The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-04-22

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for this high position and as far as l
am concerned believe that the Gov
ernor can do no better than retain Mr..
Northcott upon this commission II ne
can do so.
1t certainly is no dtshonor to be
mentioned In connection with a place
OF this Importance, a place paying q
greater salary than that OF the gov
ernor. and one carrying a great re-
sponsibility. and i take this opportunity
to thank the Times and all the other
newspapers of the state which spoke
OF me in this connection. The object
In referring to this is to correct the
impression that the Times evil
IDENTIFY tries to make, that my opin-
ions are influenced by the prospect OF
office. The Times knows that have
supported every Republican governor
that has been in Office since | have
been connected with the West Vir-
gilman and that have always advocat-
ed the abolition of the direct state tax
and supported the Dawson tax system
during every campaign that has been
made in this state since the system
has been in force. and which has al
ways been an issue. l do not know
what the Times means by a 'prospec-
tive office holder" Every male child
that Is born in this country has a re-
mote prospect Of being president OF
the United States or OF holding some
other office at some time. 1t certain
~ is no disgrace to hold an office or
to seek an Office If one chooses to
DO 80.
We doubt. however, il the Times
would consider the undersigned in
favorable light now even II he were
an aspirant for the position or the
Public Service Commission. owing to
certain signed and unsigned state
ments that have been published in
the past few weeks with reference TO
the local gas rate. ] want to inform
the Times that should this unexpected
honor come my way, and which
have not sought nor intend to seeN, IL
any citizen OF Fairmont lodged a COM
plant against the local gas company
it would have to show good reason
why It can charge % cents for gas
when it is located in the heart of the
gas field, when the commission has es-
tablished a fifteen cent rate for Char
lesion which has to go many miles
further TO get its gas, and why it is
allowed to make a profit of $4,000
per year on an original investment of
100000 now watered and capitalized
ut three millions of dollars. We
would under such circumstances fur
nish one vote for the reduction of this
rate unless the company was able to
show by its books that lower rate
would not give a liberal profit upon
the money invested. which all com
panies are entitled to. For these
views which have been publicly ex-
pressed before / would expect very
strong opposition from certain sources
should l become an applicant for
place Of this kind.
believe in making appointments of
this kind that any governor should be
left free to make his own selections,
as his administration will always in
the future as it has been in the past,
as shown by the case OF the Manufac-
turers Light and Heat Company, have
to take the responsibility of the COM
missions actions.
The Times asks me what mean by
a reasonable tax on coal oil and gas.
consider a reasonable tax one that
is not confscatory, one that will not
prevent these companies from making
fair profit on their investment. and
that will reimburse the state for the
special privileges these corporations
enjoy and which do not accrue TO oln-
er taxpayers. AS far as coal is con-
cerned it would be reasonable to tax
these companies to support the militia,
the miners hospitals and the mine in
spection bureau of the state in so far
as these things are used to their d.
rect benefit.
The Times says: There were
mined last year about Bixty-six million
tons OF coal in West Virginia. II the
operators who mined and marketed
this coal received ten cents per ton
of NET PROFITS on this production
they far exceed their usual profits
taken as a whole. But for the sake
OF argument let US concede that the
average profit last year was ten cents
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