Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-10-31
sTAUNTON. VA.

srAUNTON. VA.
FRIDAY MORNING. OCT. 81. 1879.
YOUR VOTE NEXT TUESDAY. |
A very grave responsibility is attached
to the possession of vote, which finds its
when that vote is deposited
in the ballot box. So great is the proxim-
ity of the citizen to the execution Of the
law for which he votes that but ono man
stands between him and it and that man is
the representative whom he selects to do
his voting for him in the legislature. So
we'll recognized is this fact, that unwise
legislation reflects NO less discredit upon
the constituent than upon him who occu-
pies the law makers seat. Suffrage ought
to be essentially the result of manhood
and those who exercise it should be above
petty personal prejudices or favoritisms
above the. sordid idea that personal favors
or personal wrongs are to be repaid at the
ballot box; above local jealOusies and class
distinctions, and above every feeling that
falls in any degree short of the principle
which his ballot Is to support or defeat.
Directly citizen admits any other view
of tho value of suffrage he mortgages his
vote to the inferior feelings of his nature
or, even worse. barriers principle for past,
present or future profit. Lightly as q
vote is spoken Of, questionable a. the
means to gain it often are, there is moth
ing in the privilege itself that warrants
such treatment and in the hands of those
who rightly understand it there is no priv
ilepe that needs more careful thought and
wise consideration as preparation for its
exercise. Gt GAS 1855
Next Tuesday the citizens OF this
county viii be called on to exercise this
privilege for the second time directly uron
a question that has been before them for
nearly four years. The situation practi-
cally amounts to choice between two
measures which they have heard fully dis
cussed. The question is whether the SET
Element Of the State debt adopted by the
Readjusters and Debt Payers Of tho last
legislature shall stand or whether that
shall be repealed and the Commonwealth
shall DO headed again into the turbulent
sea of an unsettled debt. 1t is useless at
this late day to 20 into an extended state
ment of the merits and dement's of the
question. Of the settlement that has been
made tho following facts are established
It finally and forever settles the question
of the debt; it reduces the rate OF interest
from six per cent. to three per cent. for
ten years, four per cent. for twenty years
and five per cent for ten years; it starts
the State on ten years course with only
nine hundred thousand dollars of interest
a year instead of eighteen hundred thou
sand dollars; it provides. as shown by the
official statement of the First Auditor OF
the State, for the State government, the
schools and the interest, and leaves a bal
ance in the Treasury yearly OF four hum
dred thousand dollars, and it does all this
without requiring one cent more OF taxes
to be collected from the people, On the
other hand the Barbour bill makes and
pretends to make no provision for settling
the debt, points to no cessation of the ag-
itation in the State and contents its au-
thors by merely providing for the govern
ment and the schools and leaving the un-
paid interest to pile up. And while it is
in operation, whether it be for long or
short period, the man who owns the land
in the State is to pay seven-tenths of his
taxes in money while the merchant. the
lawyer, TIE doctor and the rest can pay all
of theirs in coupons. proposition that nc
farmer of Augusta is likely to endorse by
a vote for those who favor it.
Appealing to the people of Augusta and
Staunton for their suffrages next Tuesday
are five gentlemen of character and stand
ing in their estimation. Three Of them,
Messrs Koiner, Echols and Hanger are
supporters OF the first Of these bills which
settles the debt. They have given the
people Of the county the best proof of their
faith by their works, having all three vo'
ted for Its passage. They are gentlemen
who in experience in legislation. in ability
in legislative halls, in interest in and devo-
ton to their county and state, and in that
wise caution which prevents public men
from advocating measure which could
Drove failure or could only be made q
success by overwhelming the people. are
universally acknowledged to be In no re-
spect inferior to their opponents. OF Their
competitors, Messrs Allen and Van Lear
it is not pretended that they have been OF
are now supporters of the present settle
.ment of the debt question. The latter
has, in his legislative career OF two SEES
sions, voted persistently with those who
opposed it and concluded it by voting
against the bill; the former has no leglsla
tive record against it but solely because hs
was not member of the body which deci
ded on it. gasa@ a = iit .i4an
And now with this brief review Of thu
field next Tuesday, We would close by
earnestly urging every voter in the county
who fayors the settlement of the deb
not to omit to exercise his privilege nexl
Tuesday. d Let no cause that is not insu
perable keep you away from the polls. Il
IL particularly important that Augusts
should give q large majority for the candi
dates who support the settlement. 1t is
expected of her by the state at large. IN
which her past steadfastness asa debt pay
ing county has given her wide. and envi-
able reputation. Lot there be no compro-
missing, no scratching of tickets but lei
the solid ticket-Koiner, Echols and Han
yer. be solidly voted. Reserve your appre
citation OF the personal good qualities Of
~c-H;Iafno FOR oopoa nthp1