The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-24

WH8t ~ NASciAcs
r.usxox, RppkEBERoER, PArfs ana
cxher orators, are making speeches all over
virginia Ia !avor Of. so changing the state
t,oust,,ution ~ TO allow all males otherwise
ou.,i6cd 10 vote without having paid any
pc,l.tax. The provision OF the Constitution
which makes the prepayment OF that tax
qualification OF voters Is denounced In va
yneasrved terms. We have number on
times called attention to the fact that Tue
Constitution Of Massachusetts, requires BOA
m educational qualification and tax-pay>
,nc qualification in the voters OF that STATE,
and thai Rhode Island requires al foreign;
horn ci,ixeps to own real estate Scfor they
sre allowed to vote. La renusylemss, also,
no citizen can vote unless he has psid state
or county tax within two years. TttsStats
or county tax IS Of course PohSax' ieViea
for State or county purposes.
Let ms look into the sDatter and see wkxt
mi. agitation in favor Of doing away with
the payment Of the cspitatscn t'sxas aqsali'
ficalion OF voters fncaas really and prscti-
caIIy.
The first thing that Wal strike The mind
of tho taxpayer is the fact that the propo-
sition In question Is dot made in the inter-
est OF the men wks ewn even q little pro-
per,y: for no matter Vow little property a
man may own he can he compelled TO pay
his poli-tax, and is PEELED toFsy it. All
such are therefore qualified voters whether
they wish to be or not. The caFstation tax
Is only one dollar year, and ne must be
very unthrIfty man who Is so totally desti-
tute OF property that the tax.cet'ectors can't
make dollar out OF him once year.
All this clamor about the 'hiquity OF the
poll-tax Is made, therefore,fo please men
who absolutely contribute not one dollar to
the city, the county, the State, the public
schools, the roads, the streets, the admins
tration Of Justice, the iugatic asylums, or
any other institution OF any sort which Is
dependent for support upon money COL
leeted In The shape OF taxes. These men
enjoy ah the advantages OF government.
They lie down at night, and Sleep unmo-
Tested, guarded by watcfmen whose services
are paid for by the taxpayers. They travel
the streets OF the cities and walk or ride
the public roads Of the counties, by night
or by day, in perfect security-a Sc
curity which is owing TO the payment
OF taxes by these persons whom the
MALONE orators denounce so bitterly.
These impecunious males who refuse to
pay, and cannot be compelled to pay,
q capitation tax, enjoy nevertheless the
privilege OF having their children educated
at the expense OF the tax payers-a privi-
lege which ought never TO be taken away
from the children OF even such men, since
these are in no sense responsible for their
unfortunate condition. These impecunous
males do not contribute dollar towards
the support OF those courts OF law which
render 1t possible for every man to sit under
bis own vine and fig tree with none to
modest him or make him afraid. In fact
these pets OF the SIAHoNE orators may de-
sire to vote, but there they would have their
duties as citizens end.
How many OF these valuable citizens are
there 10 virgiuias The Auditor reported
last year le2,Qe6 white males and 1927
colored males as having been assessed with
the eapitation tax. In 1877 1.-THE last year for
which we have the fgures) the number
OF persons returned delinquent for the nom
payment of that tax was 7l,434. This is a
larger number than ought to have been re-
turned Delinquent, no doubt, the officers
who assess and collect the taxes being care
less as to finding men who are liable for
only one dollar year. But lei II go at TO-
GOO out OF 1000, and we see that the
in behalf OF 10000 men who contribute
not one cent to the support OF the State
government, or any Of her charitable or
educational institutions, and against the
Interest OF 224, 900 men who do pay their
ftayes and perform at least some OF their
duties as citizens. 1t is proposition to
neutralize the votes OF 10000 good tax
payers by those Of 10000 who won't give
abe State dollar year, although they
know that that dollar would, il paid, so to
she education OF their own children! What
sort Of men do the advocates of this mea-
sure take the "a, 900 TO be? How many of
them could get rid Of the poll-tax by
changing the Constitution in the manner
proposedS Net one Of them who has, to
the value Of one dollar, property which the
collectors could sell for taxes. How many
OF those who have no such property and
yet pay the tax would vote to put them
selves An the same class with men who Ne
fuse to pay dollar year for the privilege
OF voting and to keep up the public schools
We an not afraid to meet the issue. The
experience OF Massachusetts and Penassl
vsnis, where there are very few negroes,
satisfies rs that a majority Of the voters Of
Virginia VII always be found to be la favor
of allowing no man to cote who is not will
ing to pay one dollar year for the support
OF the public schools or Of Ghe government
whiek proteets him always snd everywhere
whether he contributes to its support or
not.
-
Republicans Re5c2crg.
The &o.x6<~.. J.<ayIsoan<..~ iDannhl;aau