Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-10-21
Counting the Cost.

The people OF Virginia are poor ana In debt.
Their aim during all the bitter years that have
followed the war has been to resuscltate their
industries, to support their families, to pay off
their debts and to lay the foundation for future
prosperity. Under Conservative rule they have,
despite floods, bad seasons and financial draw
backs, made considerable progress.
It is now proposed that they shall change
their programme, reverse all they have done
and hand their political affairs, which involve
their business interests, over to the negroes, the
carpet baggers and the few native whites who
are acting with them. Before they do so, let
them, like wise men, count the cost
Wherever Southern Radicalism has prevail
ed it has cost the Commonwealth subjected to
its control almost fabulous sums. The taxing
power was first exerted to raise money, and the
money raised was squandered or stolen by the
officials. The address of the State Conserva-
tive Committee, published about ten days ago,
showed from the report ola Congressional COM
mittee that between 1867 and 1871 the State
debt of Alabama was increased from ST, 900 900
to $3S, 600, 900; Of Arkansas, from $4,000 900
to $19, 600, O0O of Florida, from 100000 to
SIS, 900 600; of South Carolina, from 81 ,000-
900 to $29, 100000. To meet this Indebtedness
the taxes had to be raised accordingly. The eff
feet upon property-holders may be illustrated
by the case of one piece Of land in Arkansas.
taken at random from the tax books In '66
the tax was S., 10; in 81 it was raised to $1S.
So in '69 to $112. 60; in go to $146.4 S; in
10 to $4,000.
The people of Virginia complain of having to
pay fifty cents on every hundred dollars, worth
of property. Suppose they surrender the con-
troll Of their government to the Radicals-are
they mad enough to suppose that their condi-
ton will be bettered? Bettered indeed! The
taxes will probably be doubled, trebled, quad
rupled, quintupled, and SO on progressively IN
til the effect will be that of confscation.
Not content with stealing the public money
thus raised by oppressive taxation, the South
ern Radical Legislatures squandered it in all
kinds Of extravaganza. For instance, 10 South
Carolina the Radical Legislature ordered
(among numberless other articles) mirror for
the Speaker room at the cost Of $3.50, clocks
at $3.50 piece, chandeliers at $3.50 apiece
and two hundred fue porcelain spittoons at SIS
piece
Let Virginia be surrendered to the Radical
party and the same result would follow Why
not? Is the party any better here than there :?
The material is the same, ''the morale the
same, the hunger for plumber the same, the bar
l,or;o 1.-Two If ebovu bo coon
This is but part of the cost that Radicalism
would entail upon the taxpayers and property
holders of Virginia Are they prepared to pur-
chase Radical rule at such cost-irretrieVa-
bic bankruptcy, ruin and disgrace ?-RicH.
Wing.
Shooting ARRAY at Wheeling w. Va.
On Wednesday last, ]. J. Sweeny, candi-
date for the Legislature, assaulted and beat O..
S. Long, editor of the Register, for an abusive
article published in that mornings paper
Thursday mornings issue contained further re
Elections on Sweeny's character. About IL
o'clock Sweepy met Lewis Baker, proprietor,
and j. s. Ciarkson, local editor Of the Regis
ter, aud after some words all three drew their
revolvers and commenced firing. Baker was
slightly wounded, and Clarkson had his arm
broken.
La some comments upon this ARRAY, the Bal
timore San says that, 1T may be that this
achievement and that which preceded it dis
proves the charge of ru6ianism, though we are
inclined to think that none but ruffians would
come to that conclusion. II the press does H.
justice to aoy and refuses opportunity to the
aggrieved for correction We presume that there
are lawful means of redress in West Virginia
! as elsewhere, and therefore this resort to viz
lence should not be tolerated. The indulgence
of it justiGes suspicion Of conscious guilt
| Certainly it should not be necessary for mem
bers Of the press to defend their persons with
revolvers whenever the performance of thei
supposed duty to the public proyokes displeas
| ure.