The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-12-21
STANTON, VIRGINIA, THURSDAY. DECEMBER a. 1871

without the proper motive power. | trust
that you will not only promptly organize the
; bureau with a sufficient appropriation, say
S2o 900, but that you will provide for. the Sc.
lection Of the very best material for its officers
) While the plan here recommended IS in.
tended for Virginia alone, yet it adopted by
the States of North Carolina, Tennessee. W
| Virginia. and Kentucky, a belt OF country
resembling our own State in many features
Of soil productions, and climate, union
might be formed Of great power and influence,
by which more could be accomplished IN the
matter of foreign immigration than all these
States could accomplish by individual action
The several organizations might, by similar
law passed in each State. be organized into
one body, which should have the control of
all European agencies, and all means and in
strumentalties for securing, transporting,
and caring for the immigrants until they
landed at Norfolk, aud while there, leaving
to each State organization the care, control.
j and management Of the immigrants destined
for that State from that point. Norfolk is the
port to which all these States mentioned must
look for thelanding oftheir immigrants; and a
union Of the character mentioned, managed
upon impartial and correct business princi
pies. would secure not only a steady and IN
creasng flow of immigrants to those State,
but would also establish beyond question per
manent steamship communication with Eu-
iope, and along with it that mnch-dlscussed
and long desired object, direct trade Tor the
South 1t is idle in these days Of steam ana
| electricity TO talk of direct trade without d.
rect steamship communication, and any at
tempt at present to establish direct steamship
communication with Europe without inlni-
grafton to support it, fear will prove utter
terly abortive A union Of the character
mentioned, properly supported by the States
and municipal and railroad corporate u inter-
ested, couu easily secure semi nouthly line
of steamers from Norfolk to Liverpool or some
other European port by charter or by pur-
chasing controlling interest in the ships, OF
by contract with some already organized lau
ropean steamship company.
The benefits which would flow from we'll
organized movement of this character eau
hardly be estimated. { deem it so feasible
and Of such vast Importance as 70 recommend
that after you shall have perfected the organ
lzation for our own State, you take suitable
steps to lay the subject before the authorities
| Of the States named and invite their cooper
alton.
EQUALIZATION OF TAXES.
+ Someghat german to the subject Of imni-
| grafton is that of a correct assessment Of
lands in the Commonwealth. A correct as
sessment would be proper criterion Of the
value of lands offered for sale, and being
made by authority of the State would inspire
confidence 10 the purchaser. 1t would, too,
conciusively demonstrate another fact OF VI
! tai Importance in this eonnection-ylz, that
taxation upon the real value OF property ~
the State is, and if our affairs are properly
managed, will be, less than in any other
! S ate in the Union with TWO or three e2cep-
tions. Both Of these facts would operate as
| powerful Inducements to the immgrant.-
| That we have not now correct assessment
must be patent to every one at all conyersani
with the subject. 1t not only IS not correct,
but is really so grossly incorrect as to work
/ injustice and wrong. Some lands may be as
sessed too low, others too high; but certain
it is that there is no equality or justice in our
present assessment; neither is it IN conformity
cth the Constitution, thesfrst section OF ar
ticle x Of which provides that taxation shall
be equal and uniform and all property, both
real and personal shall be taxed in propors
ton to its value = and again, in the sixth
section of the same article, in directing the
re-assessment of real estate, it declares that
| sin making such assessment no land shall be
assessed above or below its value
| do not suppose that any one will have
the hardihood to assertthat our present assess
inent is in conformity with these principles
of the Constitution The causes which have
produced these inequalities and inaccuracies
in the assessment may have been a want OF
correct information Of the subject, and
clear comprehension Of his duty under the
Constitution, on the part OF the assessor, or
his Judgment may have been warped by To-
Cal influence and prejudice, or it may have
been controlled by precedent, it never hay
| ing been the rule in this State to assess lands
at their real or market value. In my opln
ior, no just and equal assessment can be OBJ
tanned through local assessors. A given sum
Of money must be raised by taxation and in
this respect, SO far as the x-payer is con
cerned, it matters not whether the valuation
upon which the tax is levied be high or low,
provided always that it be cqual-so that a
dollar Of property in one pcrtio@ of the Com
monwealth shall be taxed for precisely the
Same amount every other dollars worth In
every other portion Of it, and no more.
1t is to his in crest, provided equality is
universally observed, that his property be
assessed at its real value, because, under our
present laws, it cannot be sold for his old
judgment debts at less than three-fourths of
its assessed value and If the sale is voluntary,
the assessed valuation is the criterion which
purchasers, more or less observe; and this
equality would obtain if the Constitution was
rightfuly enforced. "Taxation shall be
equal and uniform and on real property,
shall not be assessed above or below its val
ue,'' are the clear]y-expressed mandates of
the Constitution. Enforce the latter, and
no difficulty will arise as tothe former Blu,
how to enforce it--how to secure just and
equal assessment Of property. neither above
ncr below its value is question beset with
grave difficulties, which has been much dis.
sussed by statesmen and legislators, but no
entirely satisfactory solution ever yet attain
ed.