Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-06-10
Delinquent Taxpayers.

| 10 the editor Of tie A7eranelrm Ga=ettc::
do not wonder that writer 10 tho Third
| Ward has spoken with some feeling OF the
bitterness with which the delinquent taxpayers
arc handled by members of the Common C0un-
Gil. 1t is painful, indeed, for anyone In that
unfortunate position to pick up the Gazette
and sec the pains and penalties which arc being
prepared for this class Of persons. Members
| arc veing with each other in their 'plans' as
to how they can Cypress tho poor people OF the
town, and to notify them by publishing them
in The newspapers as though they had been
| guilty of some crime, and must be- held up to
| the public odium. There is a natural shrinking
| ia The mind Of every man from tho exposure
Of bis private affairs, and | confess to some
cyont, share ia the feeling, but would be
glad to sec my name published 10 every paper
in the country if | felt it aOonM pay tho debt,
or cause it TO be paid am glad to know
that there is 20 personal dishonor iu man i
not doing that which he is unable to do. For
my own part, for thirty years | have never
| failed until within the last year or two to
promptly pay my public dues. Now, when a
dark cloud of commercial depression hangs
over the whole country; labor unemployed and
people arc absolutely suffering for bread tor
their families, it is no time to strike. From
all the large cities tho problem is how arc the
people to be fed, and feeling OF unrest and
muttcring Of trouble is heard on every side.
Now is the time for that forcbcarancc and
Christian charity which We owe to each other,
but, instead Of that, the threat oil the rctI jug
is to hung out at tho door Of every poor unfor
tn nate fellow, and the very beds upon which
himself and his vito and his children
sleep arc to be dragged from under them
to pay taxes. From every large city and small
one, too, we hear the cry Of the imposslJtity
of collecting the taxes; and, never before were
| they known to be SO much behind. Some OF
the cities arc absolutely unable to keep the ma
chine running; not able to pay tho police, the
| fire department. the public schools, or indeed
any Of the departments Of their government.
Now York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washing.
| ton, Richmond, everywhere the same cry is
heard Of the difficulty of meeting the public ex.
pcndiurcs, and yet we do not hear, 10 any Of
| these places, the harsh measures which arc
| threatened against poor but unoffendiDg
| people, large number Of whom, arc wholly
| without employment, and, when one meal is
gone the question is where the next is to come
| from. The unfortunate property holder,
| can't get as much rent out Of his houses
and lots as will pay the taxes If ever
| there was an unfortunate moment for a
man to hold real estate, it is the present.
10 every branch of trade, the merchant and the
mechanic, all arc obliged to exercise that de.
gree of patience and forbearance towards their
customers which an unparalleled state Of things
ncrer before seen in this country absolutely calls
for. 1t would look indeed not to be the time
for our rulers to handle US with that severity
which is to be found noDllcre else and which is
reserved FIR the town of Alexandria to set an
example to all other cities. The taxes in the
main arc good; the property is bound tor them;
sooner or later they must be paid. Wait then
until change takes place 10 the business OF
the country The present state of things can
not always last. OF all the unfortunate times
there could be selected to drive poor people
to the wall these it seems to me exceed. y.
A LARGE CONTRACT FOR CUMBERLAND
CoAL-The Cumberland News says: Mr.. Nal
com Sinclair, general manager Of the New Cen
trail coal company, informs us that his company
has just closed contract with the French line
of ocean steamers to furnish G0C0O tons Of coal
during the season. Last year tho Cumberland
region had half of this contract the other half
having beon furnished from the CIosrfed region
The contract therefore affords clear gain OF
thirty thousand tons to the Cumberland region,
certainly matter for congratulation to all par
tics Interested.
The annual meeting of tho American Associs-
ton for the advancement of Science, WILL De
held at st. Louis August, 1878.
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$50 cabin passengers sailed from Now York
for Europe last Saturday.