Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-12-27
;MsGShe 1|1tnnteator.
sTAUNroN, VA.
FRIDAY MORNING. DEC. .. 1878.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
PEOPLE.

their legislators at home with them are
possessed of an opportunity to do some
thing themselves in the way of legislation.
Since our representatives went to Rich
mond three weeks ago the field in the mat
ter of the State debt has entirely changed
The creditors themselves have come for
ward and offered to take less than their
claim calls for, thus of their own accord
sending to the rear the question of full
payment. They say they will take four per
per cent instead of six, that is if they can
receive the most usual and commonest
business assurance that they will get the
four; the assurance being in the form OF
a receivable coupon. This four per cent. II
we carry on the public schools IN the mean
time will require an increase OF taxation,
as ipdeed any settlement Of the public
debt, short Of Reputation, that ever has
been or ever will be presented will require.
the platform Of the Conservative party to
the contrary notwithstanding. 1t is now
for the people Of Virginia to say whether
they will end at once and forever this par
alyzing debate OF keep it as foot ball
for the sport and advantage of politicians
and the death Of the state. The State has
already reduced the principal of the debt
one-third and now the creditors offer in
addition to strike off one-third Of the in
terest on what is left of the principal. No
business matter ever had so advantageous
way Of settlement opened to it and it
remains for the people to say whether they
will seize the opportunity. AL are agreed
upon the blessing to the State contained
in a final settlement, but the legislators
are divided upon the price at which to &C
cept it. This would strike the average
business man as a thing for general con-
ference and consultation upon among them
selves. But it has not proved SO at Rich
mOnd. .....f
When this session commenced we SAID
we should regard with apprehension any
separation into legislative caucuses on the
debt question and we cannot help thinking
that the recent action Of what are called the
adiusters, but who now seem better emit
tied to the name Of anti-adJ usters, at Rich
mond, is sufficient to justify the belief that
they don't intend that the debt question
shall be taken out Of politics no matter
how great the damage Of maintaining it
therein. A portion of them, we trust
minority, have again gone into training
FOR separate Readjusters party and have
laid down as their platform the principles
of the Barbour bill, which principles are
in brief that the government shall be run,
the schools supported and then if there is
anything left out of the present tax OF fit
ty cents In the one hundred dollars the
creditors may get it. Leaving out the
morality of this proposition we beg our
readers to mark it's impracticability. 1t is
not addressed to helpless creditor who
has no evidences of his debt and no means
of collecting it, but to creditor whose
evidences of debt have been pronounced
by the highest court in the Commonwealth
to be good, and receivable for taxes-self
collecting. Even our most sincere read
ulster friends must see how unbusiness
ike is such legislation, how futile aud
time-wasting, how little redeeming the
pledges given to their constituents that
they would readjust or compromise the
debt. The point at which to Eegin such
legislation as this is the readjustment Of
the moral law, not the debt. Such re-
adjustment, if such name can be given
it. should commence by cutting at the
roots and clearing away contrasts and the
courts that enforce them.
These legislators. some fifty in number
as we have seen it stated, are now on a
holiday visit to their constituents. Let
those constituents make it plain to them
that they are Wearied of this unwise and
necessarily fruitless legislation. Let them
know that between paying ten dollars
more on farm in taxes and having that
farm reduced a thousand dollars in value
by this continual agitation, the farmers OF
the State prefer the former, and that
while the maintenance of the rate OF taxa
tion at its present figure Is matter OF un-
certainty, the reduction Of values by
agitation is matter of deadly certainty,
and is taking place before their eyes daily.
Let the common sense Of our people pre-
vail, They cannot be brought to believe
that gentlemen, sent to the legislature ex-
prsssly to compromise the debt, the mission
on which the adjusters went, are pursuing
that end when the first recognition they
give of an offer OF the creditors to COM
promise. is to huddie closer together and
announce that there can be no compro-
mise, except on the principle Of the credi-
tors taking what they are able to get,
We trust the people everywhere will
make their views clear to their representa-
tives yhile they are at home, and that the
new year may find body of men at Rich
nond ready to put stop to an agitation
which is doing more harm to every land
owner in Virginia, in the depreciation OF
his property, then could be recompensed to
him il the taxes were reduced to one-tenth
OF what he is paying.
We received the communications of our
friends w. and "F.' of Waynesboro on
the subject referred to above, late yester-
day evening, but it is simply impossible to
comply with their requests from the late
ness Of the hour they were received. Al
ready we have crowded communication
on the same subject into the smallest type
to getit in atall. The County School Board,
we learn, from one of it's members, is called
to meet here next Tuesday, when the mat
Ter will doubtless be fully discussed.
A telegram from Lexington says that
young Lynch, student from Loudon
couaty. Va, was drowned Christmas day,
while attempting to save Randall, OF
Texas, a fellow student, who had broken
sbronoh fs,o ica from, drovn;no Randall