Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-11-01
A "DITERSION'' EXPLODED.

A 'sDIVERSION'' EXPLODED.
During the last legislative canvass, and
also during the congressional one just end
ing the Diversion" "perversion," '.rob-
berry, of the school fund of Virginia has
been harped upon to the extent of their
information (which seems chiefly to have
been derived from the figures Of School
Superintendent Ruffner) by the readjuster
orators. The more objectionable terms
were used, we presume, for effect, for we
do not suppose for moment that anybody
in Virginia believes. or has believed that
one dollar has been "robbed" from the
fund, or that the State has suffered the loss
of one cent Of her money. But we are
glad that the people have in the last few
days a'full and authoritative statement of
the matter from the hands OF VIM. f.
TAYLOR, the Auditor Of Public Accounts
of the State. It is in pamphlet form and
the statements are full, calm. clear and
easily comprehended, just such as will meet
the excited and delusive statements that
have been going the rounds. 1t will be
surprise to the people to know that in
stead of the school tax being diverted it
is there to-day in the capitol basement
ready to be paid out to the teachers. 1t is
there in full, every dollar that is due them,
and it is IN coupons. It can't be paid to
DIR. Ruffner who ge is his salary regularly
in money, nor to the members OF the legls-
lature, the authors of the Barbour bill and
such like legislation, for they got their per
diem in money, but it can be handed over
to the teachers if these i'll paid employees
would like to take those cancelled coupons
with which the people have paid their
taxes and which are worth nothing. That
is the way the school fund has been paid
in-in coupons and it has been done under
the decision of the highest court OF the
State, legally done, done in such exact
compliance with the law that there IS no
remedy but to raise the tares to keep up the
Dublic schools. That is the issue. How
will the Adjusters, those friends Of the
public schools meet it? We say meet it
by raising the taxes. Mr.. Taylor had
nothing TO do with the crippled condition
of the school fund, and can have nothing
unless he could furnish several hundred
thousand dollars out Of his private pocket
to hand out as free gift which Is feat
that a gentleman on salary of two thous-
and a year is not likely to be able to per-
form.
The constitution of Virginia provides
that the capitation tax and tax OF not
less than one nor more than five mills on
the dollar of property, and the annual in
terest of the Literary Fund shall be de-
voted to the support Of the public schools
of the State The Court of Appeals has
decided that coupons shall be received for
all taxes, this being the contract made
by the State in the Funding Bill. Various
efforts to get rid of this state of affairs
have been made by the legislature, and by
cases made up by private individuals, built
is the law just as much as the law prohlbl
ting murder. The people won't pay their
taxes in money when they can get coupons,
which are somewhat cheaper. The talk
about the taxpayers money being divert
ed is idle; the taxpayers don't pay in
money when they can help it. Out OF
5000, 4S4 received for taxes during the
fiscal year, only 81 ,444 ,sO6-a little more
than one-half-was paid in money. The
expenses of the government must be paid
in money-the legislators won't take
their pay in coupons; the asylums cant
feed and clothe patients on coupons; the
courts of law can't be run on coupons
everything would stop, and if the State
stopped the schools would stop. The pub
lie schools every year of the five years end
ing Sept, 1877, have received ouer one-tJn
of the currency paid into the treasury fol
taxes. In the meantime the State owes
the asylums 100000.
It would be well for DR.. Ruffner, when
he talks about 81, 100000 of school money
diverted from its proper object" to 60 into
the capitol basement and gather vi
all the old cancelled coupons there ane
take them into the legislature and shake
them in the face of the members, and tel
them that under the law of the State thai
is the stuff the school tax is paid in. an(
that if they want the schools continued
they must raise the taxes so some cur
rency will come. The Auditor, quoting
Mr.. Ruffner on the School system thai
ssnine-tenths of the families look to it fol
s'the education of their children, and now
asif one-half the schools are blotted out,
othe people will be more distressed and the
estate more damaged than if sUept by JtT'
<saaad food,'' adds with the sharpness of al
honest razor, elf this be SO, then l suggest
ssthat the whole force of the educationa
department of the State be directed a
aonce to educate the people either to pa!
sstheir ta1es IN currency, or educate them t.
sssee to it that their representatives vote al
ssjncrease in the rate of tax to such sum al
twill relieve the difficulty, and enable tn
ssschool teachers to receive their salarie
regularly and promptly. Either OF thes
alternatives will accomplish the object.
The Ohio Falls Car and Locomotive
Company has been suing G. 2. Hunting
ton and others in the New York Supreme
Court for $S59, 600, that being the contract
price, with interest, for four hundred cars
furnished the Chesapeake u Ohio 4. t.
Co., in 1873, when Mr.. 81. was presl
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