The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-31
nh,,,l,lld tlh,
8, sIyAlsY a, 1878 1873.
pI,aal.;nstrnent..,.

Readjus
s.. intends sea.ss Wv,
..,s naslic, debt, foreibly or otherwise, y
nnph Is S proceed with the work v na.essf
& -, =, Is done Of this session must now. ne.
.,sssariIy be one-sidea. There is not tune me
= ss.ain the consent Of The bondholde ;
ans1. therefore, whatever plan may pc
saspted should be made MS liberal as posi-.
M "a them. 10 the end that the labors o. o.
lie General Assembly may not 60 10. no.
ching. The debates In the two houses nav
undoubtedly had good effect upon inc
minds OF the uembes. II has been naae
apparent shat there are few or none oftnen
VINO sre willing for one moment to be look
ed uron as repud iationists; and u mas oc ecu
made equals apparent that amongst those
who have been stigmatized as y fundcrs,
there are sew OF none who would not be
willing to accept any adjustment that could
be made consistent with the good faitn OF
the Commonwealth. The speech OF Mf.
HkRvE su Tuesday, as reported IN our
issue on Yesterday, shows that he ls Fi it-
pinian devoted TO the honor OF bis naive
Stafe. xsHe declared himself in favor OF
having every dollar possible, and would
have the State strip herself to DO It," u ne
would have the State practice rigid econo-
my, and pay all that she could. Where
is the .sfunder y who asks anything
norcs And i'll Readiusters and Deoo-
PAYERS can all stand upon Mr.. HAR-
yIEss platform, why cannot both classes
mount Mr.. BRooSEss platform! W nat Is
the difficulty? In what consists the ire
conc;iabIe difference between the two class
es? Mr.. BRooKE's bill surely proposes a
rate of Interest low enough. In that re-
spect the most respondent OF the Readlust-
ers can hardly object to it. 1t also pro-
noses to make the coupons receivable Tor
taxes. In this respect it commends itself
to the so-called funders. What, then, lies
in the way of action Mr.. HARvIE and those
who agree with him desire to economlze
the resources of the State and pay every
dollar that can possibly be paid. Nobody
co1,ld ask more; and nobody viii ask
more. Then the coupon feature must be
the. trouble. But, surely this need not dls-
turb tue consciences Of the Readiusters.
The six-per-cent. coupons are receivable
for taxes, and will probably continue to De,
whatever the Legislature may desire, unless
such an offer be made to the States cred
itors as will induce them to surrender the
bonds which they now hold. To get rid OF
one third or one sixth Of the interest would
be an achievement upon which the Read
iusters could plume themselves even If the
remaining five sixths or two thirds were in
the shape of coupons receivable for taxes.
The statement Of the public debt made TO
the, House OF Delegates on Monday by the
Finance Committee aud pronounced correct
by both the Auditors, produced sensatlon'
If we may Judge from the speeches OF Iues-
day. 1t is rather discouraging, we must adj
init: The debts due the sinking fund and
the literary fund are really due the State
itself--certainly such Is the case rs to the
debt due the sinking fund. The debt pro-
per is $1,000, s2G.3s. The debt due the
literary fund is S1,42s, 245.25. The aceu-
mulated interest is stated at 1926, 4o9, %.
The total is $40, O75, 4s0.s6. This is a round
sum. Yet, to pay four or even five per
cent. upon it may not be beyond the pre-
sent ability Of the State. .s,-.
What is needed is action OF some sort
a proposition of some kind Let us know
what we are, to expect. Let the question
be taken out of the politics OF the State.
Let some measure be proposed which will
commend, itself to the support Of major
ity Of the members II it he Just and fair,
the people will approve. At any rate, they
and the creditors Of Virginia will not have
to wait two years longer in suspense. They
will know ut least what q Legislature COM
posed OF members nearly ali OF whom pro-
fess to be willing and anxious to provide
for paying every dollar that the State can
possibly pay, deems an honorable, Just, and
righteous reimbursement Of the public debt.
Surely there is majority which will take
care that whatever plan is proposed shall
really be OF this character.
Reapportionment.
We protested last week against the injus-
x;oo ,,h;oy tho ;oipt oo,nn,iffaa an ROB n nor