The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-07-18
STORMY SESSION FOLLOWS PRO-
TEST AGAINST TAX ON
OIL AND GAS.
RESOLUTION FINALLY WITHDRA"N
AND MODIFIED SUBSTITUTE
ADOPTED.
GEORGE B. RIDDLE, OF THIS CITY
ELECTED PEESIDENT--oTAE
OFFICERS ELECTED.

prcs,dcnt-Gcorgc h. Riddle Wheel
, ing.
, Vice Precedent -- Pat McDonouGh'
! Parkcr5hurG.
| Secretary Treasurcr--Edwln ROBINSON
Farmont.
! Drrccrors--J. {. Stitts. West Union;
I u. G, Cooper. rIarkshurE: i. T. Pryor,
. Fairmnnt: Joseph Ncstor. Wheeling.
! George y. Riddle. superintendent or
! tho Natural Gas Company OF West Nlr-
plnia, was elected president OF IN" Nat
, nr,I Gas Association Of West Virginia
, ~ tho final hour Of tho convention yes
! trrtiqy. Joseph Ncstur. Of this city was
i elected member Of the association
board Of directors. Tho place OF the
next conV cntion will be chosen at meet
INK of the directors TO be held in the
ncnr future. Charleston and Hunting
! ton arr s,runG ContcndCrs.
Protest Against Oil and Gas Tax.
= The closing hours of the convention
I were stormy ONES. Introduction Of a
resolution protesting against the Lcgis-
! laturc'S recent acts prohibiting CXpOrta-
! Ion of gas until all state consumers
have been supplied and against the spc-
cial tax on oil and gas prCcipitatcd
/ pitched battle. Tho net result was that
! the resolution relative to expectation
Of gas was withdrawn when Secretary
Edwin Robinson explained that the mat
/ ter was before the supreme court and
tho passage of Attorney John Gates.
! Jr.'s resolution protesting against the
! special tax on oil and gas.
When Mr.. Gates. who is counsel for
the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Gas
company offered his resolution there was
n storm Of protest. but the Storm sub
sided. Mr. Gates first alleged in hIs
resolution that tho Legislature had
placed n special tax on tho oil and gas
industry for tho specific purpose Of pay
ing the Virginia debt Senator Warren
/ Gribhlc brought about tn" withdrawal
of this resolution when lac insisted that
il was not correctly wOrdcd. since the
| Legislature did not specify that tho gas
and oil tax was to dcfray tho Virginia
debt. The Senator explained that the
taxable property within the state for
the purpose of paying tho Virginia lcbt.
Protest Resolution Modified.
Mr. Gates withdrew his resolution,
and when ne presented IT 4 second time,
after a conference" with the Senator.
who helped modify it. pr White led a
fight against tho measure. The state
gcoloGist said that although he agreed
with tho resolution. eliminating tho Nir-
cina debt reference. and felt that all
industries SHOULD be taxed alike. he felt
that tho action was ill-adviscd at this
time and would create cnmity for tho
industry. Other delegates agreed with
Or. White. but when tho resolution was
put to Il vote ii carried unanimously.
Tho Gates resolution was adopted in
III" following form:
"WhrrCaS Tho Legislature Of our
state. having recently been confront ed
with the necessity Of increasing its state
revenue for tho payment, among other
obligations. Of tho Virginia debt. passed
a special transportation tax act. which
imposed upon tho oil and gas industry
and upon it alone, n special tax for the
purposes;
Whereas. VIC believe that the fair
minded citizens Of our state without re-
fcCtinG in any way upon the honor and
integrity" Of. our Legislature. view this
action on tho part of our lawmakers as
ill-adviscd and not typical of American
ideals. now.
"Thcrcforc. Re it hereby resolved
That the West Virginia Natural Gas as
ISOLATION, in convention assembled. call
upon the citizens Of our state. men
noted for their fair dealing. to take such
steps rs ar" necessary to remove from
our statute books this incQuitablc mcnS-
ur" and replace IL with a revenue act
which Will permit oil OF our industries
to lend hand in procuring for the state
such funds as its needs may require"
Following tn" adoption of this rcSolu-
ton. tn" convention adopted a rcsolu-
ton expressing its appreciation to the
people and mayor Of Wheeling. as we'll
AS III" Chamber Of Commerce and press
for the very hnc reception accorded the
delegates. thanking tho retiring prcSi-
dent for his untirlnE efforts Of two long
years Of loyal work.
During the rendering Of the rcsclu-
tions the president named J. w Foley.
T. w. Books and r. Il. Burgess nomi-
mating committee. and th"S" delegates
named the officers VIII" were elected
Closing Session Interesting.
Tho second day OF The fourth annual
convention WIS filled with interesting
features abb" addresses splendid pa
pcrS by experts in oil and gas and hv
discussion which was rich in profit for
all mon engaged in tho production OF
gas. whether in the field or in tho Of
fec"
DIR. l. {. White. state Ecologist- Of
West Virginia. road a paper on The
Rapid Exhaustion of West Virginia 9
Natural Gas Supply md tn" Best rian
for Conserving tho Remainder" which
was highly praised by COL Fred prul
Grosscun president "f tho association
last year; II. G. Cooper. chief engineer