West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-01-27
TAX on COAL, OIL AND GAS

Hatfield was a candidate he issued
platform in which he professed to
favor the taxation OF coal, oil and gas.
This was very popular then and he
got many votes on that account, but
since then he has undertaken to run
for the United States Senate and II
became necessary for him, in order
to secure the vote OF the coal opera
tors, the Standard Oil company with
It's branches operating I'm our state,
and those interested in natural gas.
TO recede from this position, and he
has done 1t gracefully. Let us see the
Justice OF this position.
Why should not coal pay a tax up-
on every ton produced? Every ton OF
coal mined and removed lessons the
mineral wealth of the state of West
Virginia to that extent and as soon as
an acre is dug out the operator very
diligently and punctually goes to the
County Court and gets his assessment
lessened to that amount, and the next
year, when a few more acres are re-
moved, he likewise has his assessment
reduced until, when his entire coal
held Is exhausted, he pays no further
taxes on II but leaves the man who
owns the surface to carry the burden
OF taxation for all time. Let Ms for
instance illustrate the case.
a man owns a block of coal he does
not wish to sell adjoining an operat-
ing plant. The assessor fixes the
valuation of his coal the same as he
does that OF the operating plant At
the end Of ten years all OF the coal
has been removed from under the
operating plant. The neighbor still
owns his coal, and during all these
years the value of one has been de-
pleted from year to year until IL final
ly disappears from the assessment
books. and when that is gone the
nelghbor not only has to pay the ORR
ginaI assessment on his coal, but in
addition to that has to pay his pro
rata share OF the increased expenses
OF government caused by the retire
ment from the assessors books of the
coal that has been removed, and SO II
Will go on from year to year until all
OF the coal has been removed from
under our hills and the burden of
taxation will then fall upon the far
mers who till the surface of this land
1t is reasonable to suppose that the
cost OF administering the affairs of
THIS state will be no less then than
now, and the result will be that the
farmers of the country will be COM
PEELED to make up the deficiency TO
run our state government caused bv
the removal OF this coal. The tax nm
on the production of coal should not
be so great as to hamper either the
operator or the miner, but q tax of a
cent ton would hurt no one and
Drlng thousands OF dollars into orr
treasury every year. The same is
true OF our oil and even much more
torceful in the case of our gas, which
Is being piped out of this state I'm or
der to furnish the gas to run the mills
and factories I'm neighboring states
Pittsburgh, Youngstown. Columbus
cincinnati, East Liverpool and dozens
or other important manufacturing
towns obtain their entire supply of
gas from West Virginia. Why should
not this valuable natural product be
reasonably taxed? In fact why not
put prohibitory tax upon it's export.
The opposition to that is that it will
| stop the glass factories and the mills
and some of the blast furnaces now
In operation in our neighboring states
and that they will be compelled to
shut down and dismantle unless thew
can get our gas. It is admitted that
natural gas is essential to the main
tenance of the glass industry of this
country, and for arguments sake we
VIII admit that unless these factories
can get our gas they must shut down
II the mountains will not come to
Mohamet, Mohamet must 20 to the
mountains. II these glass factories
cannot run without our gas, let them
come to West Virginia and establish
themselves where the gas is produced.
Tax the gas so high that 1t can not
De exported and you will have mil
lions Of dollars invested in our state
that is now invested elsewhere and
thousands Of men employed who are
connected with an industry that nat
urally belongs to West Virginia.