The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-09
BIG STEALS.

bially addicted to the imprudent habit o
throwing stones and if we have tall and
tempting glass fabric amongst us, peculiarly
liable to damage from retaliatory assault, il
is that of the Enquirer. That paper is the
organ of the States bondholders. tits the OF.
gan of many other things besides the Con.
servative party. And yet, careless of the
gricvous swindle that has been put upon our
home people by its Funding Bill, it bestows
much vicarious sympathy upon the finan-
cial misfortunes of the Gulf States. 1t is
like the kind-hearted old lady in Dickens
story, who could see no misery among the
paupers of London, but had boundless char
ity of heart and purse for the lazy inhabi-
tants of Boorahboligah, away round at the
antpodes.
The especial lamentation of the Enquirer
to-day is over the financial miseries OF
Texas, the very farthest off State on the
Gulf. 1t indulges in tall statements con-
corning the taxation of that State; going
to New York paper for authority as to
the amount levied there in one year. It
states and believes, on the authority OF
the New York Nation, that 81 900, 900 is
that amount differing from the Dispatch
on this head, which gives the amount at
$5,000,000; the two authorities varying
one mi lion in six! 1t would be well if
these lachrymose Jeremiahs over the mis-
fortunes of distant Israels, would first
settle their facts before they began to
cry. What more ludicrous than for o
weeping patriot to pour out seven mil
lions worth of sorrows over the woes of
the Texans, and then find that he had
wasted a,million's worth uselessly!
1t is droll enough to see New York pa
per and Richmond paper, commiserating
the Texans over their taxation hardships.
The mammoth operations of the Tammany
Ring in New York, compared with all other
financial villainies, remind of the old
yarn which luns somehow in this way: If
all the trees of the forest were.in one tree !;
if all the axes in the world were in one axe !;
and if all the men on earth were in one
man :-and if the big man, were to take the
big axe, and cut down the big tree; what
a tremendous crash there would be! And
so we may safely say, that if all the rogues
in the world were in one rogue, it would
certainly not be as great one as Tamma-
ny. If all the stealings in the world were
in one steal, it would not be as large one
as the Tammany steal. And all the awful
developments and fearful explosions that
ever overlook. big rogues and big steals,
have not made as huge catastrophe and
"ghastly PICTURE" as the Tammany devel-
opment has done, to the confusion and dis
grace of the Democracy.
And then, coming to the Virginia swim
die, that precious Funding bill, of which
the Enquirer is godfather nsidering
that we do things IN smaNs in Virginia
what more iniquitous fraud could have been
put upon an agricultural people who pay
taxes, by spectators and stock-gamblers
who devour the earnings of the industrious,
than this Funding Bill? To collect nearly
two millions of dollars of taxes, full
eighteen months before the money is to be
paid out, in order to lend it to the banks;
to compound interest in manner unasked
by honest bond-holders, adding one whole
needless million year to the taxes; to
make the interest on the compounded debt
a preferred charge upon the taxes, COM
pelling maximum taxation to be levied for
each and every year, in order to keep the
State government a-going-these are some
Of the fine provisions of the Funding Bill
universal distress at home, for
which our Conservative organs have no
bowels of pity, in the intensity of their
sympathy for the sorrows of Booraboo-
ligah, on the Gulf.
Both the New York Democrats and the
Virginia Democrats have financial villains
enough to watch at home, without wasting
their sorrows ON distant communities. "Let
him that is innocent throw the first stone."
If there ever was party which should in
dulge the Christian virtue of charity to-
scards rogues, it is the Tammany Democra-
cy in New York and the funding bill finan-
cers of Virginia. They could not employ
their time more protitably than by hunting
up the texts Of scripture enjoining upon
great thieves tolerance towards small ones.
AS to the financial practices of men cali
ng themselves Republicans in the Southern
States, the figures presented by the Demo-
cratic press are so exaggerated, and the
charges made SO extravagant, that the most
prejudiced enemy Of the Republican party,
feels that they are wholly unreliable.
Doubtless there have been frauds. Doubt
less there has been reckless legislation.
Doubtless there have been waste and en-
bezzlement. Wherever guilt has been
practiced, it ought to be exposed and pun
ished. The Republican press and the Re-
publican party, of the North and of the
South, will not countenance them in any
manner or degree. They not will extern