The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-08
.ltl,,llolla atrA
FlRsIpAY!
ma Governors Message.

ssoyernor uoLt .iDAY yesterday sent TO the
sano.e 4 message in reply TO a resolution O
that body calling upon him Tor his views q .
& the condition Of the Common wealth, S,
This resolution was moved by Mr.. ". y.
saITH, Of Nelson. Governor d of.L Ida g.
criticssn.of the resolution in the beg'nntng
az his communication Is very proper. s az Y
governor KEaPER had spread before the
Legislature at the beginning OF the session
q thorough statement OF the condaIon o.
the Commonwealth, and as chat: document
had been parceiled out amongst the COM
mittees Of the General Assembly and they
had labored upon the different subjects
nearly whole session, Il does indeed seem lfl
strange that at nearly its close Governor
HoL.rDAY should be asked to make another,
statement % the public condition. Such 9
request IS strange, and not applicable upon
any prscticasor reasonable grounds.
Governor HoLLIDAy, however, makes the
best explanation, probably. when he liners
that 1t is designed TO induce 1im to unfold
his own views about the public debt, and nc
this he proceeds to do. BE does 1t in the
frankest and most publie.spirlted style. In
what he says he Is entirely consistent VIII u
the sentiments and opinions OF the letter
published in She Dispatch yesterday morn
ing. He stands upon the granitive founda-
ton OF public justice and public honor.
He is as wide apart from forcible readi ust-
ers as are the poles from one another. he
stands exactly where be took position at the ne
beginning Of the discussion.
We mark ed the following quotation from
the message as decidedly pithy and pointed !:
at was not beneath its 1.-THE State's] dig
nity to 60 into the market and sell Its bonds
and use the proceeds for its purposes
TO build mp its masterpieces ana open the
resources OF its territory by chains OF COM
municatiop. When misfortune has befailen
If. it ia not any more beneath It's dignity 70
effect settlement with those who trusted
II. satisfactory to them and honorable to
the Commonwealth
ut is hardly necessary for us. as against
them rthe bondholders], to trouble our
selves about preserving the life OF the state.
1t is OF as much interest to them US II IS 10
us that it should be preserved. On II de-
ponds the payment OF their debt. ana 1
am very sure. judging them by the motives
that ordinarily control human actions, that
there will be no difficulty in reaching With
them such conclusion That life VIII De
preserved, and without loss OF honor"
In the Governors comments upon the
public resources he speaks OF revenue that
might be derived from taxing churches.
Upon the abstract question OF taxing
churches it might be conceded that that re-
source should yield help when the Com
monwealth is distressed for means. But
even were the Commonwealth so pressed as
to justify an appeal to the churches, the Diff
iculty OF ascertaining the values OF church
property is such that little material assist
ance could be derived from such tax. 1t is
hardly practicable to make it available.
What the State wants more than any
thing else at this time is the honest enforce
ment Of the MoFFETT-register law. We
suspect the faith Of the readiusters, headed
BY their most oily orator-the inventor OF
the register-on this point. Why is it that
the Legislature has not passed bill to en-
force the collection OF this register-taX !?
The majority Of the House of Delegates are
afraid that it will bring in too much rev.
enue and deprive them OF a party advan-
tage from the prolongation OF that horrible
agitation which is impairing public and
private interests, and disgracing the Com
monwealth.
We should rejoice to know that our dis
trust as to this matter has been unjust. We
shall be undeceived when proper bill to
enforce the collection Of this tax is passed.
With that tax honestly collected the State
will be liberated from all her financial woes.
$50