The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-03-01
WOULD BANKRUPT PEOPLE OF W,
VA, AND RUIN INDUSTRY,
HUGUS BELIEF.
Numerous Legislators and Newspapers
Join Fight Against Measure.

With the manufacturing. business and
| financial interests Of the state opposed
tn 1t and many members OF the leGIS!a-
,'lrr from ali parts of tn" state express
ing themselves as unalicrabIy opposed
to IN" measure. ScLnt courtesy -
PROMISED for the Gross Sales Tax B!lI
when Il comes up IN IN" state lc%!s.a'
,urc upon III" rcr"uvrn!NE Of that body.
Hon. j. Ness Porter, Of Nrwc.l. s"na-
tor iro.n The First district, said IN dis
GUESSING the bill:
"Scna,c 1871 No. 265 IN" proposed tax
on sales and earnings. generally known
- rhr 'irusS sales TaA,' - ih"qui'Ahi"
:nd wrong IN principle The proposed
.'t> would ~ d"irImcntaI 10 Inc entire
:,;Hir'
i doubt tie. AdvIsnH..'y f such 4
l,,y." said Senator NJ. Y. G"db"y, II
Charleston. representing In" Eighth
district. for The following reasons:
FIRST. due To its imprarucah!iity, as
am informed that the federal govern,
Iurut ha. decided that such a tax IS mo-
feasible: second. e left To IL" county
assessor it would be- difficult To get &C
,lIratc and uniform returns from tAe
different classes Of business IN IN" or
frrrrt counties in IL" state: ih!rd II
works a hardship on th' wholesale gro
Ger or merchant Of This stat" VINO Is CO.
ing a competitive business with m"r-
, chants of other states, PARTICULARLY N
thu. border cities. I'll" margin OF prCht
in this business is very small and amp
SprrI.I tax on their gross sales wduII
riacr thcil at :: distinct disadvantage,
fourth. II places tax on tn" neccSS!t: =
of life which IN the end Wi! be PAID by
the ltlur.nE prop!" Of tins state rms
is quite evident from tn" Tact that "a"
people use and buy morr groceries than
lnny do clothing. fuct, or any other
commodity. Personally. | do not liNe
the principle. as I don't believe th"!S
form Of taxation 10 l." "HuiiahI" ana
fair in It's operation. believe that
~. should have = r.HsS"sSmert and re-
valuation IF all property IN West Nir>
c.n!a and tho taxes placed where they
bo,nng on the physical value Of the
property"
rho gross sales tax would bankrupt
tho ucop,r Of the STATE, ruin our induS-
.r:rs and work havoc with In" states
business and inhuS;r;. declared l'"iH-
Ca.c Wright EIuGUS. nf Wheeling. rep
rcscnt.NC OHIO county. "Th" tax -
not right or just. II would tax "v"rY
product in the state. agriculture. indus
trial and commercial rs it passes from
. tn" hands of IA" original owner 10 t"H
d. r!hu'Or, from th' DISTRIBUTOR 7" lb'
whrlrsa lcr. and from him To the retailer
and again rs il Is sold 20 tn" ultimate"
consumer This would cau>" a general
inrrruS" IN the cost Of products Ia tnn
ultimate consumer that would b" so
great as to make il difficult for West
Virginia business To compete in their
homo cities with commercial interests
u;sid" vi the state. I am opposed E"
the tax because it shifts the burden or
taxation ro IN" ultimate consumer
Doluge OF Protests
Tho members OF the legislator" ara
being overwhelmed with protests
against tho measure. state and city,
commercial and other organizat tons
having adcptcd resolutions Of protest
and instructed their members to get
in touch with their various representa-
tivcs Strong resolutions Of protest
were adopted Ivy tn" West Virginia
manufacturers Association. Fair Tan
l,ay"rs League of West N3rEin!a, Wr*t
Virginia Wholesale GroC"rs' A%Soc.a-
ton. West Virginia Real Estate Board.
ParkcrsburE Council I. c. r.. Wheeling
Association Of Credit Men, Wheeling
stock Exchange and others.
Ncwypa pers Of the state have also
taken n stnnG against tho bill. strong
"ditor;ais Of protest having appeared
in the Wheeling lntcil!genccr, Wheeling