations extended TOT
them by the state at no additionalI
cost whatever, such as charity hos
pensatlOn department anu the ma
tional guard. These items amount
TO at least s250,OO0 a year under
ordinary circumstances and to much I
more than that in times Of turbulencet
and discussion.
He pointed out that IN 1914 tenif
cent direct tax was assessed, four
cents OF which went to the counties
In support of the free schol system.
Taking a large trunk line railroad for
comparison tna1ne not giren1 the gov
ernor showed that this concern oper>
ates 277 miles in a contiguous stare
and paid under gross excise tax Law
a tax equivalent to an assessed yalua-
iticn of S1g5 per mile and under a dt-I
rect fax of ISL cents a Sum equal toll
an assessmen t Of Sal per mile. a total
of 1926 a mile The tax now levied I
on this same corporatfonEin West Vir-5i
ginia is sra per mile for state purposes
and il the same excise tax law were
in operation in this state the total |
assessment would bic $l2s per mile In
West Virginia as compared with $236
IN tho neighboring state.
This railway company, it was point
ed out, gets seventy per cent of IT'S
tonnage from West Virginia.
Governor Hatfield declared himself.
IN favor OF government regulation \
based upon Intelligence and equity'sE
and opposed government ownership as
not being practical.
The governor said that railroads.
arc taxed higher in this state than any
other elias OF corporations unless It'll
is#thc banking interests.
Taking up the comparison Of the
cost OF the state government with that
Of other states having about the same
population, Governor diatfield showed
the per capita cost in West Virginia.
show the following connecticut.i
s5!5s;; Kansas, So; Maryland, s5.27;t
Nebraska, $3.50; Washington, SAFE
Virginia, So 90 Last year@ttc cost in