The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1916-01-21

and gave them the situation. An adj
dreS wss prepared and published, and
hoeliv . sufficient number of the STATE
senstos becamerwsksned TO the situa-
ton and assured the Governor that il
the legislature Wa reconvened relief
would be forthing coming. The Law
nskeu were called together with the
happy result that the state was relieved
of in financial embarrassment.
The additional revenue measure adopt
Ell were in . way Of . eompromise and
were not those most strongly advocated
the Governor. A l4-cent direct levy
Was permitted by the legislature. The
charter tax WAS doubled, and not . cor
Porssion has been lost by this act, but on
the contrary, many new ones have been
added since the act was passed. One half
OF one per cent OF the net earnings of all
corporations. in keeping with the fedora
law, Was authorized TO he coll cted from
corporations Of the state, prosecuting ut,-
on the theory that any concern doing
business in the date would lie willing.
if it made $loo,0OO a year, To contribute
al additional $500 over and above any
taxes IL might pay Tn assure the building
up OF the commonwealth, and Ina Case no
net earnings were realized there would
lie no obligation 10 pay. As All evidence
that such . Law is fair and equitable IL
Is cited that = majority of the states i'm
the union have identicslly the same law,
or one more stringent, than has West
Virginia.
An audit has just been completed 10y
the state accounting department, when
reveals the fact that 81 ,UUO.Oo will soon
Ire expended 70 relieve the crowded con-
dition Of state institutions. Such AN ex-
penditure has been needed for the pat
ten or fifteen years. The direct levy can
he reduced to 1t most ten cents this
year and in 1917 to less than live cents
On the $ln, and every department snd
institution can he taken care of as pro-
vided by the Legislature Of 1915, with "A
surplus at the end OF Of 1917 Of at least
half million dollars.
Had the anti Hatfield' crowd had
their way the state would still lie unat.ls
to meet is current EXPENSES IL is the
same old bunch which opposed getting
away from TIE direct taxation in. the
inemoriable campaign of 1904. They
claim 10 lie Republicans A. they CLAIMED
20 be then. when they voted against
Dawson for Governor and did all in their
power TO defeat him
The existenre of the "anti- II atfield''
faction 10 not due to any organization or
machine which has been constructed by
the present state administration. Ii II
line IN part 10 men Who have failed To
realize their political ambitions and Who.
hnding no other excuss, would blame
their failure on Governor Hatfield, and
IN part TO the clamor Of men Who IN the
main are attracted from other states by
the states 10y West virginia's rich and
valuable Resources; and who, having
but recently settled here, stre,luously
oppose the very laws which have existed
ia their native states in some instance,
Tor half . century. In those .tate-
some OF these same men pointed ~ such
laws With pride and admiration Ms great
accomplishments; but here i'm West Viz
glnia they would rather see the STATE
osnkrupt than to agree To Just Laws
Shich tend To equslize the burden OF tax
alton.
| of more danger 70 those men them
selves and the interests they represent II
more despicsble game they are playing
than it Is to the masses Of people who
are awake TO the real situation, and from
whom there 10 danger of vehement and
probably unjust reaction, unless sucl,
tactics are abandoned. Already IL IL
charged IN some quarters that these men
10 not have the best interests ef the
state At heart, hut are TO he classei with
the exploiters and plumbers who have no
interest In the state other than what
they can get from its natural resources
and, having filled their wallots, can IL.
expected 70 return TO their first love to
spend their declining days in quieter
repose on their native heath.
These men are not opposed To Cover
nor Hatfield and his administration Ie-
cause OF any real or even fancied wrong.
either political or official. which they can
point out; but rather because they have
been denied special preferment and -I.ec-
'ai privilege which they sought at the ~
pense II Others.
Tins IL the history OF the "anti-IIat-
held faction.