Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-04-10
The Three Graces---LiquOr. Law
yers and Country Editors.

The Virginia Legislature has been pay
ing some attention to the three graces, Of
which it has strong leayen within itself.
While the tax bill was under consideration
in the House one day last week, the propo-
sition to tax lawyers more, evoked the fol-
lowing ::
Mr.. Montague opposed the amendment
and gave notice that if it passed he should
follow it up with an Independent section
imposing q similar tax upon editors There
was considerable sparring between Messrs.
Montague and Riddlebarger. The former
spoke Of ''little country editors" He de-
clared that when he felt that he was right
he did not care if all the editors of the
State were against him.
Mr.. Riddlebarger retaliated by speaking
of s'little country lawyers He said that
the lawyers ought to be taxed high for they
had been chiefly instrumental in creating
the debt under which the State was groan-
ing. They had grown rich on the indebted
ness of the people. He could name a doz-
en- farmers who paid more tax than all the
lawyers in the Commonwealth combined.
He would cheerfully bear any newspaper
tax that the Legislature might see fit to
impose.
Messrs. MCMILLAN, Hudgin, Withers
and Nicely made some brief remarks.
Mr.. Cecil defended the lawyers at con-
siderable length, and charged home upon
the newspapers. He said more labor was
done by the lawyers for nothing than by
any other class. He bewailed the present
condition of the newspaper press. 1t was
not now what it had been in the days Of
Ritchie and Peasants. Then it was the
independent organ of the people. News
papers had ceased to be the index of pub
lie sentiment. AS a rule, newspapers are
now run in the interest of rings.
And ION yet another day to wit, there
came again into court" the liquor question,
ON which this debate occurred:
P. X. Jones, (colored, expressed the
opinion that when you touch whiskey you
touch every man in the State. 1t was like
troubling mans dog. No member who
interferes indiscreetly with either would
ever be'returned
MI. Cockerille gave his judicial expert
! ence as to substituting 'mav'' for ''shall"
as was proposed. 1t had been the source
of much trouble in the courts. He adj
mOnlShed the members that they were sit
| ting not as moralists, but as legislators.
| Mr.. Dooley was in favor of putting such
tax upon the sale of liquor as it would
| bear.
| Mr.. Williams WAS inclined to think that
OllC L llldlCG OOulllIiGUeiG UlU 1ildUG IL mis-
| take in not proposing Il stamp taxa tax
ON every drink taken. A tax of two cents
on each drink would not be felt and would
| yield a large revenue. A tax on wholesale
| dealers would drive the trade away to other
| States
MI. Gilman said that Richmond and
other Virginia cities sell not only to Viz
| ginia merchants, but to those of North
| Carolina, West Virginia, and Tennessee
| If, therefore, you drive the wholesale whis-
| key trade from Virginia to Baltimore by
onerous taxation, the merchants of the
States named will go there to buy their dry
! goods, groceries, and notions.
Mr.. Stuart said eve are obliged to
have revenue, and it is question between
land and whiskey."
| Mr.. Nash, of Lunenburg, deprecated the
| imposition of such tax as would drive the
| wholesale liquor trade from Virginia to
| cities north of us.
| Mr.. Clark, Of Campbell, declared that
nearly all of the wholesale dealers of
| Lynchburg would retire from business if
the General Assembly persisted in impos-
| ing heavy and unreasonable burdens upon
the wholesale liquor trade.
Mr.. Stuart admoniShed the House that
| if a proper tax bill was not passed an extra
session would have to be called and that it's
effect would be a complete political revo-
luton in the State. The people would hold
their representatives to strict account.