The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-10-13
HALLANAN TALKS
At COMMERCE
GIVES COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS
or rRoBLEMs CONFRONTING
PROPERTY HOLDERS
Advances Timely Suggestions A. 70
Methods Of Tightening Fin
ancial Burdens.

Taxation problems were thoroughly
analyxsd 10y Walter S. Halanah' tax
commissioner o. West Virginia, IN his
address las, evening at the annual
Chamber of Commerce dinner
Mr.. Hallanan advanced numerous sus-
gestions relative TO means OF lessenihS
the rapidly growing taxation burden
He handled tho subject from hoth
state and national perspective ana
proved himself a master OF the topic.
His address, in part. follows.
The war has brought many changes
IN our economic lite. Old standards
have been thrown into the discard and
many OF these shall never be restored
But probably the most pronounced gem
eral attitude Of the war-period has been
reflected in the tendency to increase
public expenditures and 70 add hea'I'S
10 the public debt. We find II evident
upen avery hand-In the Federal gov
eminent. tho State government ana III
every local taxing unit. There Is
scarcely taxing district that mas not
doubled It's public debt during the past
five years We find that in our own
state we have today an authorized state
debt OF more than sixty million dollars,
growing out OF the issuance OF bonds
for the liquidation OF the Virginia debt
and the Improvement OF our highways,
whereas only three years ago we could
boast OF the unique distinction o.
having not a dollar OF state debt
This tendency has precipitated
serious condition In our tax SITUATION
from the great avalanche OF tax-eXempt
securities that have been thrown upon
the markets We have reached the
point where tax exemption has become
q real menace 10 the development OF
the state.
billions % Exsmptsd wealth.
It IS estimated that we have in the
nation today thirty billion dollars IN
tax-eXempted wealth. This has permit
ted many wealthy citizens to become
tax-immune and this investment tend
ency is being used now in the pilinS
up OF an immense reservoir of money
that should be used to advantage in the
promotion Of industrial enterprise
through the regular channels OF COM
MERGE Some may inquire why this IS
true. The answer is plain and easy. The
great expansion in governmental func-
tons has brought a condition where
tax burdens have grown much more
RAPIDLY than our wealth or population.
and history Is only repeating itself in
the disappearance Of invisible wealth
from tax assessment when rates be-
come oppressive. In the meantime the
burdens OF Increased governmental &C
;ivtttes and agencies and the suhstItu-
ton OF functions for the state and It's
subdivisions OF things which We're
formerly left to the individual are
thrown upon those who are possessed
OF visible property assets. This bur
den has reached the point where the
average citizen has felt it perfectly
legitimate TO beat the tax game. when
ever possible. That has been very en-
,Cnsively done. And yet We find today
a sentiment developing through acttvi-
ties of many So-called leaders OF pro-
gresstve thought for a further invasion
by the government Of private industry.
We find in the platforms OF many OF
these so-called "FrogreSsives" such pro-
jccts "a these,
HuTicipalizatiOn and public operation
o. "uhl:c utilities.
Standardization OF mines ard rail-
roads.
New cabinet officers 70 preside over