Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-09-26
Bill at the end of ten years we save an
amount equal to


Now when this debt is settled and we
are paying our interest, there Will De some
little abatement on the rate OF taxatlon,
and let taxation fall but one cent ana peo-
pie will begin to look around and seeing
that taxation is being diminished, popula-
ton will come in. And then another and
what the speaker regarded as more i'm
nortant question will come on-the assess
lnent question. Being ID large taxpayer
himself he would be glad to see such a
state of things in 1880 as would increase
the assessment on his land from 50 to lOO
per cent. for the reason that people who
are on the look out for lands II they see
lands assessed at nothing suppose they are
Of corresponding value. He said the in
creased assessment would not increase tax
alton, as the constitution provides Chat
not more than an amount sufficient to pay
expenses of the government and pay inter-
est on the debt shall be raised. And then
with the increased prosperity of the State
we will have taxes reduced to 40 OF ~ or
perhaps at no very distant period get BACK
to those days he could remember when the
taxes of the state were
ONLY 20 CENTS ON THE 500.
When people see that the lands in Vir-
GINA are assessed at from $40 to $50 ptr
acre and that the taxation is only Is cents
on the 500, what will be the result? Why
they will see how much it is to their ad-
vantage to come here ard buy such lands.
CAPT. PAUL
said it was refreshing in these days of po-
l1tlcaI excitement to meet with an advo-
cate of the bill who had honesty enough
to say that there must be an increase OF
taxation. But he (Mr. Field) does not
say so in words, he yet says. ''We will ele-
vate assessment and then you can pay the
same taxes you are paying now!" The
speaker said the idea that high assess
ment would raise the marketable value OF
| lands was absurd. In regard to the debt
| he said the people Of Virginia were eager
! to pay the debt. and only asked that they
be allowed to exercise the law OF self-pres-
ervation, and bring the debt within their
ability to pay it. You don't hear Alabama,
| reputation States, and why should Vir-
ginia be? THE speaker forgot to say that
| the repudlated debts Of these States were
carpet baggers debts incurred immediate
| " after the war under their negro and
| carpet-bag NAL dministration.-EDS He
would like to know why Virginia could
not get terms like her sister Southern
States-something within her capacity to
pay.
| A voice-She don't ask it
l The Governor made the grandest polti-
cal mistake in the world when he vetoed
| the Barbour Tax Bill. The Executive of
this Commonwealth instead of standing
| up with the people who intrusted him with
| the position, he has cast in his fortunes
with that small minority, the creditort of
| the State, and from his Inauguration down
| to the present day has been defeating the,
will of the people. He 1.-THE speaker) said
the bonds had long since passed from the,
hands of the widows and orphans. They
had been forced by their poverty to sell
them for next to nothing. James Ma9.i-
son introduced resolution in Cons. ress
which provided that any person who held
United States bonds, which they had
bought at a discount, should only receive
The amount he had paid for them. The
resolution was lost, and Madison said. as
we may say now, tnat it vas because too
many of the members ere interested in
| the bonds. 1t is provided that the Vir-
| ginia State bonds shah be non-taxable and
also payable in gold, no matter at how
| high premium gold may be.
MR.. PAGE
who came here in place If Major Stringfel-
low, said he would like to know what Capt.
| Paul's position was. He, 1.-THE speaker)
| found himself in the position of an old
| sailor at womans' rights meeting, when a
woman stepped to the front of the platform.
| and said With dignity: What was BORN
for!" The old sailor answered ssD-d
II KNOW" And If any one asked him to-
day What Capt. Paul was here for, all he
could answer would be. Odd II Iknow!',
at the last election majority of Readjus:
ters was sent to the legislature and thew
did nothing, they could conceive no placs
at all for doing what they proposed to ds,
Inc talk about people groaning under tax
alton is all bosh. The politicians are the.
only men that are groaning.
Replying to the statement made nv CANT
Paul, that South Caroline, Alabama and
North Carolina had repudiated their debt.
and his question, "Why should not Vir-
glnla follow her sister Southern States?n
Mr.. Page answered, because old Virginia
would never follow where she had always
taken the lead," and although their State
debts were repudiated under peculiar cir
cumstances, that slup would never have.
been cast upon their fair fame, were thaiu.
best men still alive to speak for them. Rnt.
so many OF their true and chivalraus SONS
had laid down their lives fighting for their
honor on Virginia soil that there waro not
enough left to maintain the intaoritv IS
their down-trodden States. The speaker
here grew eloquent as. he insisted that
there was all the greater obligation unon
Virginia upon whose soia rested the homes
OF Jhese heroes, to- maintain now their
honor as well as her own. This sentiments
was greeted with applause lound and lono
lie wanted to try this plan Of sett,emon.
Tor 10 years and see the result. but the.
readJusters would not consent to that
len years was = long time for them tn
Walt. What would bee, me of them in
'iiaI time. The speaker during the hour
ana quarter allotted to him kept his au-
olence IN roars OF laughter at his pointed
anecdotes and happy hits, while some
nights OF eloquence elected such rounds