Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-09-25

=
AsPECTs-"wHEN SHALL WE TIL
AGAIN'-AN oUrRIDER BACKS szAv rq{
THE RACE OPENS BETWEEN THE ~. a.
NAG, -"RE-ADJUsTER," "DEBT-EAXE -
"FoRefBLE ADJUsTER" -
Yesterday being County Court day q va
fine opportunity for the candidate9s IT,
Legislature to give the people the b bit +
their views upon the question of the pubne
debt, which seems to be the only one involved
in this canvass.
At o'clock quite a respectable audience had
gathered in front OF the Courthouse, and the
ball was opened by Maj. Absalom Koiner, a
candidate for the Senate. The number and
length of the speeches prevent us from giving
them as full as we had desired TO do. and we
shall be compelled to select from our copious
notes only such portions as bear directly upon
the question before the people, leaving out The
| flights Of oratory, appeals to the people, and
such slight personalities as marked the discus
sion.
| Maj Koiner after few Introductory remarks
proceeded at once to the discussion OF the ques-
ton of the State debt. He had on a former occa-
sion stated that he did not believe that the pro-
per time had arrived for an adjustment of the
debt. He then thought that the foreign bond
holders were not fully impressed with the In
| ability OF Virginia to pay. The Convention at
| Richmond had resolved that it was the true
| policy OF the State to make an honest effort to
arrange the debt. He here read the platform. as
adopted in reference to the public debt. This,
| he said, was the platform of the Conservative
party and he felt bound by it.
| Its meaning he maintained was plain upon
| its face-that there shall be an honest effort to
arrange the debt, do no evidence to ere ditors and
at the same time bring it within the range OF
present taxation. Many shrewd and able IL
nanciers believe that the State debt can be ar
ranged ON basis satisfactory to the people and
the creditors A Encouragement Of the debt
might result in putting the holders of funded
bonds and peelers on thesame basis. A discus
sion of the details of this arrangement would
now be impossible.
He advocated economy in the State govern
ment-a seusre economy. The condition of af-
| fairs demands severe economy.
| He spoke of his past course in the Legislature,
during which time his whole effort had been di-
rected to economy in the State government.
And the people must now demand of their rep
resentatives the pursuadce of this policy.
There are some officers which, he believed,
| could be dispensed with, and salaries which
| could be curtailed.
T. The question befsre the people is either in
| creased taxation, rel adjustment or reputation.
He maintained that the platform of the con-
1 vention says we shall have no increase OF tax
| alton, and he fully concurred in that view. lie
| believed that taxes were already high enough.
The rule of taxation is that you dare not tax
| beyond the income of the people after they sup
port their families and carry on a profitable
| business To do so is to do violence to the cred
| itors themselves.
| rbo To of TO me not he baaV-
! lily felt in Augusta, for it is highly favored
county, but it is felt in other counties of the
State. He thought State Board of Assessors
might do good.
| Taxation Is not always the best remedy. He
advocated in preference retrenchment and re-
form.
| He always believed that government was q
necessary evil; but in a republican form OF
governmental the effort should be made to build
up prosperous people and not rich govern
| ment.
| These are not the times for fancy men in the
| Legislature, but men of good strong common
sense. He spoke Of the great damage done and
money wasted by men in the Legislature who
thought more Of their private interests than OF
| the public good and welfare of the State.
He spoke at some length of the necessity for
| the development of the rich resources of the
State and of the necessityofwork, earnest work
on the part of the people. Wemust encourage
our people to go to work and he hoped the time
had come when all might hope to find pro6ta-
BILE employment. Our people have had many
things to discourage them, skilled labor is
scarce. There is not quite sixth LIT of the
population of the State engaged in agriculture
whilst the proportion OF those employed in per-
sonal service is en- tirely too great.
| Worlr and econop1v ara tho oOlv p,aanS NJ
ultimately paying the State debt. The time IL
at hand when capitol and immigration will
come into State The causes which have
heretofore kept them away are fast being re-
| moved. If our people remain true to them
selves and their State, capital and immigration
| will soon come within or borders
What is the public debt? Not $50OOO,00O OF
more as has been represented. Tho sworn state
ment of your Governor and Auditor place it in
round numbers at 500. 5000. The Governor
tells you positively that the $4,000 900 set apart
to West Virginia constitutes no part of Virgin
| las indebtedness
| He referred to another error fallen into by
many, j. e., treating the sinking fund as an ex-
listing part of the State debt. He then, at some
length, explained the operation OF the Sinking
| Fund bill. He then referred to the assets which
are owned by the State and which if sold and
applied to the purchase of bonds would reduce
the Indebtedness of the State to S2G 7e6 2f2, and
| there are still other assets which could be ap-
piled to the Sinking Fund.
| File spoke Of the spirit which seemed increas-
ing since the war of crawfishing out of paying
debts. This feeling must be puta stop to. The
creator has laid down a platform upon which
we all can stand Thou shalt not steal"
Some say that new era of prosperity would
| to ha tofn We cOu1d bpr
Indebtedness. By what means this is to be done
don't know but something very close to re-
pudiation. know no other name for it. Should
this he done it will destroy the commercial and
manufacturing interests Of our State and will
| leave the hand of Cain upon us and our burden
| will be greater than we can bear.
| I hope the State is about to take a new de-
parture, but let it be in the path of honor. I
trust that in Augusta we will go forward, and
nail to our banner honesty, probity and good
demeanor. There is no relief but by working it
out for ourselves.
| He favored the adoption of some arrangement
satisfactory to the people and the creditors, but
favored no forced adjustment.
JUDGE ]. II. McCUE.
| Introducing himselfas candidate for the
Senate and after fling or two at 1.-The gentle
man who hadjust preceded him. he came down
| to business and said that he had been. consis-
tent on the subject of the State debt ever since
| the war. He had always opposed the funding
bill and regarded it as an enormous iniquity
passed by fraud and corruption. He however,
admitted that it was now a law and not to be
gotten rid of except by resolution or readjust-
ment of the debt. The platform of tho Con-
sentative party provides that the honor for Va.
must be maintained but that there shall be NO
| increase of taxation. But the question is what
are you going to do after you try to adjust and
fail. say then let the Conservative party call
another Convention and adopt platform and
l as true Conservative will stand by it.
He approved the plan proposed by Secretary
Hunter for the issuance.of new bonds at a low.
err rate of interest.
He disapproved ofthe present system of as.
sessment and favored the appointment of g
State Board of Assessors
| He did not believe there was a man in the
State who knew what the that debt really was
| COL JAMES H. SKINNER
| Opened with humorous remarks as to the
speeches Of the gentlemen who had Just spoken
and of the positions occupied by them, Though
pleasant and felicitous they were out of the lint