The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-09-11
State Auditor in a Great Speech
at Madison Pulls Facts
and Figures.
ANSWERS WASTE CHARGE
Shows ConcIusiveIy That the
Tax Laws of the State Are
Not a Failure.

'sPgelAL 70 THE rELHoRAul
MADISON, Sept. 11.-John Sher-
man Darst. Republican nominee for
state auditor. addressed an immense
audience here today He said
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men:
II is a pleasure 10 nave the privl-
lege OF addressing you. have been
working for YOU for some time. and
DO not have the opportunity TO see
many Of the people who employ me,
TO give them an account of my stew
ardship. Hence, 1t is a pleasure to
look into your faces and talk to you
about your business.
am here to give you, as you have
a right to know, a condensed state
ment Of the stewardship OF the men
whom you have entrusted with the
safeguarding of your interests. With
these facts in your possession, then
you will be able to form your own
conclusions.
Once more the Republican party
has been placed on trial in this state
by our common enemy. the Democrat
ic party. We are again accused Of
wasting the peoples money. This is
a retteration of the charges made two
years ago, four years ago and six
years ago, but you recall. in these
three campaigns. when we got the
records before the people of the state.
they were not only convinced that we
had not been wasting their money,
but that we were giving them more
for their money than any other state
In the Union. So much have our bus
mess methods attracted the attention
OF other states that they have sent
their officials here to learn more
about them, and upon their return
home, have advocated the enactment
OF similar laws for their own states.
But in each campaign for years, our
enemies have accused us with vast
ing the peoples money, and we have
met their accusations by giving the
facts, and the result has been that the
voters have placed their stamp Of ap-
proval upon the Republican party by
continuing its representatives in
power.
did not expect to hear the same
old cry again this year that the tax
laws are a failure and that We were
wasting the peoples money. But 1t
has been made. and ! am glad to have
the opportunity to reply.
Mr.. CornwelI's Prophecy.
Mr.. Cornwell. Democratic candidate
for governor in his speech at Clarks-
burg, W. Va. on April 10, 1915. re-
calls a prophecy made by him in 1904
and calls attention to Its fulfllment
In the following words;
Your taxes since then have gone
up, up, until in many cases proper
ties are assessed seven. ten and If
teen times as much MS they were as
sessed in 1908. They have now laid
levy of fourteen cents, and many a
man who has property is paying today
five times as much as he paid with a
thlry-fve cent levy under the old
plan. Why is that? / know of no
better explanation than in a speech
made in the city Of Wheeling in
1904. 1 said:
IT does not take prophet to tell
what is going to happen to the tax
payers in the state; the adoption OF
these laws means steady increase OF
taxation until becomes so outrageous
that the people will revolt: the bring
ing about Of political machine SO
powerful that nothing short of rev
olution will free the people from It's
grasp. Thus will taxes so enormously
increase that all those who have voted
for these laws will feel like organlz-
ing vigilance committee to go to
Charleston and hang those who have
50 grossly deceived them"
Has Mr. Cornwell's prophecy come
true, and has property been assessed
seven, ten and fifteen times as much
ms 1t was. assessed in 1903? And IL
this be true, whose property was It?
Was It unjust to raise 1t, or was 1t
right to do so? What class of prop
erty is paying FIVE times as much taxes
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