Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-05-25
The CapitatIoa.Tax Question.

We desire to present in compact form
the bearing of the proposition to repeal
that portion of the Constitution requir-
ing the payment of the capitation tax as
a prerequisite for voting. We espe-
cially request the consideration OF our
Rockingham and the Valley readers to
the effect of the proposed repeal upon
the taxpayers Of this section OF the
State.
The tax paid to the State school fund
by the people of Rockingham (after de-
ducting ST 300 of delinquent taxes) q,
mounts to $13, 500. Of this the people OF
the county receive back $9,334, leaving
81, 200 as the amount contributed by our
tax payers to the education of the ne
grOes in the Eastern counties.
The school tax is collected upon the
assessed value of all property at the rate
of 1Oc. on the 500, and 81 capitation tax.
The school fund, after it is thus collect
ed, is distributed among the counties up
on the basis of the school population
It will therefore be readily understood
that the counties, in many cases, which
have very large negro nOn-tax-pay1ng
population, receive much more of the
school fund than they pay in; and this
money is made up by the people of coun-
ties like Rockingham, where the taxable
values are large, and where, therefore,
much more is paid in than is received
back again. In all conscience, this in-
equality is sufficiently hard to bear by
our over-taxed, hard-working people of
the Valley. But the devoted worship
ers of the negro voters-those ready
made, slop-shop statesmen, who are so
solicitous about the rights Of the delin-
quent list-passeda bill in the last Leg
islature which, if it is agreed to by the
next Legislature and ratified by the peo-
pie, will greatly increase the burdens of
our Valley people. This bill is to strike
from the Constitution that clause which
requires every man to pay his capitation
tax before he votes.
AS this tax goes to the free schools and
as all classes, especially the poor, are
benefited by it, it seems passing strange
that those loud m9qthed, pretending
champions Of the free school system,
should urge and vote for the abolition
of the prepayment feature as pre-re-
quisite for voting. This looks very
much like the advocates of the repeal Of
the clause mentioned, are looking more
to the securement of the votes of the de-
linqnent list than to the interest of the
free schools.
The strongest inducement that can be
held out 10 q free I4ap TO corde up and
pay his school tag like man, is that It
is required of all men before they can
vote The man who receives full pro-
lection to his life, his family and his
property, and free education for his chill
dren, certainly can not complain of this
small requirement put upon him By the
Etsta, and tAe proposition to deprive the
school fund of thousands and thousands
Of dollars, which will be lost to it and
which must be made up by the people
of the Valley counties, already bearing
much more, as we have just shown, than
their just proportion of the school tax,
is simply an outrage UPON our people.
1t is said that the 81 paid does not
make man any better qualified to vote.
Does the one years residence in the
State make man any better qualified
to vote intelligently? Yet the State re-
quires it of all. Does the months' resi-
deppe in toe launsy, 0f tAs registration
of his name upon the registration books
Of his voting precinct add to his intelli-
gence one whit? Yet all this is requir-
ed by the State, and is based upon good
and sound principles. So with the re-
ouisite of q years Of Gee, f-eea04a Ison
drims and oshef feaulire.nents For 7suf-
frage. The State has a right to exact
something from the citizen in return for
the great benefits which she confers ups
on all her citizens ke.-Rockinghana
Register.