Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-04-26
A GROAN FROM s. TAN
PAYER.
wise Warming ia Time.
Respectfully,
b. G.. MCDOWELL.

In less than one month from the
date Of your next issue, the people of
Virginia viii have to elect Township
officers, unless they intend to let the
election of these officers gohy default"
and thus leave their appointment to
the County Judges. The unjust and
unfair tax bill passed by the late Leg
islature of Virginia, renders it not only
proper. but duty that every citizen
owes to his neighbors to counterfeit as
far as he can, the evil effects likely to
arise from the perniciOus legislation
enacted by those who. did what they
could to promote the interests of for
eigneTs, Yankees, stockholders, bank
ers and city merchants, at the expense
of the masses OF our own people. |
speak of the minority who We're en-
abled by the aid rendered them by the
executive, to prevent just and proper
legislation in the interest of the people
of Virginia. I'll
The Township Assessors elected
this year, may have to make the as
sessmentS of personal property under
the odious tax bill above referred to, as
will the present assessors. no man
should be elected assessor who is not q
good Judge of the value of property,
and who is not likely to put his valua-
tio,,s at the lowest rates he can, con-
sistent with the law. The people
themselves bc,ro directly interested,
should select this UttfieeT. 1t is the
duty of the assessor unO,t tle ploNl
slons of the act of July 8, lSrv anu %
the 93d section of the last act for !he
assessment OF taxes, to strike off from
- of
incsn on any tract, where the same il
less than Sl0O 90, and if from natural
decay or other cause" the value of
buildings is decreased betOU 500 90,
she value added on account of build
iuCs,n is to be stricken Off of the land
booEs, aud if the value of buildings
..haye been impaired by violence" to
the extsnt of 500 90 the same is to be
reduced accordingly. Many buildings
i'm Washington county were impaired
i'm valueu during the war by fire or by
"violence.n and since the war ended,
by storms, Sc, the valuations of which
should be lessened accordingly. The
tax payers may be relieved under the
provisions of SD, SD, S4th, S5th and
S6th sections, of erroneous" or excess
sive assessments of his real or personal
property, and every tax payer who Is
thus aggrieved, should seek reilef.
Therefore condition and low price OF
all ''stOckn requires low valuations.
If by general consent no one would
accept or hold Township Office, and
the people would refrain from ATTEND
Ing sales of property for taxes, our OPP
pressors would soon learn that the
"Deople,u and not a little squad of
"funders" and their hackers, attorneys
and clients, rWte Nirginians, and we
would thus be saved from the payment
of four per cent" annual interest, on
fictitious indebtedness, and could
pay six per cent. on our just public in
debtedness-or be saved from tie pay
ment OF twelve or fourteen per cent. q
wear interest on what we do not
owe at all land the principal too at the
end Of thirty-four years provided we
are as ignorant and subseryicnt then
as new. Many Of those in Virginia
WHO complain taIk of the expressions
ofour Federal rulers" tand justly tool