The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-03-30
Whittier Are We Driftlng?"

Under the above caption, the Harrisonbura
Old Commonwealth has the following editorial
The Commonwealth is pronounced Conserva.
tive paper, even bitter in its party identity
and the arragnnlcnt of its own party In the
manner it does, is very significant. The Con.
serative party of Virginia is certainly one OF ths
most unblushingly corrupt organizations that
ever existed, and the people cannot long have
tier eyes closed to this party. The Old Con.
monceaM says:
The debt of Virginia is $50, 904, 343 So. a1ld
the interest on it at six per cent. Is g. l54, 2d
81. The annual revenue is $3.50 900, $780,,
900 of which goes to the school fund, leaving
q, 900, 600 net to the State. The expenses Of
the State government amount in round Htni.
bers to 81 300, 900. and the annual appro.
priatlons to about 100000 more. The expens-
es Of the State government, the appropriations
and the interest on the debt. foot up
50, 354, 260 81. Compare this with the rev
nue. raised-32. 900. 000--and there remains a
deficit of 81, 554.260 81. We have these fig
nres from a gentleman of high standing. and
who recently fnrnshed them as he got them
from the records in the 'Trcasurer's office. lie
vouches for them, and asserts they cannot be
contradicted.
From the above facts it will be seen that Vir.
gina is going in debt annually to the amount
OF 81 ,254, 26O 81. To meet this. taxation would
have to be increased to about 81 cents on the
300 of real and personal property. lndividu-
ally, we would be willing to such an increase
| for the honor and credit of Virginia, but the
| people would not submit to it. The present
House of Delegates, by vote of eighty-one to
thirteen refused to increase the tax to go cents
on the 800. Such being the case, there is no
| probability of a tax of 81 cents being imposed.
| Nor do we believe legislature could be elected
which would vote to levy higher rate.
| Eighty-seven cents on the. one hundred dol
lars is needed. Virginia levies but so cents.
and the result is deficit of over one and a-hait
millions of dollars annually. The probabilities
are that the wheels of government will not be
able to run more than year longer, and the
| State become a total bankrupt,
| The present Legislature, instead OF inaugu-
rating economy in the government, has been
most lavish in appropriations. They have sat
for one hundred and twenty days, when all
they have done-lnostly nothing-could have
been accomplished in thirty, thereby expend
ling uselessly one hundred thousand dol
lars. They have appropriated eighty thousand
dollars to the Lunatic Asylums; given thirty
thousand to the University. and reduced it to
the level OF public schools; given ten thousand
a year for six years to the Military Institute,
and made sundry other appropriations which
should not have been made. All this has been
done. too, IN the face OF Virgina's pressing
needs. and whilst we are standing upon the
very verge of bankruptcy and ruin. Virginia
very properly feels pride in her institutions
OF learning. but they are luxuries, and if they
cannot stand upon their own merits they she uld
be allowed to fall. We cannot afford to act
rich men when we are poor. We have no right
to expend money on iuxuries. and upon insti-
buttons which are no part of the government,
when we cannot even pay the interest upon
our debt.
The Legislature is not doing anything to re-
licVe our embarrassment, and reputation is
virtually going on. They are not even. as is
now fashionable. trying to effect a compromise
at thirty or fifty cents on the dollar.