The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-11-12
rxey 81 r.sI,u1lssion.

IS Key OM F.cpudiBttVH.
now rag RESULT lNsYiRa1NrA MAS BROUGHT ''aI1'
ABouT--s.EsNEssEE NATIERs.
80 The RED ssiusters seem toflave carried
virginia. observed g Post commissioned
10 The Pa stmpster.G General yesterday.
q ttI am not surprised at that" answered.
Judge Key .sthe situation was 1nenslcal
with affairs I'm Tennessee. In my otase
every r,romfueYt faan and every newspaper
ri any influence ut all advocated Tue pay,
ment OF the debt, and everybody oe,eVeu
that this measure would be ratihed Dy an
overwhelming popular sentiment az inc
polls. Yet, when the Vote..was counteo' IL
was defeated by 10000 majority.
GLOW do you account, ios su'u &c
suit ?" s.,h. q.
was the same way in Virginia, tnere was d
class OF filppant demagogues, WHOSE m, 1uly
object was to be elected to once. Inese
appealed to the passions anu pFe1uulces oi
the lower, class. not only negroes out
whites" a.
.By nrousins in the minds OF this class
n, neonle antaoonism to bondh0lders, mo-
nonolies. and corporations. 1t was very
casy TO naint the men who held the State
bonds in the darkest colors, and to per-
suade the poor man that the debt was never
honestly contracted, and should not be
liouiduted. It was the old fight between
capital and labor. But the converts to this
side OF the question were never the prom.
nent, intelligent businessmen OF the State"
"Then YOU do not think it was politi-
cal question" -.-.
Not at all, for men of both parties
| esnouSed the debt-payinG cause. Then
these demagogues appealed with equal sue
cess to the sectional preiudices OF their peo-
pie. They said: the very men who came
| down here and destroyed your farms. freed
your slaves, burned your rails, and i'm
poverished your country, now hold these
bonds, which, If you pay, will bring you
increased taxation. Here is your chance
to get even.' This argument was not with
out its effect" ..- ,a.
Upon the Taxpayers ?" asked the Post.
| "No. It is strange, but nevertheless true,
that the majority who voted for this read
| iustrlent or Reputation are non-taXpayers
and negroes, to whom the passage or defeat
OF the measure would make no difference.
And there was another trouble in this Vir-
ginia debt NATTER" added Judge Key.
{" You know the Indebtedness was contract
ed when West Virginia belonged to the pa
rent State. Just how much OF the debt
should be paid by the one and how much by
the other has been matter Of contention,
and these INSCRIPTIONS politicians claimed
TO the people that the General Government
was to blame for the division Of the State,
and should assume part Of the debt"
| "Do you think either State had any eX-
cuse for reputation 7"
tennessee certainly had none. The
value OF its crops last year reached about
S1OG, 100000. and the cost OF labor in pro-
ducing it 100000. 1t is Il fresh country,
with mineral resources, and able to pay its
liability. Virginia has more excuse, being
WORKOUT State, with no resources to
speak Of. Its crops last year were only
valued at 500, 000,0 900, while it took s9,5O0,-
900 to produce them. Still the action Of the
State cannot but have bad effect, and bust
ness-men will be apt to shun any dealings
not only with State but with the people
Of State in which debt is renudiated.'
| Washington Post.