The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-02-06
Richmond and Manufa ctures.

JANUARY ~, IccU.
Editors Of Dispatch: In your issue OF
the 9th instant Is an article over the sigma
ture OF King william" IN which the
writer seems to view The subject about
which be writes from very limited stand
point, TO say the least. He takes issue with
- Hanover" the writer OF a previous anti
Gle in the Dispatch. upon the subject OF
eXempting from taxation capital TO be here
after employed in Richmond in manuiac-
turing. "King William" says: at is
true that if no tax were to be paid on CAPT.
tai invested in the city there would be little
trouble in getting il there; and 81 APP
prehend that it is evident TO the minds Of
all Rejecting persons that when any one
kind OF property is exempt from tax all other
kinds must be burdened with 1t in proper
ton" Again: "That the farmers OF VIr-
ginia will never submit to an increase Of tax,
which take TO be the certain result OF eX-
emptlng capital invested in manufacturing"
Now. as TO the first, it is an admission
that Richmond could thereby easily obtain
that which sue sorely needs. and which she
has hitherto failed to procure in sufficient
quantity. Every obseryant man at all IA
miIiar with that city must admit that Rich
mOnd needs alone money 10 make il one Of
the most fl0urishing cities in the South, II
not in the Union. It's natural advantages
for manufacturing on an immense scale are
not surpassed anywhere. and with an in
ducement such as exemption for limited
period would be, it would attract capital
from outside our borders, and these adyan-
taees and resources would be developed in
a manner surprising TO us all. II Richmond
were a large centre OF production, full OF
busy artisans, like philadelphia, and rtso-
nant with the hum and clatIer OF myriad
wheels and machines. turning out every
thing used and consumed in the South
alone, TO sag nothing OF other coun-
tries aud S.ates-artcleS now pur-
chased from noithern and foreign cities
there would meyer farmer IN the state,
and most particularly one from within
radius of seyeuty-dye miles, be heard utter
ing one word against encouraging still FUR
Their the growth and productions 81 Rich
mond. because he would find a market at
his gates for everything grown and raised
on his land that he desired 10 sell, at the
hig hest prices. and be pushed TO supply tue
demand, while his farm would be con-
stanlly increasing in value. He could and
would pay an Increase OF lax, and not think
abou, it even, were ii demaJded; but IL
does not follow that such increase of taxa
lion would be the necessary re suit OF eX-
emption proposed, for In proporaIon 10 tue
Increase Of productions aud wealth. OF city
DR. community, so l. the increase ca taxable
values other than the capital employed IN
heir production, and pr0-rdtd de crease
4 rate OF tax would legitmately folio W, II
my. To quote him further: "The ". ser
policy would be TO encourage by every re.a'
'onable means Immigration aud improve
neat in the country; and then prosperity 10 |,
be cities would follow as the natural result.
The town Is much more dependent upon the
country than the country upon the town."
las mol Virginia tried the plan Of encour-
glug immigration TO tho country for the
ast twelve or louiteen years, and IS II not Z !