Year: 1876

| Remarks OF Hon. b. W. Price.


WHEELING, January, 1876.


MR. EDIToR:-Ther remarks of Genera
B. W. Price, Senator from the Seconc
/ district, submitted to the consideration
of the Senate when in executive session
for the purpose Of confirming or reject
ing the Nomination made by Governor
Jacob of Messrs. Heiskell, Goshorn an6
Gallaher, the Commissioners to equalizt
the late assessment of lands in this State
at the late session ofthe legislature were
worthy of the old farmer, and we request
q publication Of the same for the perusaI
of your readers, many whom belong tc
the class so honestly represented by Gen
ersl Price. We submit to you copy
of his remarks made on that occasion, and
request the publication ofthe same.


MANY DEMOCRATS. .


The remarks are as follows:


Mr.. PREsIDENT:-ThisS Senate has re-
for the purpose Of confirming or rejecting
the nominations made by the Governor
of three Commissioners, whose duty will
be to equalize the late assessments OF
lands in this State. 1t has pleased him
to appoint three gentlemen who are mer-
chants. Neither of them are now nor
ever have been farmers, and cannot
therefore, in the very nature of things
be the best judges, as touching the price
of lands in this State, to the exclusion OF
that very heavy taxpaying class known
as farmers, not one of whom have place
on this Commission. It strikes nae, Mr..
President, that the Governor has been
very much at fault in making the selec-
tion, and / now move that the Senate
reject those appointments, and re-
quest His Excellency to recommend
farmers to fill that responsible
position. am sure, Senators,
that We have but to remind him
tnat the men who cultivate the soil, and
have had a lifelong experience in agri-
cultural pursuits, are the best qualified
to do that work, and he will at once see
the propriety of putting farmers on that
Commission. The Governor as we'll as
you Senators must know that the action
Of these Commissioners will very ma
terially effect the great agricultural in
terests of the State, and that interest
alone. Is il right then that those who
have no interest with the farmer should
be selected to set price on his land and
assess the amount OF taxes that he shall
pay? 1t strikes me that procedure Of
this kind is altogether out of place, and L
hope that it will be the pleasure of the
Senate to adopt my motion, in order that
Justice may be done to an honorable and
worthy class of our citizens, and at the
same time secure to the State the benefit
of the experience of competent men to
do the work. Again l object TO those
gentlemen on the ground that none OF
them are lsboring men, and my principal
object in addressing the Senate at this
time, is to remind Senators that they
have now in the case before them, very
fair opportur ity of melting out even
handed Justice TO very large and re.
spectacle class Of our people, who have
ALWAYS been too modest, ard unpretend-
inc to press their claims for public favors.
Now is the opportune moment for us TO
act and we can get men better qualified
to do the work than the Governors ap-
pointees, and that too from that class
of our people, who have always borne
the heaviest burdens of taxation in our
State in former wears. mean that class
of our people engaged in agricultural
pursuits, the farmers of West Virginia,
and at the same time reward those who
have heretofore enjoyed but very small
share of the honors and profits arising
from the public positions of the country.


l have an abiding faith in the honesty
and purity of purpose of all those hon
orable Senators by whom l am surround.
cd. and / am sure that their nice sense OF
Justice will prompt them to place upon
this commission some of my brother
workers, for am constrained to believe
that in whatever light they may view
this matter their conclusions will be the
same, and that is that some OF the LABOR
ing class have fair and legitimate right
to and should be appointed to that office
1t is hardly necessary for me to say, Mr..
President, that the farmers, the mechan.
les, the hardy sons of toll are ever ready
and faithful in the performance OF all the
duties that are required of them by their
country and society at large No other
class of citizens fill their sphere in life
better or add more to the material wealth
of the country than do the laboring class.
Those engaged in all other occupations
and callings are mainly Indebted to them
for the conveniences and comforts of lie
and look where you may you will see the
handy work OF these men; it is by
then skill, their energy, and IN
dustry that the wants of a
world are supplied and provided for


Surely then they have claims upon the
country that should not be overlooked or
disregarded, and if my proposition to NIL
this Commission by persons Of this class
he voted down BY this Senate. it will be
a broad and outspoken declaration that
those who do daily labor are intellectuai-
ly and morally unit to fill the office In
question. aud that individuals Of that
character must not expect or aspire 10
such fsvors in the future, and that per


.ons of another class must adjust the
burdens Of taxation for them TO bear.


Is this Senate prepared to take such .
position? The test Is now 10 be made,
and the responsibility rests with these
Senators, who, by their votes here, say
that no isboring man shall be placed up
ON this commission, but that the office
must be gwen to 'those who toll not,
neither do they spin," aud yet arrogate
to themselves all the glory OF Solomon.
Mr.. President, the time has come, and L
will utter the sentiment here, and now,
in the presence of this Senate, that the
working men of this State will not sub
NIT any longer totaxation without repre-
sentat,on, and that those Of us who belong
20 the Democratic party will demand al
The next State Convention representation
on the State ticket in proportion TO our
numbers, and if that demand be refused
and the party be defeated at the October
election, the fault will be on the skirts OF
those who heretofore and do yet ignore
and repudaate all the claims TO public
favor Of those who earn their bread
by the lsweat of their brow. IL
a. In tha farm9r