Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-08-19

are members Of class with which
( Mr. Hallanan cannot fail to he az
quainted.
4 A gentleman at the head OF an as
sOciation of business men making
It's headquarters in Charleston dur
ing the sessions Of the legislature,
and which at the last session die
tated legislative policies, represents
corporation owning complete
mining town. improvements in this
town are worth at least 100000,
but the entire site is assessed as
farm lands" A large proportion
of the real estate holdings in this
and other counties has been contil.-
uously assessed in this manner On
the other hand the real estate own
ed by the farmer, the small home
owner and the small business man
in our cities and towns has been
assessed at approximately its mar
ket value. Thus the burden of tax
alton has fallen upon the farmer,
the home owner and the small mer-
chant, while the holders of great
tracts and large corporate interests
Of all sorts have escaped paying
their share
The inequalities between coun-
ties, Of which Mr. Hallanan speaks,
are of course very apparent. They
are no more glazing, however, than
inequalities between individuals.
The theory of our state tax laws
is that all property shall be assess
ed for taxation at its true and &C
Il ~ ,l.rf
savings accounts in the banks Of
our own city? One hundred dollars
in the bank is taxed at its full and
actual value Of $500, no more and
no less. Under the law it can be
taxed in no other way This forces
the man with savings account to
pay an abnormal rate Of taxation
everywhere in the state In many
communities the rate on savings is
virtually confscatorv. Some towns
have total rates running as high
as $3.50 on the 500 valuation. AS
the interest for year on savings of
500 is only 81, the man who works
to build UP little savings &C cunt
is taxed almost % percent Of what
his money earns.
The iniquity Of a system that per
Inits such condition is too apna''
ent to need discussion It is brit
little less unjust on other invest
ments that represen: the savings
Of the people The direct tax is &
tax on the thrift and labor Of the
people-on their ordinary and nee
essary activities. Ii falls heaviest
on those least able to bear it and
lightest on those who can best az
ford to pay taxes
1t has ben the nistcTv Of tax sgita-
ton in West Virginia thac whenever
it has been considered necessary to
increase the revenues. large body
of noisy patriots has always advocat-
ed an increase in the direct state
tax. Why? The answer is plain.
Because the only alternative is
some tax on the corporations which
are interested in the depletion and
destruction of the states natural
resources without returning dollar
for that privilege. The direct tax
is the refuge Of the rich man to
evade and is at the same time the
one that the small home owner, the
| Ltl LltI anu NlAC lllIl IiiaLS INV ltlC
heaviest.
A small boys idea Of making
things even is to eat onions before
going to the dentist.-Morgantown
Post.
It's a Job to get a job, Hunting
ton Advertiser
Things are blissfully quiet in Ire
land. Or is it ominously p Morgan
town New Dominion.
The German republic has cole
braed its second anniversary, and
that is two more than many Of us
thought it would ever live to see -
Charleston Daily Mail.
Dancing masters announce new