The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-03-12
Wednesday, March II, 1919.


- - - tsa t hx which individual ownership cstabI'''d
- MT tho product of any mans resultant from TIE CON"
bination of materials individual We No" "
under the ground lust above The Ero" "
w 1893 from n1ac to place; that is distances and that
when produced through operations il may come '' '
land on which gas is com" from the 0''" W
land from public lands land When the gas Is
no line there no process be Identified rs having
,oeed to John Smith on on the othe'
No manc to be his own T..
Vet ownership must rest property individual owns in
It's original Individuals society as h0
hi other under the lands WEST virginia
the same h"ne an" " Inv
deye that me water lands is public property De-
longs to eve citizen Ownership rests with the state ana me
right to harness. exploit public property or p
10 right which should and should return d
revenue TO the natural is as dlnc from o
and from the air which flows ABOVE tue e'
distinct from fastened to the land or inc
g1ow upon it surface carries with 1t ownership
ings permanent but ownership OF the w
carry with property like water and game
We nconoverble proposition that the gas uno
the citizenship of West Virginia instead OF 10 an ~
enre OF the interest it, and the right
to exploit property fer individual purposes ~ ~
should be licensed revenue 10 the state
l NATURAL MoNoPoLlsTlc
Second production sale of natural gas are
Istic operations last .
this particular the production entirely diff
ferert from the production other OF natural wealth.
production and sale of COAL Tor instance, IS
~ sandstone and West Virginia completes IN
an open develop coal mine When MS o
he sells an open marker against Tue w $500
his regho of thousands of other operators
many distant states For dealer in natural gas the stu
entirely different The owner gas property " Wv 49,
whom he the pipe line That runs near 10 or
nia or in some distant city Maryland has just
agency natural and that the pipe line company
that brings In the production ana SAFE
of developing natural gas Tor private uses 10 "
particular. . .. ,,,
The privilege ouopostic business privilege which
the state ought to regulate privilege "'ep 'e % ~ ~
privilege derive liberal revenue
homes of the Worknge "e
Virginia; upon the small 'uS'uesS ~ |', ~ ,a1. - foil,
our toll in which men ever engaged TAX
about increased burden of taxation when TINS g
monopostc industry exists through the pVeF Sa"r ny .e @ w.
West Virginia; after exploit natur" property 10
fix figures fix dgureS which shall sell and 10
pile up of this is absurdi
which legislator" that responsible for wilt have
onoisc organizations things, monopo"s
them considerable portion oil the burdens u
public monopoly in this in any other stat" more thor
oughy and definitely special privileges an the
business o transportation in West Virginia:
WHO PAYS THE TAX?
Third: Under and
~ v- yni, ,oda whatever tax is imposed upon natural gas
TRANSFORMATION the citizens other
states me a, .rhx he the maciuev 10 pa it or to
the consumers will BE- bearing
the h w hrIer + is carried in,o other states to build up
their industries citizens This will
h IAN 10 n' no atc of We virginia for The development of tho
great natural welfare and their
comfort this proposition The buyer Of natural
49, - Cncno Pittsburgh and in Baltimore may
creased upon through OF this tax
compelled 1t voluntary proposition on his part an"
he buvs the gas because and
IN paving injustice inflicted
him Virginia modest compen-
saiop enjoyment
for the depletion original belongs
Virginia. We avr heard some high minded
become only high minded when 'her
the the rich corporations mat
for ~" legislature
I take.
Of promoting the welfare or
leHhom
for tho
Maryland Their
of
lErchp West
be wealth. AMI
tainly the happens that
Quite contrary remained home" conrihu'" It" the up
and III" welfare OF our
ccp!a"ncv noA i Development a.
q enrich oHh"r
development cnpfnsH" IN" pr!'
Of Virginia which in its original stat" hoEs
b. nd d"ve[
the people of West Virginia.
WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVES?