Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-12-24


additional burdens than are INDISPENSABLE I,
meet promptly all legal demands against III,
state, ana TO provide gradually for the ex,in
gn'shment OF the temporary debt already ere.
a'eo ny tne authority of the Legislature. Il
inns Debt be thrown out of view, the financial
aehciency to be provided for by taxation. NAV
oe estimated at something less than SIOO..
ooo, and even this deficiency cannot be con.
sidered as permanent, in as much as in the
estimated resources of the year no dividends
are embraced on the large amount of stock
held by the commonwealth in the Bank Of
virginia: Should the usual annual income.
derived from that bank, or large proportion
thereoi' become available, the means of the
treasury VIII not only be directly increased.
put the demand of the Board of Public
works ior interest on the public debt, will
also be proporlionably diminished. Under
dii circumstances, therefore, it is believed that
an increase In the rates Of taxation ON land
and property, which shall yield an additional
sum OF one hundred thousand dollars. will he
suihclent TO meet all ordinary demands. and
icaVe an adequate surplus for the gradual ex
tihguisiment OF the debt due the banks, To
oischarge that debt ut once, and provide also
Tor me balance against the treasury, would
render II necessary to double the present rates
OIL taxation, measure which would be incon
venient and burdensome, especially in the
present condition of the country. is to ba
observed, also, that no additional taxes. i'm
posed by the present Legislature, will be a.
valuable until the close of the year 1911, and
it ", therefore be Indispensable, in order to
iuiiil the public engagements, that new tcn;-
Porary loan should be authorized, or that the
cAccutive, or the financial officers ofthe State
should be empowered to issue State bonds
la Iron,
as the exigencies of the commonwealth nav
requlre.-An addition, however, of abou, one,
mira TO the present rates oftaXation is deem
ed essentially necessary, to place the credit
OF the commonwealth upon that sure and nm
inhPeacha6le basis which it should always
occupy. Ii, by such an addition, an annual
surplus should be hereafter found I'm the treas
ury' such surplus should be carried TO the
sinking fund In fulfiment Of clearly indioa-
teu P'iicy oil preceding Legislatures. To he
prepared 1or The ultimate redemption of the
Pun!ic debt, by timely and gradual accum-
uiailon OF means, is not only the course of
wisdom but of justice.
Independently of the views above present.
ed, an Increase In the land tax is necessary n
Piouuco the same amount of revenue Welded
unae- the re-asSeSsment of 1919. which con-
st'tuted the basis OF taxation until the last SEES
sion the Legislature. The re-valua,ion of
io1o' which nominally was greater than the
oiu one mas Ill fact yielded smaller revenue
ny several thousand dollars, and bare in
sPect!on of the result of that re-yaluation
whlch gives to the country beyond the Allie
ghany mountains, greater extent of territory
than In the whole commonwealth besides. is
sulhclent TO stamp at least portion of it as
fallacious. i'''''
ne accompanying documents will disclose
the curious fact, that notwithstanding the lib
crai appropriations made by the Legislature to
enlarge The lunatlc hospitals, and although
The appropriations made by the last general
assembly Tor the support of the patients con-
lned therein were larger than in any wear pre-
cedlng, the number of that unfortunate class
of beings consigned to the county tails has
continued to increase, with a CORRESPONDING in
crease In the expense of maintaining them
lhere is no doubt that some radical reform is
necessary in all the laws relating to the custo-
dy OF lnnatlcS, and the accountability of their
estates to the commonw ealth for maintenance
and cure; and 1t Is also worthy of enquiry
"hether the public interest would not be es-
sen'laily promoted by changing the mode of
appointment, diminishing the number, and
P'o'iuihg reasonable compensation 10 the
courts OF directors for the services they render
IL
dered gratuitously, must in the nature of
things withdraw much of that attention from
the interests committed to their management
which cannot be bestowed without sacrifice.
ana which must have the effect of lesseninu
III some degree sense responsibility The
average cost to the commonwealth for main
taining each lunatic annually at the eastern
~ western hospitals, to say nothing of the
loss oil interest on the great outlay for erect
ing' enlarglng and repairing those establish
ments, may be fairly stated at sometime like
$3.50, sum which is believed TO be excess
I've In comparison with similar expenditures
In other states, and more than the average cost
OF support to the labouring and productive
classes OF society. As it is presumed, how
ever, that the legislative attention will be di
rected to this subjectit is deemed unnecessary
TO 90 farther into details.
The law which created the Virginia Militia
ry institute at Lexington, whilstit authorized
ue ooaId OF visitors TO appoint treasurer,
contains no direction TO that officer to return
his accounts to the seat ofgovernment. This
is manifest departure from that general svs-
tenn which enables the LEGISLATURE to suner
wise the expenditure of all moneys appropria-
ted to public institutions, and an amendment
OF the law which shall supply the defect is re-
specttuily recommended.
At the session of 1889, the general as
sembly directed the auditor to revise the rev
enue laws and report the same to the ensuinr
Legislature, which was done From various
causes, however, the report was but partially
acted on, and the commissioners of the reve-
nue. and others concerned in executing that
important branch Of our laws, are still left TO
groPe their way through the scattered lerisla-
ton OF twenty sessions, in order to learn their
duties. The auditor would be unfaiihful 20
his official trust, ifhc did not urge the legisia-