Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-08-27
1REACHERoUS QUIUKsAN


When Capt. Paul, who, to his credit, is
always frank about his position. entered
on the Justification of his views about the
repeal of the payment of capitation tax as
a prerequisite to voting, he ventured
upon quicksand which will en-
gulf the half of his expectations about sup
port from the Valley counties of this dis
trict. 1t may be pretty theory that man
hood should have vote, but the people
of the Valley are an industrious and
withal practical people, and they regard
that manhood which, through unthrift and
idleness, has fallen into run-down-at-t
heel state, and is too lazy to earn dollar
to pay it's capitation tax, as something that
does not appeal to their sympathy. If
there has ever been a time when these
voters could have had sympathy it was
some five or six years ago, when work was
scarce and poverty great-not now, when
every man willing to do any kind of work
can easily get some kind.
But beyond this feeling there is the more
practical one Of self-defense. There are 223,-
S27 voters in this Commonwealth, white
and colored, who have patriotism enough
to vote, and thereby put 1928, 1927 into the
free school fund. These taxpayers elect
the Legislatures which levy the taxes on
the people and pass laws for their govern
ment But outside of them, and lowering
on the edge, ready to enter at the first
cheap opportunity is an immense balance
of power in the shape of II ,421 men, who
will not pay one dollar to the school fund,
as other citizens do, but all the same want
their children educated and want to par
ticipate in the law making of the State.
This large body of unready voters can, if
admitted, shape the legislation Of Vir-
ginia to suit themselves. They can by
their great weight override the more con-
servative leaders of either party, and in
stead of suitors become arbiters. No citi-
zen, who has all his interests in a State,
can feel satisfied to see the lawmaking
power pass into the hands of a body of
men who will not pay one dollar year,
for the privilege of participating in ma
king those laws.
According to the official figures for 1878.
thirty eight per cent. Of the c0lored voters
failed to pay this one dollar. That is to
say, over the mountains in East Virginia
every third colored voter you see who is
too lazy to work and earn his capitation
tax, is waiting the result of the missionary
work of Messrs Massey, Paul, Riddleber
ger and others, to give him say in the
taxation of our Valley farmers. When be
shall get the news Of his emancipation
from the last burden of citizenship that he
feels he will look up, take heart and make
himself felt in the government Of the State.
The long oppression in the shape of one
dollar year that has fenced him out will
have been removed and he will assume the
full toga of a Virginia citizen with the
comfortable reflection that his white
brethren who have been paying all along
for the education of his children will now,
under laws that lie shall make, have to
brace up and run an extra furrow to
meet the vacuum in the free school funds.
He can send friendly message to the far
mers of our Valley counties, say Rocking
ham for instance, that it shall not be
the matter Of schools, they will only have
to send few more thousands East for the
education of his children. The hard work
ing farmers of that county now get togeth-
ar S13 500 for the school fund, one third of
which goes to Richmond never to come
hack. The colored brother will observe
this rich fountain and tap it little heav-
Ter. It will be useless to argue the matter
with him; he will give the conclusive ar
Qument that those that have must pay.
The Valley of Virginia voted by an
overwhelming majority to put this clause
into the constitution, and it Capt. Paul
asks it's support on the ground that he is
seeking its repeal he will find that he is
treading on quicksand. Even as an aux
ilary to the REIMBURSEMENT of the State debt
it is out of place. The State debt will be
readjusted long before this repeal could go
into operation if adopted. 1t has to be
submitted to the legislature of 1881 and II I
endorsed then it has to go before the geo
pie in 1882. Every informed Readjuster
knows that it can possibly have nothing
to do with the question Of REIMBURSEMENT.
Our friend, Judge Robt. W. Hughes
has written letter prophecying the cleo
zion of the Independent Hancock ticket IN
Virginia. This would be encouraging to
the friends Of Hancock, if they did not re-
member that the Judge missed predicting
his own majority for Governor of Virginia