The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-01-08
lFor The Dispstcn.l
High Taxation.

If aFair Play y had carefully re-read his
article peradyenture he would have altered
|ft 90 as not 10 be eommittal to. the facts hay-
ling tendency to Increase taxation. w neither
Lie Is due to the expenditure on street inl-
proVements, ipjudiciousy appropriated, the
resder can form his own inference after read
ling cleaning gathered "by letting light into
dark places"
he says a.the friends of the appropriation
hold that 1t Is full time to put q stay to this
unsatisfactory and costly system OF prose-
cutting city work. Perhaps The friends who
favor systematic work are of a different opin-
lion, aud have the same prerogatiVe to com.
plain Of Inconsistency as the supporters OF
street improvement have to praise.
Fair Play" INDUCES In a line OF argu-
ment not at all compatible with the ideas he
| wishes to advance. He says pipes are laid
where streets have not been graded, and
when 1t suits the committee to have the street
graded appropriations are asked of the C6un-
Gil for the grading Of certain streets, which
being granted, it then becomes necessary to
relay the pipes at an expense to the city.
The question arises, Why are pipes laid On.
streets not gradedl Would it not be better
| to grade the streets previous to the outlay
attending the laying of pipes? Then, again,
he says: I" Whenever it happens that gas
or Water-pipes have preceded the grading Of
the streets, it then becomes necessary to re.
lay them according to the altered grade OF
that street."
Why is it necessary to alter the grade of o
street when it has been once graded by the
City Engineer? Such ineongruity tends to
increase taxation, and those little inconsider.
atoms may be attributable to the wan: of fac.
tories, whose bells, like those of Lowell
Mass, should call thousands of hands to
their daily work. But few capitalists at the
bpresent rates of taxation are willing to invest
their capital in factories when the tax will be
as much here as it is in cities of larger growth.
Now, what we want, and what I have en-
deaYored to advance and to advocate, is o
system that will lessen the present rate of
taxation so it will be special inducement
to moneyed men to invest in that which will
awaken the people (who slumber late) by the
shrlll whistle or the ringing of bells of the
adjoining factories.
Do not consider that I am opposed to ap.
preparations being made for the improve
ment OF streets. l only contraYene appro-
priations irjudiciousy made. Ii the Com
mittee on Streets would be little more par.
ticu]ar the complaint Of which "Fair Play"
is tired of would not sound so unmusically
to the ears of friends of the appropriation.
I like his candor, and compliment him for
the advice he gives when he says " that gas
and Water.pipes had better be kept out Of
the ground for season than to incur the
possible risk and expense of changing Tor re-
Iayipg) them"
Sound and practical advice. And for future
reflection it is hoped that those who consti-
tute the Street Committee will copy il and
paste it in the crowns Of their hats, for its
semblapce to economy might be useful in
time to come. WANDERER.