Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-12-11
The Governors Message.

The message of Governor Holiday
will strike terror into the ranks OF the
funders. For seven years their organs
and speakers have been denounclng
the readjusters as so many liars bent on
misrepresen,ing the public debt.and last
year, Immediately after Inauguration,
the governor joined the pack in bitter
and indiscriminatc Remuneration. What
must now be their surprise to read from
the cubernatorial pen that an Increase
OF taxation Of 30 to 20 cents will be
necessary TO meet our obligations, after
discarding entirely the sinking fund
THIS is certainly q settler. 1t gives a
fiat contradiction to every funder speech.
every funder editorial. to the circular
letter Of the ladies and to the appeal Of
Beverly and his preachers. For this
plain. unyarnished truth Governor Hol-
liday is entitled 10 the sincere thanks
ofall sincere and honest men.
AS State paper, however, the mess
age does not take place in the first rank.
In such documents re expect to see
terse statements. Truth needs no
flowers of speech" and rhetoric is never
more out Of place than in executive
recommendations The governors
weakness is for platiiudes, truisms and
adjectiyes. Instead Of simply saying in
the spirit Of true penitent that he is
sorry for having copied from such a
Virginian O. as Dunmore and hastily,
petulanuy declared the public schools
q luxury" he treats US to nearly two
columns explanation Of metaphy steal
distinctions between the higher law and
constitutional obligations, with plen'
teous admiXture Of Socratic philosophy
and the Tea Commandments. All very
good
We haye not the space or the incli-
naticn to run through the message in
this notice. There is 50 much moro Of
candor and sense in this message than
in all the bombastic stuff which he pro
mulgated last winter, that we feel con-
trained to 4 cccpt It as a good truce
Offering, aad give him another year to
right himself entirely. 1t was not 10 be
expected that lie could conc down into
the ranks Of the lOrcibles at a single
leap; and his quasi admission that not
paying the debit the most fOrcible OF
all iorcible readjustment proves pretty
cCnclussiycly that hc will IN time play
the discreet role Of Captain Scelt's coon.
We should have been much pleased if
tie Valley Governor had plainly
said that the proposition of foreign
creditors 10 fund their bonds in per
c.nt and all others in 81 per cent was
q shameful one to be discountenanced
b. EirginiAn's not yet up in that
morality which robs Peter to pay Paul.
The message, on the whole, is ac-
ceptablo to the readjusters. 1t is a
clear surrender, accompanied, to be sure.
with many explanations and much self
laudatiOns, but these are aot astonishing
rCrOf consequence to those who know
Governor Holiday. When he admits
the whole truth, puts taxation down at
what it must be. tells that the deficit is
Scj4.9J2.97, and that il is the part of
wisdom to consider tic real pecuniary
condition OF the people with respect to
private, corporate and municipal debts
III adjusting our public debt. he gives US
g. much rs we could or should expect.
WAon nc says that a REIMBURSEMENT at 1
pr cent will still leave US a deficit Of
5I53, G4j.l5. that all talk about new
Subjects Of taxation is a falIacy, and that
egeR this reimbursement will require an
increase OF taxation. lie drives the last
nail III the coffin Of the fundcrs and sup
plies the document upon which the re-
aijuslers can 20 into the canvass Of
next Summer with no enemy to eucoun-
TER. In this view it must be acceptable.
We really Ike it better than if il came
oat squarely for Jorcibie reimbursement
Orconceded the fraud Of funding sic,
900, 100 Of war and reconstruction in.
tcrcst. 1t lsa betrayal Of his neT cause
into the hands ofhis old friends and a
noble sacrifice Of himself along with
those who eaiicai him from the path of
his promise.