The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-01-18
Flood Of Bills in Both the
Senate and House of Delegates
BACHELORS TAX
MOORE'S SCHEME,
Gross Sales Tax Bills Intro
duced, Affecting Coal and
Oil and Gas
BY ]. r. REED.

! SPECIAL Dispatch 20 Tn" lnttiiE"nccr.
Charleston. w. Va, Jan. Ito day
marked the first active session in the
state legislature. with the presentation
Of - bills in the senate and 81 in the
house Among the measures introduced
are some dealing with taxation as we'll
aS u !arG" number OF lcsal amendments
and now laws. Tax legislation WILL Of
course. occupy the center Of the stage.
Already a number OF important meas
UreS, which will greatly increase the
revenues OF the state, have been onter-
ed. Among them IS proposed taxation
affecting all people who own land in
excess of 500 acres. This bill. proposed
by l.. r.. l.antz. of Wctze! county, pro-
vides that a levy in tho nature Of Il priv
!cSo tax shall be laid upon all property
owners who hold more than 500 acres.
and empowers the state tax commission
er TO provide for the assessment and
coli.>rtion Of such a tax.
This tax. II Is said, would tend To cut
down the great amount OF land which is
now laying undevelopcd. by placing the
taxes on large tracts So high as to
Seertipely demand some return.
Emergency Legislation.
Emergency Legislation was also intro
| duced in both houses. Delegate McCliR-
tic, OF kanawha county, introduced q
measure in the house OF delegates call
ing for Increases IN the salary OF all
elective state officers. The proposed
change will increase salaries of the
state officers other than the governor
from $4,000 10 $4,000 annually.
Another important bit of legislation
is Il bill entered by J. L. Hilleary, OF
! Upshur county. proposing the abolish
N, nS - int iNC
commission. This bill was At first eS-
pected to emanate from one Of the coun-
ties from the northern part of the state,
where considerable sentiment against
the commission has been evidenced. II
raised a great stir among members OF
the house. In discussing his bill Mr..
Hiilcary says:
The public service commission has
been failing IN its duty for long time.
The people have for some time been en-
titled to n change. and / believe that
tho time has come to give II to them.
This bul provides for the utter abolition
Of the public service commission and
: Will give all power over price fixing
back into the hands Of the circuit courts
. OF tho various counties" The bill il
! passed, will be effective on June !.
! Sales Tax Bills.
taxation lTnniru!llGIE became one OF
the main matters OF discussion. Two
bills along the nature OF It gross sales
/ tax We're entered in the senate. while
similar bills were introduced In the
house. Senator W. l.. l'o!tng, Of Point
Plea SAINT, entered both of tho senate
bills. One providing for tax on gross
7 receipts on all coat companies, while the
other provides for similar tax Oh the
| oil and gas industry.
So-called freak" legislation was IN
| troduced. Everett r Moore. OF Marshall
! county. introduced the long suffering
! bachelor bill which provides that all
| bachelors between the ages Of % and 60
hn taxed S@5 per year. \. J. Manning.
: Raleigh county representative. intro
! duced a bill calling for free coal from
| coal companies TO inhabitants OF adjoin-
| ing land.
| ". II. Veach. Of Marion county. added
| To the list with a bill heapng indignity
| and taxes upon the dog.
| The mothers pension bill which failed
, at the last session of the legislature. was
| resurrected by Senator Coa.ter. Of Hin
| ton, and was introduced again to-day.
! Senator Cohen c. Arnold to-day went
| to Governor John J. Cornwel and ask
! ed that tho state executive send in q
CONTINUED on Page Twelvo.)