The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-10-09

For the valley virsinian.e
ssFIFTKEN PER CENT?

I for the valley N1rglnianN
| ssFIFTEEN PER CENT?
| Mr.. j. W. Daniel, Of Lypohburg, il trav
cling through the State, making speeches il
behalf Of the Conservative ticket AID cause
He is al easy fluent. and pleasant speaker
and his comparisons and anecdotes decidedly
good, but his logic, statistics, aud kgsrss
reckless, inconsistent aud false, ia many par
ticulars. For instance, speaking Of the DE-
probation Of real estate aud personal prop
erty, he states that In Alabama, lands Aav.
deprecated $50 per cent; Arkansas, 1875
Florida, 100; Georgia, 3d.; Mississippi, IS
Texas, IS; Louisiasa, 800; and South Car.
DINA. 325; while ia Virginia, under Con
servatixe rule, said property has only dsprs-
dated "15 per cent"
/ Now let us look int this matter and tsst
the truth Of this statement by fgurss and ,
little practical commoa sense. In 1860, .he
U. S. Census Reports puts the real estate aad
personal property in Virginia at 800 mil.
lions. In 1865, $50 millions; and now, SO
oording TO late assessments, the valuation is
about 900 millions. Conservative rule is
responsible for the whole loss Of 300 mil
lions, and particularly so, for the $50 mil
lions during the past four years Now taking
these Ggures, which cannot be questioned,
under what rule in arithmetic does Mr..
Daniel fad the small amount of ''l5 per
cent" The $50 millions during the past
four years is 335 per cent to say nothing of
the $50 millions depreciation, the result OF
the war, which the Democratic Conservative
party il responsible, for had there been 20
Democratic party, headed by Jefferson Da-
| Wis, there would have been no war, and no
| depreciation Of real or personal property.
But there is another and more reliable
test Of the falsity of Mr.. DIS "15 per cent"
statement, and oae that comes directly home
Ask any farmer iu this aud adjoining eoun-
ties, what his land was worth in 1860, in
1865, in 1869, and now in 1873. He will
frankly tell you that the decline has been
from $50 to $40, and from $40 to s.. last
week, gentleman, decided Conservative,
who will vote, no doubt, for Air. Kemper,
told me in all sincerity, that four years ago,
he purchased FARM Of 255 acres he has
made great improvements in buildings, fruit
trees, and cultivation, yet he GOULD not have
sold it at any time during the past yesr for
what ths Improvements have cost him. An
other farm in the next county adjoining,
which was considered cheap at the CLOSE Of
the war at $l8 per acre, was offered at pub
lie sale, last Saturday and the highest bid
was $3.50 per acre. The sale was withdrawn.
Had 81 beea offered by a responsible bidder,
the aae would have oonsumma.sd. Another
farm in Faaquier county, excellent land, $50
acres, 500 acres fac timber, original growth,
price at tho close Of the war, $4,000; as
sessed by the State At Sl2 400 the owner
would sell now for $4,000, but 40 purchas-
er; aud thousands Of similar cases oan be
found throughout the entire State. l. it
from these figures that Mr. Daniel bases his
sl5 per cent. ?" His 1925 per cent Ia
South Carolina, and his Is per cent" in
Virginia, is as wide from the truth as the
Atlantic ocean il from the Pao1Gc!
1t is very evident that the $50, 10000
State debt, and little to show for the enor-
nous and reckless expenditure Of the peo.
Plies money; .he 100000 uaoaacslled judg
menta; the 1000 bankrupts, and deprecia-
ton Of lands to almost nothing, is giving the
authors of all this ruin, the Conservative
| leaders, orators, aud editors great deal Of
trouble, and unless they caa throw this "15
per cent" iaso the public eye, and got the
masses 80 90 it blind" their oass 10 utterly
hopeless. You can reconcile maa to the
reconstruction laws; to negro suffrage aud
equal rights before the law; to "Undsrwood's
Constitution" &c.. 10, but whom grasping
and extravagant politicians thrust their hands
and arms to tue elbow down both pockets,
patience thea csases to DO virtus-be will
begin to kick and make hasty retreat from
base fabrication Of "15 per cent"
The success Of the Conservative party in
Virginia depends entirely on the ignorance
of the people. and the leaders and editora
we'll know that fact. II they can keep the
masses frem reading, thinking, comparing
figures and records, aud in constant fever
abous mixed schools, negro equality, radical
ruin in South Carolina, renegade scalawags.
and thleving pes-baggsrs, they have an
equal chance Of elecsing their ticket. Rob
them of these brilliant arguments" and
the "15 per cent" it would be easier to
catch hawks by throwing salt on their tails,
than to catch a well read intelligent, and
prudent man voting for hide-bound bigot-
ed Conservative.
As an evidence how men are sometimes
mislesd by crafty and designing politicians
I will give an incident that came under my
observation little mora than two years ago.
A poor deluded Conservative, of Loudoun
county. expressed wish TO sell his farm
He said his farm was good one, and gave
him good living; and what, dear reader,
do you think he gave as reason Why he
wanted to sell Because Congress had just
passed ku-klux law, aud that his neighbors
told him that Grant would send soldiers into
Loudoun county at every slection 70 shoot
down every man who attempted to vote
the democratic ticket, therefore, he wanted
to sell out and 90 to Tsxes, and get away
from the Yankee Soldiers" He is still on
the old farm the ku-klax arguments have
passed only to give place to others equally az
ridisuIous-ssradical ruin in South Carolina
tcarpst-bag officials, "negro rule and as
per cent" In changing the conversation 's
foreign affairs and tho war in France. thes
progressing he wanted TO know ''if Par'
was RICH. smart place W ben told that Pa
} rs was considerably larger shsn Lesaburg
he seemed satisfied aud left. Hs gill vot'
T for Kemper, sure.