The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-01

H
,nptne amount subsequently, PAID towards
the debt IN more apparent than rea'. tWuhi
the last fiscal year lsrger proportion OF the
current accruing revenues was applied 20
the payment Of interest Khan Ia sny previous
year. It's fnrther catise Tor cengsa.uiaston
thst while 20 liberal an amount wus thus PAD
on the deb, aud white i,rger> .su d,atnap
ever was contributed to the pub.e.schon u
fund the ordinary expenses of the Govern.
mept were seus,olY l.ss for the lsstff1scai
,yesr thsn for any equal period since the pre-.
sent Const tuition took effect. -sju&lG H.
While Il vefii be found that the payments
on interest during the past year felsshors bv
1885, 1888 Al only Of toe sum necessary 10 pay
full annual In crest on the de6t proper, IL
must pe remembered that q portion of those
payments went to the bonds belonging 10 ne
literary and sinking funds. 10 order tha'
the whole of the annual deficiency in the
treasury may be pro aerlT understood L SUD-
NIT the following statement: ; - Is Wy
The full annual interest on the debt 80
proper nov amounts to-. 49,. :. 1,752'6Sl 80
Tie full annual 1nIeres. Que the lite ~
rary funu n"uG;s to.............. So,sOI %
The like Interest u W paya0tc oy >. -
law TO the sinking funo Is. ...:... lSS'9Ao %
And the annual aggregate Of inter
est-paymeuts on All accounts ts. w, oSo,O3o %
The amount paid on inters st darIDE 1919 ) !
the las year was. AL f,9aV r.
Showing that the deficiency TO be - 80 30 =.
provided Tor Is. 2oI 1.o2.s SS
II the annual interest now payable 10 } ne
commissioners OIL the sinking fund were sus
psnued-s,bough, in my opinion, II ougbr
ale hor ,o rpi q -
deficiency would be reduced 10 S4l9244i 0B.
Bu, assuming that the sinking lunu will
be kept alive according 10 the design OF 1oe
Constitution. and without shrinking ire a .
caodid and fearless view of existing I'm par
easements. let us recognize 1917 ,69O.93, as Iue
tore stated, as the PRESENT annual deficiency
which NUT be ultimately met. ,o
II may be safely assumed that the pending
amendment of the Constitution substituting
biennial for annual sessions Of the GeeeraI
Assembly Will be ratified by the people.
Upon the adoption Of that amen ment, even
blowing for the largest poss BILE mem Der ship
Of the two houses. the syerage auDual saving
the Safe In legislative expenses Will be
Sg8 1856 80. This single ITEM Of retreach
,m-nt wilt reduce the annual deficiency to
$5i9 30543 w
The crlnipal charges on The treasury have
reached tt e annual sum of 1857 1878. Thi.
burtheu can be greatly retreHche1 without
lesseniug the legal restraints upnn crime !;
but II II were Topped OFF and wholly removed
from the general treasury, as can be SAFELY
done, roe further saving SO Ell cted would
prirg the deficiency down to 1882, 1870,
But whe'be the item Of criminal cuargeS
b. removed or reduced, or neither, there, re-
Mans 10 any event 40 inconsrderaole den
cheney wnico c,nnot be ignored. How 10 g.
t. te meis ! answer, not by augmensirg
the general taxation on real and personal
properly, '.ut BY widening the range Of tax-
a ion so rs to Include subjects W hich ale
DOW but partially aud detecnvey taxed, or
DOT taxed at all; and 1t is 70 ,be completely
net BY u system of retrenchment and reform
wnich will 60 through every brancn Of Fne,
public servlce-a system not formal' nor
pre- entious, but thorough, practicii, rtsor-.
Gus, and unreleotng, which will brinsthe
cost Of the Government down and CONFORM
IL to the d varied area and resources II Hhe
State. In due ume Ii will oe proved that
by the enforcement or practicable reiorms3tbe
annual interest on the debt can within few
wears be Tally paid, and he existing tax on
property ut The same time reduced.
SUPPLEMENTAL TAXATION. 5vf
i earnestly invite our attention to the cut.
Inc Of q bill for raising revenue nv ra.Eiug
splrituous liquors which ACCOMPANIED my
lat annual message. 1t will ne found THAT a
tax OF thirty cents on the gallon u tax of!Irs,
than half cent on every glass Of >plrI's con.
sumed within the Stacy will yield n rev9uue
of three quarters of million OF dollars, will
cover any possible deficiency 10 the treasury.
will solve the tioancial PROB em, and restnre
the public credit by insuripg the put c; uaI
payment of interest on the debt. Tue plar
Of stamp.taX 90 liquors 10 bulk is demon.
strated to be practicable by rbe successful
experience Of the Federal Government ;iar
it will be found that The trouble can be eff
ftctuaily prevented VIII CD .soue suppose
would arise In the matter OF ea
porting and transporting liquors from
nurthens the useful Industries, or Is so easily
and uncomplliningly pad, or lsless telr by all
classes Of the people, than tax on stimnlant-
and narcotics. Concurring In non~ Of the
prohibition theories or vagaries OF the day,
believing In no such abstinence or temper.
apce as results from legal compulsioo, ]
nevertheless insist that the present com para.
tive exemption Of spirituous liquors is an
unwise and unjust Discrimination against
other subjects of taSarion. tt is this par ticu-
lar subject which does most to create and
comparatively least to detray the charges OF
government. It fills the penitentiary and
jAils, the unat,c asy lums and aimshouses !;
1t multipiles the courts 1t fearfuliy aug
ments the whole mschinery oil jus'ice. and
swells the list Of criminal expe nses. Shall
1t repair none of the wrongs with which 1t
scourges society? Shall 1t help'to bear none
OF the burthens it imposes on the property
and self.danylng A6or of the peopIeP =
protested and leading object of the law.
10 reerer &c 10 oysters is "to obtain revenue
for the privilege Of takiog them within the
waters OF the Common veal b." As meaps
for tffecting such o jet the provisions OF HE
,w save proved worse than uusatory. The
tax on oy ,ters has yielded for the f,csl yetr
net income to the. treasury of $968.S7, land
a more--a sum probably Insufficient to pay
the salaries of. the Auditor aud his empLole
wolfe performing the duties deGoIved 90
them by the os sler-aw. The oyster beds
are part of the upgrapted public donna ip-
tnefa Dsoute property Of he Commonwealth.
Tneir annual produc ion exceeds twenty
millions { dollars, and much OF it passes IN
taxed mo the hands OF non residentsr Those
W DO enjoy The profitable aud virtually unre
g -, u raw