Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-09-07
The Riddleberger Bill Re-
viewed.

The Riddleberger Bill Re.
viewed.
In orr issue of last week we reviewed
the loan certificate" feature of the
Riddleberger Bill. We then assumed
for the sake Of argument that the
statements Of fact in the fifteen clauses
ofthe preamble were true-we claimed
however, that some Of them, containing
the main premises on which the bill
was based, were altogether false. We
will now proceed to examine the assump
ton of that clause Of the preamble
which asserts that the net revenue Of
the State cannot safely be relied on for
more than 81, 10000. By what pro-
cess the exact sum Of 81, l65 900 was
arrived at. we are at loss to discover.
We have the key to it, perhaps in Genl.
SIahoue's speech in the Senate of the
United States last spring, and IN an
article N The National Republican Of
Washin .tou City Of January last, copied
into the Woodstock TrginiaR Of Janu@
nrg 2S. 1881, showing how Bourbon
Johns on" was "transfxed by Read
iester" and giving the views Of State
Senator Rlddleberger Of Virginia on the
recent alleged reply Of Senator John
Sion TO Genl. Mahone." According to
the Republican this article contains "a
few iacontroverti5le facts" Mr.. Rid
dleberser at the request Of the repre-
sentative Of the Republican, who ''aun-
ted him up" for the purpose, "cOnsen-
ted to make a careful statement, refer
ring to official reports as he proceeded"
7 is tic author of the Riddleberser Bill
that's beng interviewed, and the Re-
publican of course gives US verbatim
repor," e his statements. 1t is
obvious" said Mr.. Rlddleberger "from
examination Of the reports upon which
Senator Johnston relies, that he has
not gone deeper than the very thresh-
old Ofthose documents, and he gives
nothing OF the information, with which
the records TEEN, damaging to his view
of the matter and sustaining to the full
General Mahone's statements.
In illustration Of the justice Of this
general c,iticl:m, 1t is instanced;
Senator Johnston assumes that our
revenues are s2,649, S99.c7 (page l.
Auditors Report of 1879. Document
XI of tie same report shows that our
gross taz levy upon tue assessments Tor
that year, covering real and personal
property, capitatiOn tax, income, and
licenses, was only 50 1873, 487.06. The
same report, Document XIX. shows
cost OF assessing and collecting the reve-
nue.. ipsolvent capitaton and personal
tax. and delinqnenCies from other sour
ces to amount to 1927, 923.lS. This
would leave Us, on the basis ofthe re-
port Of 1879, net revenue for that
wear Of 1880, 563.S8. By the same
report the real-estate levy was, Tor the
gross sum, 81, 242, 1885,, from which,
upon the basis of the reassessment just
completed in Virginia, must in future be
deducted at least twenty per cent
s24S, ass. 93-leaying for future calcu-
lation reliable net reyenHe per annum
OF 81, O92 1918"
1t will be perceived that Mr.. Riddle"
berger makes as close a calculation
when he places the reliable net rsUnTs
.'in his statement at 5000, l07.75, as
Gen. Malone did IN his Mozart Hall
speech OF February 1879 when he put
the debt Of Virginia which be would
use his best endeayors to get the people
to sapcuon," at s32, 977, O66.02. And
Mr.. Riddleberger makes this revenue
s73, 1872 rs less than the s2,l65, 900. III
his prChmDlts ONe WIS 20 ANS ~ 49,
surprising, when we come to seriously
consider, with what rapid strides
elimination, as understood by the
coalilionists advances. But to Mr. Rid
dleberger's fgures-He assumes that
the sum Of s2,578, 4S7.06, fond 10
Document XI, Auditors Report Of 1872
represents the total gross amount Of
revenues to be relied on. and he makes
his deductions" from this sum accord
inelv. Now on examination OF the
Auditors Report of 1870, 1t will be
found that revenues aggregating some,
sl6O, 900 or 10000 are not included in
the Document referred to, and that
some of these revenues, Of which Mr.
Riddleberger takes no account whatever
are as follows:
Tax on law process, wills deeds
sc. $50, 1892
Literary fund flues 8,679.9 %
Secretary of Com. tax on seals l,404 IL
Tax on NOtarial seals 3,34l.O5