The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-09-10

The Constitution does not require, as Dany per-
son seem to suppose. that a yoier snail pay atsno
oap dollar a year as prertqulslte 70 Se1lk,, la
capiaii0n-tAx required bV IGt0." The law h1ss IL
at me dollar. The law can Ok y at one cent Ile
4 legislature has fun control OF The matter, the Cow
ernor asserting. except thai the amount cannot ex-
coed one dollar.
What = wasie OF time, therefore. for a eonsttu-
fionAl amendment 10 BE- submitted 70 the voters pro
no inR 10 change The constitutional provision on the
subject Of The capitaiion.taxs- Dlspdtoh'
What do you mean by that? DO you
mean anythingi II you do, you mean that
YOU prefer 10 have the school-tax on polls
reduced 10 one cent by legislative action,
rather than have the qualification Of sui
ftsge removed by an amendment TO The
Constitution adopted by the people. That's,
you are really opposed to both free suffrage
and free schoolsl The ReSdiuslers, on the
contrary, are in favor OF both, and there.
fore they intend TO retain the free'sch0Ol
tax on polls and remove the restriction on
free suffrage Wing.
We copy the entire paragraph for the pur-
pose Of letting our readers see TO what a
desperate strait The Readiuslers bsye been
reduced. The Wing gravely claims that its
party is In favor OF retaining the polttax,
and that we 'Tare really opposed to both
free suffrage aud free schoOls"l
Suppose we examine into the reality Of
The first bali OF this claim. The Readiust-
ers are In favor, they say, Of retaining the
free-school taxi Very well. Then they
must be in favor Of having that tax paid
Ard II 1t is paid by everybody there will
be nobody disfranchised. Or suppose we
state the case thus:
Every man who pays the capitatiou-tax
is a voter.
The Rtadius,ers are In favor Of making
every man pay his capitation-tax.
Therefore, the ReSdiusters are substan'
TALLY upon the same platform with thos'
persons who advocate the requirement OF
polI.lax as a prerequisite to voting.
II not. why not? The Res0justers assur'
us that they are 10 fayer Of the capitation
tax. Let us take them at their word. |
would be a farce for them to say, as EnsigI
sIEBBns said Of the Name liquor-law, tina
they are in favor Of the law but "agln il
enforcement" They must be ady9cstes 0
its enforcement, as otherwise the school
would derive no advantage from its exist
ence. How can II be oDiorcedi There |
but one way and this consists in maxim:
every man pay the tax. Here we com
back TO the same point as before. Their
Is but one question leFt-namely, whel
shall the man be required 10 pay this tax
Surely be ought TO pay 1t within a yea
after II Is levied. II he does so, be becomes
q voter ct once under the Constitution ant
laws Of Virginia as they now stand. Tb,
man who shall have psid the capitation. TAI
assessed upon him as OF February, 1880
will be a voter on the sth day OF November
next.
Now, what Is the use Of changing tn
Constitution II you really desire the capita
tion.tax 10 be palei Do you want the vote
20 have more than eighteen months credi
on his cspi;ntion.taxi Require him TO pa,
bis tax within a year after 1t Is levied, anl
there will be no chance for anybody els
TO do il for him.
The whole clamor Is without a cause, o
we have so often said. The Wing proiesse
20 believe that the Re&djusters will have tn
next Governor and control the next Legs
iature. II so, they can abolish the poII-tax
The Legislature is rot required to levy sucl
a tax at all. That body is merely empow
cred TO do so. The Constitution says I
amsyn levy such a tax, Just as the sam
instrument sats that the same body "may'
remove judges from Office. Where is tn,
sepse Of putting the State to any expens'
for the purpose OF submitting an amend
meut TO the voters for ratification or reiec
tionf
The Wing win reply that 10 require th
payment OF . polLtax as q prerequisite t
voting Is TO open the door TO corruption
Howl WHO Is there TO be corrupted
Yon are 10 favor Of making every vote
pas this tax for the benefit Of the schools
Ycu would compel him 10 pay II. Yer,
wei. We sgalD ask, Wheat Why OF cours
within q year after lls ASSESSMENT and /
81 Is 80 paid, there will be no voters to b
corrupted. Each man will have paid BIZ
own sax. and no candidate, rich or poor
will be called upon 10 pay It for him. Thsr'
Will be no chance for " corruption.