Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-03-23
Move Against Boost In Taxes Is
Rapidly Spreading Over State
Concerted Non-P artisan Action
Is Taken Following Sugges.
ton OF Democratic State
Chairman at Hunting
ton Meeting
COUNTIES ORGANIZING

"on in disseminating facts about
S'dte governmental affairs and the
elimination of waste and cNtraya.
lance, made at the meeting of the
democratic state executive commit
&c in Huntington February 10 by the
Hemocratic state chairman. =. L. Dun
lap. of Hinton, Is meeting with cen.
"ral response over the state, rs re-
Elected in both daily and weekly news.
papers.
Republicans are joining with Demo
Gratis IN universal moN cement to de-
Feat the efforts of the state tax com.
missioner to boost assessment values
ut time when both farmers and in
huStrieS are struggling for existence
us result of the depression brought
about through the Republican state
government to meet the reported de-
iicit of S2,OOO,0O0 as result of the
realty increased appropriations by
he last legislature in order To more
than double, in some instances, the
salaries of Republican state eNecu.
Live and appointiyc officers.
The tax commissioners statement"
says Mr.. Dunlap, ";hat when all the
property of the state Is assessed on a
uniform and equal basis, we can have
reduction of ley!cS that will mean Il
considerable less amount Of taxes, Is
rs false rs it l. foolish. Reduction
OF taxes comes through economy in
governmental expenditures rather than
the re-valuation Of property for assess
ment."
While the head of the state tax bu-
reau Is visiting all corners of the state
cndeavoring To explain the great
benefits" that are being rcapcd through
Increased valuation of property and
further riilinG Of the pockets of the
already ovcv5urdcned taxpayer, a
strong opposition to the G.. o. p.
plan has set in. In no less than a
dozen counties. nonpartisan move
ments have sprung up in opposition
to the Republican tax program. The
movement had its inception simulta.
neously in half a dozen counties imme-
diately following the meeting of the
Democratic committee at Huntington.
L. j. Crogan, prominent lawyer of
kingwood, organized taxpayers as
ISOLATION in Preston county which i'm
mediately spread to adjoining counties
and is rapidly circling the state. In
Raleigh county, - NJ. Miller issued n
call for Il public meeting and accord.
ing to Beckley newspapers, 1,5OO citi-
zens ana taxpayers responded. An
organization was formed and resolu-
tons were adopted which declared in
part that "the need today is not as
much for money To meet cXtrava-
Sance and unnecessarily higl salaries
and useless number of employees in
all branches Of the government, rs the
need for economy"
Marion and Putnam counties also
organized associations to combat the
plan of the tax commissioners. The
general feeling among taxpayers is
expressed in the following resolutions
which were adopted by the Greenbrier
County Farm Bureau:
Whereas, we, the members Of the
Greenbrier county farm bureau, in
regular meetimS assembled, have had
brought to our attention, that the
state authorities are taking steps
lending To IL considerable increase in
he assessment of farm property for
-INatiOn purposes in the state of West
irgina; and,
Whereas, 1t is realized from past
rsperience that IN increase in valua-
ION for the purposes OF taxation
means only an increase in the amount
Of taxes TO be paid by the taxpayers );
and,
Whereas, 1t is Il well known fact
kinds of property in the state of West
Virginia, and particularly farm lands,
ave decreased in value, in large
percentage from the value Of the land
one or two years ago and,
Whereas, Property, which was as
SeSSed ut its true value one or two
Years ago, If assessed ut the same
amount this year. IS excessively high
err than under the former assessment,
thereby working an increasing hard
hip on the farmer; and,
whereas, During the period of
nigh prices, salaries of state, county
md municipal officers were properly
'Iiscd, but since the decline in prices,
hey have not been deere Iscd; and.
Whereas, 1t is recognized That the
valuations should be fair ana Uniform
throughout the state, 1t is also rccOg-
niZed thai the crying need Of the day
Is not for the raising Of more money,
but for an earnest endedvOr on the
part Of all the branches o: the govern
mcnt to curtail and to eliminate all I'M
necessary expenses and extravaganza,
and to administer each Department in
IN efficient and economical manner,