Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-10-12

He ouoted official statements showing That
| while property in Augusta was assessed at
s73. OO0. 900, in Loudon it was only SO 900 ZOO
and in Fapquier only SS.000,000. Augusta
| had nothing to fear from an honest re-as-
| sessment which he favored. He showed in
a striking light the fraudulent returns OF
| the income tax. The great county of Au-
gusta only returned $685. Albemare
s57S. Bedford only 81, Campbell s53, Hall
fax S5S. Loudon 8s61, and Madison, (Gov.
| Kemper's county only $40 !. lie had new
er agreed with the Funding Bill, but it
was a law Of the land and must be obeved.
MIR. S. BROWN ALLEN
closed the afternoon. He said that un-
der the political leaders of the past ten
years q great many errors had been COM
mitted and he thought the time had come
to change the leaders. He watched the
present legislative canvass with deep in
tereSt, because he felt that its result would
affect for veal or woe our children as well
as ourselves. He estimated the public debt
at the time OF the passage OF the Funding
Bill at SAG GOO 900 and denied that the bill
either set apart or intended to set apart So
600, 900 for West Virginia to pay as the
rejection Of various amendments specify
ing that intent showed. Gov Walker him
self had said that the certificate under it
''c"n only be regarded as d claim or ofTsett
Of uncertain value and in no way affecting
our liability for the whole debit The ac-
counting officers Of the State had so regar-
ded il and for two years reported ii as
SIS 600, 900 to be provided for in the fut llre,
only changing the entry after the un.nis-
taxable tones OF IN indignant people were
heard. No lawyer in Virginia would have
drawn up a bill in this shape if the intent
| had been such as is now claimed for it,
Mr. Allen estimated the Whole debt now,
| leaving out the West Va. part) with its
| accumulated interest at: Al ,94S,000 which
with West Virginia 5 915 100000 and in
| teIest So 000,00 would make u grand total
OF $61, 9iS0O0. For the sake Of argument,
leaving out West .Virginia's portion, the
| yearly expenses per year would be- ill.,
tereSJ s., $4,000, schools $500 900 and gov
| ernment 81 ,O62, 600, grand total $3,716 900
| The revenue of the State was 50, 700, 900,
leaving d yearly deficit of ST ,0l6OOO. With
taxable values of $5317 ,000, 900, the legisla-
| ture would have to put SO cents more on
the $1O0, making a man who now pays $50
pays SS3. And that leaves out sc, 900, 600
| Interest and make no provision for tue
principal except the sinking fund. He
asked if they were prepared to pay this
tax. Ii not vote fol- the meE who oppose
it. The fight is square on taxation. Gen
! tlemen talked OF economy, that is all right
| but they had heard that talk for six years.
He spoke of the oppression, persecution
and losses inflicted on Virginia by the very
men who now have bought her bonds at 20
| 10 80 cents III the dollar and ask dollar fer
| dollar tor them. To pay what they ask
would throw three out of five farmers into
| bankruptcy. He didn't believe that in the
sight Of God it was right to meat such a
demand. The talk Of ressaessment of
| lands is idle they are declining in value
every day. Echols would say to the cred
| ltors ''if you WON'T take part Of what we
owe You We'll pay you ALL and Skinner
| would say after the creditors refused to
adjust, well we've done our duty now let
| US tax"
The meeting adjourned about shutdown.
Oraigsyille.
The meeting at Craigsville Saturday was
slim one, but like t. at at Greenville. the
audience included number Of influential
men. In consequence of the meeting Of the
Patrons of Husoandry it was half past 3
O'Clock before the addresses began,
Mr.; MN; T, RUAH
opened iii q speec! of tifty-seYen minutes
duration. He said the great question was,
"W hat is the State debt and what will we
do with it? There could be no dispute as
to its justice. We got all the money before
the War--goId value paid into our treasury,
and pledged the faith of the State for its
payment, interest and principal. With it
we built railroads, canals, turnpikes, hui
name institutions, and Notwithstanding
! the l0sseg OF the war our people now have
! the benefit OF them, which is worth more
than the annual interest we pay Oh our
debt. But even If they We're not, those
who loaned the money did not guarantee
| our keeping out of war, and ouF going Into
it does not relieve Ns. II che OF you Dor
rev s4,0tu and an incendla1y burns your
house worth s. 600, you don't expect to
get your bond scaled, while you still have
property enough, to Hay the whole, In
ability IS the only plea that can be put in
against paying Vir4inia' S debt, and don't
believe we are unable.
But increase OF taxes is not the first way
To prove cur ;tbil ty. Economy il 3ha ms.
Gold. when the State salaries OF Virginia
were liXet,. was al.4O, now it is 81 Q5 Gut
! thea down III proportion. RAISING the
taxes Woald be a dangerous experiment,
like forclbe adjustment, for after either
there would be no retrenchment. OF at least
1t would lessen the chances. 1t is only at
ter all IS done, and we are still short, that
L should favor : f,.aue4ata anG tgdicious
in1fadXe Fl laSos, though, OF coulse, even
that could not be done at the ensuing ses
sion in the face Of efforts for retrench~
ment: Tie speaker did not see much chance
OF q compromise OF the debt, but il such a
proposition CAME from the creditors it
should certainly have his assistance.
The clamOr about the public debt has no
reasonable foundation. The State tax of
soc. in the 500 is not high, but people get
INTO the habit Of summing up all their
taxes-county and city-and putting it on
the State, though the fifth part o. it is
spent for local improvements hally half
OF the States zoe. i2 spent for school and
cents to pay Interest On the debt. The
wiping out Of the Is cents would brine no
appreciate relief, The truth is chat al!
our troubles eQnle out Of individual private
business deots. and not from State in
deDtedneas. 4 man worth $4,000 pays
$50 tax, Of which $25 goes to the State debt,
and that IS all the $4,000 man would save
by repudiating the whole State debt If
he were badly in debt how much wolld
this $25 relieve hun? Not enough t. be ap-
pre- ;iated! Well, when po eae expects and
few desire 20 40 more than to reduce the
debt or rate Of interest the relief would not
even be S25. 1t is our private debts that
are the trouble, and they must be worked
O1l ny lVl illIllSEll oOlllb SO0u men
will have to break and begiu again, but
the compromising of the State deh5 wouid
noF haze saved theh, or GiEen them any
appreciate relief. THE speaker could we'll
understand how many good, honest men,
sorely in debt. may be led by perplexing
circumstances to take false steps TO gam
time, and yet not be Villains, but his sym
pathy with them could not hetray his
judgement so far as to make him put the
blame i'll the wrong place. or lead him into
the sup; ort of measures Of daGo54qll
honesty - - Ii )" |
IS '.ners Was So much complaint /