Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-03-19
Why is the Treasury Empty?

In its leading editorial of Monday, tn,
llth inst, The State asks the question:
"Wby is the treasury empty ?"-anl
answers it as follows:- 2 aie91s - !.
"Simply because the taxes have NO
been collected properly, and they hav.
not been collected because of the apathy
and indifference prevailing through thu
the teachings of Reputation. The off.
GERS charged with the duty in the 6sun.
try districts are faithless to their trust
because they fear to enforce the law an d
render themselves unpopular, even if it is
not too late for them to attempt its rigid
enforcement. The property has shrunk
IN value, it is true, and is perhaps below
the assessment, and times are hard
The money is difficult to get, and the
ax-collector is easy, not only from his
native kindness and humanity, hut be-
cause he must live, and to live must be
re- elected; which could hardly be the
case were he to press the Taxpayers
home. This is doubtless one cause of
the treasury being empty. But the
principal cause we must seek in the de-
moralizing teachings of the reputation
candidates for legislative honOrs in the
last and previous canvasses. 1t cannot
be expected when men rise in the court
houses and tell the people that they
must not pay their honest debts, that
they did not owe anything, and if they
elected them to the General Assembly
they would find way to repudiate
them-that the people will not take up
loose ideas of all their obligations, both
public and private-and our empty
Treasury is the legitimate and irresisti-
BILE logic of these teachings. 1t is but
one step from refusing money to meet
the interest on the debt, to refusing to
pay it for any purpose whatever-the
support of the Government, the schools,
or the defence Of the State. The de-
moralization is, therefore, complete,
and this storm they have raised, these
same wise leaders find themselves as
usual unable to control or direct. The
false and vicious teachings of one sea-
son, it will require years of the severest
practice of the highest principles of pub
lie virtue to undo and eradicate. The
public mind IS poisoned by the virus of
and all obligations rest light
ly upon it, and are treated with indiffer-
ence. The taxes may be increased to-
but the question is can they be
collected now Is not the revolutionary
spirit so rife in the State as to defy any
effort to enforce law that may be un-
popular in certain sections, no matter
how just and equitable, or necessary for
the public good? This is the great
crime of the men who have misled the
people and filled their thoughts with
these perilous heresies. From refusing
to meet the State debt they have reached
the revolutionary point when they de-
cline to pay anything and defy the au-
thorities 10 undertake to enforce pay
ment. To this complexion it has come,
or is very rapidly tending, and who is
to blame for it? Surely not they who
have firmly and steadily maintained
the sanctity of our obligations and
urged the people to meet them all like
good citizens and provide ample means
for their settlement? No, these did
well their duty in pointing out the
straight and narrow path; but their
voice was drowned by the clamors or
demagoguery and the suggestions of dis
honesty; mutiny broke out, all discip-
line was lost, and chaos has come again.
What is the remedy? Plainly for
these same men who have brought about
this condition of things to retrace their
steps, acknowledge their errors, and un-
DO al the wrong they nave done. Let
them go back to their people and freely
confess their great fault, the deception
they practiced, the errors they commit
ted, and set them Alright. Then we shall
hear no more of reputation, or of finan-
cial trouble in Virginia. The tax-col-
leetor will have no difficulty in gather
ing his taxes, the treasury will have an
of money, we shall pay all
our debts, meet all our obligations, and
the old Commonwealth will still proud
ly hold up her head highest among the
States which surround her, and which
yet look to her for wise counsel and a
good examnla.s,