The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-12-13

"POljt!,l autaguutstS have protest
cd in :hC luudrSt cries h"cdUS" tn''
lrsiSlature az 81 clothed tn" tax
COMMISSIONER with authority to pc"
form responsibility. delegated 20
him vi IN .uc Office was created IN
1905. at which tine + was prOvIdr"
by tire sti:U:e hH,t IL shall b" II"
duty OF ;hs state tax commissioner ~
see that the law concerning the us
s~sSmeut and collection ct all taxes
sd lcyitS. whether OF the state Or ~
t&a county, district or municipal cor.
ppratiQ1 thereof, are. faithfully en-
forced" Because an honest effort wa,
made 70 live up TO that responsibility,
the tax commissioner has been refer
red to as Car" with broadly auto.
cratic powers. That CumpWGn OF
misrepresentation has been carried
on largely By those who had beef
"taN.GOdgcrS' under the old system
O! iayuritiSm or who Were seeking
the support Of the "taX-dudClug el"-
m"ut. You will recall that the sam"
hue and cry was raised Il uUmb"r q!
Years ago when the tax commissioner
vas made chief inspector OF puON
offices aud was gIyeuC authority %
audit the accounts 0l shcrlitS ana
other officers hundliDE pubic funds.
Il was then charged that such an nc,
invaded the rights OF local Sell-goH'
eminent but YOU well know that rs
result OF that statute which made
every public officer know that his &C.
counts were to be checked up Just IN"
same as a baak examiner checks up
the affairs Ut Il bank, millions or DOL
lars have been saved 10 inc taxpayers
of West Virginia. The uniform &C
counting law and the county deposit
tory law whereby all funds wcr@
placed upon interest.Dearlng deposit
were not made effective without =
bitter struggle, but think that 1t l.
recognized to-day that these al" two
OF the most meritoriouS measures ever
placed upon our statute books.
Big Levy for Years.
"N-hv should not ,the assessment o.
property be given supervision 10 IN"
end that equality and uniformity
should apply III ever! one ol our mt
five counties? We know rs practical
men. that with the paving oil OF the
Virg!nla debt bonds and the proviu
ing OF sinking fund and interest !Or
thu good roads bonds, erection OF
new state capitol an the other extra.
ordinary obligations that nave deNoiN.
ed upon the state treasury mat We
are certain 10 face stat" levy oi con
siderable size Tor years 10 come. IHc
state OF West Virginia would pe I'M
worthy OF its sovereignty II II dld nor
give its best effort 10 provide Il IAN
and even distribution vi the burdens
of governmental support so that every
taypaycr-be he large or small ShouIu
have the guarantee OIL lmpar'id! a.
srsSment with the taxpayers OF tHr
Tity.Cour other counties.
MY efforts have been given IN that
direction and with all OF the zeal Anl
visor with which | am possessed II
has been no pleasant TASK. by any
means. In the course q! my eii0'N'
have found i necessary 10 term
nate friendships 0l long years h''
cans, of the uuwlIln-u"sN ~ others
II roucede what 20 me seemed pam
Justice.
We have added Ills y"," go or as
uossn,cr,i rolls xS2J.IuG.aplpp IN Na!".
alton Frankly, | am rot $al'N''" '"''
IN. increase III rIH" vi The counties -
~ tosthc rcQuucd STANDARD. There 'i'
numerous reasons WY som" - o.
counties did not respond VISTA l'9 '.
,r,,s. that Was anticipated. u" ''.'