Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1926-08-11
FARM BUREAUS ENDORSED
CLASSIFICATION.

West Virgins farmers favor the
ratification of the proposed amend
ment 10 the State constitution proVid-
inr for Limitation OF leyies on intsng'
ible property.
That. In substance, was the gist Oh
a statement made today by Robert Ia
Archer, former war savings chairman
and now head of the state COMMITTEES
espousiug ratification Of the intanSioie
tax amendment submitted TO the voters
Mt the coming November election.
No one In West Virginia has the
right to represent himself as repre-
senting the farmers on this question
unless that authority has been accord
cd him." said Chairman Archer. Ger
tainly. no one has ths right to repre-
sent that the farmers are opposed TO
the proposed amendment In view or
the last public action taken by the
farmers on this proposition when they
recorded themselves In faeor OF the
amendment"
Chairman Archers attention mao
be~n directed to statement made In
epuosition TO the amendment before the
state tax commission by one whc
claimed to be the representative OF
Qb, 0.farmers.
In January Of 1923 the farmers
Of West virginia met at Morgantown
IN annual meeting" said Chairman
Archer. and voted without objection
10 approve a resolution providing for
the classification Of intangible property
for taxation.
in the session Of the Legislature
following Hen. John w. Smith, now
state commissioner Of agriculture
Hon. Lott Smith, q delegate from
Berkeley county, and the late Hoa
william Farris, then 4 delegate from
Mineral county, labored indefatigabiy
to secure the submission of an amend
nent similar to the one now submitted
to the people. These members OF the
House were seeking to carry into e.
feet the farm program adopted II
Morgantown.
"sfncs the adoption OF that program
ut Norgantown the farmers Of West
virginia, through their constituted Or
eanisstion, have made no effort to
reverse their Judgment on this cues.
tion"
Chairman Archer exhibited, In sub
sanitation of his statement, q letter
Of Hon. John w. Smith. Commissioners
Of Agriculture, addressed to member
Of the state committee en- ratification
in which Commissioner Smith, who
voted for the amendment In the legis
lature Of 1928, said:
I'm reply to your question ~ to the
attitude Of the farmers crganixaiona
concerning the classification of proper
~ for taxation, am giving you q
statement of the facts as ! remember
them.
Tn 1922 the State Farm Bureau
Federation appointed a committee tc
draft legislative program to be con
sidsred at the following session Of the
legislature. This committee consulted
Mr.. Mckenzie, q tax expert Of the
American Farm Bureau Federation
who recommended the adoption Of {
constitutional amendment permitting
the taxing of money. credits and In
vsstments at a lower rate than other
property. He based his reasoning
4 upon the experience of several states
that had recently adopted such Al
amendment with satisfactory results
According to his statement more taxes
were derived from this source at the
lowered rate than before the classif
cation when the rate was uniform
THE committee Incorporated his
suggestion in It's legislative program
which on being submitted to the Farm
Bureau meeting at Morgantown, Jan
usry, 1923, was Endorsed without OBJ
lection. In the succeeding legislature
Of which was a member, the measure
was lost by q few votes. / gave II
my full support. ! do not remember
any more recent recommendations b.
the agricultural organization Of the
state.
Answering the appeal Of the State
Farm Bureau to support the intangi
bic tax amendment In 1923 the farm
Representatives Ia the legislature, In
eludinE Commissioner Smith, then |,
member of the House of Delegates
from Lewis county; Lott Smith. o.
Berkeley: william Fsrris. Of Mineral
holer. Of Jefferson Rexroad, o
Grant Slaughter. of Jackson; Nc
Iaughlin Of pocahontaa. and othe
delegates from the rural counties
strongly urged submission of Ia,
amAndmanI