Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-05-02

FRIDAY MORN1NUs NAL z. 1919.
If the bill for the settlement of the
State debt had been one containing pro-
visions which the people of Virginia either
could or would not carry out, it would
have been a very useless piece of legisla-
ton. Worse than useless, for it would
have but continued an agitation which
has in the past cost our people more cash
than they are ever likely to see the estl-
mate of. 1t would have been worse than
useless for the reputation of the men who
passed it, for it's practical workings, it
failure, would soon have exposed the hol-
lowness of the pretended settlement. And
we suppose the reputation Of the large ma
iority who voted for it, for sagacity in pub
lie affairs, was Of some value to them; GER
tainly. OF as much value as the reputa-
ton of the minority who opposed it, and
of the still smaller minority who are still
active against 1t. Taking our own coun-
ty as an example, and with the highest re-
gard for Mr.. Van Lear's opinions, one
would not be apt to adopt them, when
Messrs Koiner, Hanger and Echols-three
to one-with the same means of informa-
ton, and with the same end in view-the
welfare of our people-unanimously joined
in a different view. And, particularly,
when the matter under discussion is
purely practical business question. 1t is a
favorite argument Of the agitators that
such a set of men are misleading the
people. Well, this misleading the people
is very hazardous experiment, and Fails
ninetv-nine times out of a hundred. 1t
NAV he done on the hustings by fervld
.1oouence on matter of sentiment with
Aaeting success, but it is a very different
matter when submitting a plain business
nroposition the success of which the ora
far must know is to be tested by each
mans pocket in very few months. The
present bill is passed after nearly ten
years. experience with another bill, passed
with the same view: after thorough in
spection of the post bellasns resources Of the
State; after various calls to and confer
ences with the creditors; after the most
thorough discussion before the people and
in the legislature that any question ever
reeeiyed in Virginia; in short, after the
Investment of all the research, patience
and wisdom the State had at her COM
mand. and all the liberality that her credi
tors could have been supposed to be pos
sessed of, Under such circumstances it
would be reasonably supposed that all has
been done that could be done-that was
desirable to be done.
i, But it appears that there are some gen
tleuen who think that one thing more
should have been done. That one thing more
or rather instead of all we have named, was
the passage of what is known as the Bar
q hour bill. This bill it must be observed is
not. nor has it ever been claimed to be, a
sssettlement" of the debt question. 1t was
. bill prepared before there was any propo-
sition from creditors or their agents to
settle and was thought by those who favor
ed it to be the best Virginia could then do,
her interest being then six per cent. and
rapidly accommodating. 1t proposed simply
to run the state government and scnoois
ont of the revenue and give the remainder
to- the creditors. In the mean time the
r. interest was to go on accommodating leaving
the debt question still more heavily cum
bered to be settled at some time in the tu
r ture. Neither it nor any similar measure
i, however patriotic. might have been th'
e. motives of the originators, would have sat
tisfied the people of Virginia. The feeling
of the neople was Enthusiastically for set
Element and men were elected to the legis
-lature on that issue. Not for temporary
expedients, not for keeping the state
wvur;angling debtor in the courts, but for a
!, settlement to which the State could hon
estly write its name. Such settlement
:. within the revenues of Virginia has beer
: brought before the creditors and accepted
by those who have appeared to act as thel
agents, and unless we are greatly deceived
Z, the happy effects of the action are already
being seen within our borders