The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-06-14
What About the State Debt?

The recant movement among the farmers Of
augusta, OF which mention was made in last
pudiation party in that county.
II Is no wonder that such a party has an exis-
management OF the State debt has invited it.
Nothing but incompetency and timidity has
until the recent session.
Why, Just now, when the first movement is be-
ing made looking towards its solution in the pas
sage OF the whisky tax bill the reputation party
should take body and shape is very easily &C.
counted Tor. few more years Of mismanagement
on the part OF the Conservative party would have
practically repudiated But its leaders saw that
delay was dangerous, something must be done or
whisky bill is introduced. It was fought from
the start by the repudiators. but was finally
passed. Sufficient revenue is promised under it
to meet its obligations; why not await it's issue
and see?
The repudiators are afraid these promises NAV
prove true. The demagogue will lose his text.
and be retired from public life He must strike
now or his game is lost hence these Augusta
resolutions. We have no doubt there are men
debt, but they are few. They lobbied against the
whisky tax bill, and we have the authority of
who engineered this movement Why spring this
question tust now. when. the party is making
first effort to grapple the question? 1t is either
done through Ignorance or knavery
large local debts. Fifty counties report no
debt at all, and among this fifty stands Augusta.
There are only a half dozen that have any debts
OF considerable amount, the remainder have
small debts, amounting in no single instance to a
matter OF any Importance. Whence comes this
complaint about burdensome taxation, and oppo-
Sltion to every movement looking to solution
Of the debt question by payingit?
1t comes from counties that have no local debt
or burden, except large number OF demagogue
politicians. They want office, and must OF neces-
sity agitate to get them. They tell the people
they are taxed to death. and that the debt must
be repudiated or they will go under. There is no
subject the demagogue knows SO little about and
yet makes more capital of than the State debt.
Nine-tenths OF them rail at the Funding Bill and
for the life OF them they could not tell any one
what the Funding Bill was. The opposition to
the payment of the State debt does not proceed
from those who have large taxes to pay.
We have never heard OF Reputation party in
old Rockbridge. and her debt is larger than that
OF any other county in the State. Her taxes are
paid promptly, her insolvent lists are small and
her people are not especially oppressed. True,
we feel the burden, but we have never thought Of
repudiating it. Our farmers are living well, are
improving their farms, their stock, and grumble
as little about taxes they did when the rate was
forty cents on the 800. People always growl
more or less when the county treasurer asks for
the States quota. Surely if any people had cause
for complaint it is the people OF Rockbridge. but
we hear OF none. Why is it Simply because we
have few demagogues, and our people think hon
esty the best policy in the long RIM.
Where are the people who want to repudiate?
Take the list OF counties, and in every single in
stance where we have heard of reputation
party it is in county without any local debt,
and in most cases pay small amounts to the pub
lie treasury. The whole movement is one started
by demagogues for their own personal advance
ment, and taken up by ignorant or mischievous
Gazette.