The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-10-20

oue irOHl tue SOubuWeSt.
1t is also noteworthy fact that the Read
justers have not confined themselves to one
class of citizens in choosing their ticket but
have tried to represent, as far as possible, the
different interests, taking for the three places
on their ticket one editor, farmer and a
lawyer, while the Fatnders haze taken all then.
representatives. from one profession, and that the
profession of law.
The real issues of this campaign, are in my
opinion.
LIST. The repeal Of the restriction upon suf-
End. The Public Debt.
Sd. The Public Schools.
18th. The economical administration Of the
State Government.
THE REPEAL OF THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
RESTRICTION UPON FREE SUFFRAGE
is one of the greatest issues IN this campaign,
and can conceive of no question in any cam
paign OF much more importance as it affects
The rights of the citizen, and yet one OF the
parties to this contest with characteristic tim
idity and duplIcity, has chosen to ignore it
entirely, SO far as their platform goes.
While it is true that they have attempted to
dodge this issue, yet we don't intend to let
them do SO, and the people will know before
election day which party favors free suffrage
and which is in favor of cO1Tuptly restricted
suffrage.
We do know however, that no longer ago
than the last session of the Legislature, every
single Bourbon Funder 0Oted against the joint
resolution looking to the repeal of this anti
republican and un-democratic restriction, while
ecery single Readjaster except three, sote5 for it.
This fact alone is sufficient to show which
party favors free suffrage and which is in favor
of putting price on suffrage.
But when in addition to this, it is borne in
mind that the one party expressly declares in
its platform in favor of the repeal of the fun.
damental law making the payment of the
capitation tax prerequisite to voting, while
the other ignores this question altogether, so
far as Its platform goes, and at the same time
most of its newspaper organs and nearly all of
its candidates for the Legislature, declare in
favor of the restriction, no man can for mo-
ment doubt as to which party is the real friend
of free ballet.
Now l think liz our form of government
every citizen of sound mind, and who has not
been convicted of crime. should have voice
in saying how it should be administered. and
consequently every such citizen should be al.
lowed to vote for those who may make the
laws under which he has to live.
Every man, no matter how humble NAV be
his condition, has to bear the burdens of gov
eminent, and consequently he ought to be in
condition to secure its benefits and to that
end ought to have vote.
In time of war the poor man as we'll as the
rich has to shoulder his musket in defence of
his country, no matter whether he has dol
lars worth OF property or not.
THE QUESTION WHETHER HE HAS PAID HIS
POLL-TAX,
is not then asked before he is put into the
army.
But it is urged that this poll-tax goes to the
supporter the schools, and that the law re-
quiring it to be paid before voting has a ten
dency to increase the amount collected, and
thus aid the schools. This, however, has been
shown by experience not to be So Taking
the six years beginning with the year 1874, and
ending with the year 1879, the official fig
ures show the percentage of insolvents to Be
greater for the three years since the adop-
ton of the prerequisite feature than it was
for three years Immediately preceding it's
adoption.
In the year 1874, there was 256, 73O poll-tax
assessed, and out of that number ga ,425 were
returned as insolvent.
In 1875, there were 264, 2O6 assessed, and
62 ,201 lns0lvents.
In 1876, there were 273,725 assessed and
65, 356 insOlvents.
In 1877, there were 2a5S15 assessed and
II ,434 insolvents.
In 1878, there were 1851 assessed and
n ,434 insolvepts
In 1879, there were 294,74s assessed and
1851 insosvents.
Thus it will be seen that the average per
centage of insolvents on assessments Of poll
tax for the three years just before the poll-tax
qualification became operative, was 409, while
the average percentage for the three years Just
succeeding the adoption of this requirement, is
hnc fI,xaA =. H..
OF those years in which there was no poll-tax
required before voting.
Consequently the purpose to aid the
public schools by retaining this price upon
suffrage, cannot be truthfully said to influence
the Bourbon party in its opposition to its
repeal
Again I object to this restriction upon suf-
frage
BECAUSE 1T 1T IN FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF
ONE OF THE CONDITIONS
upon which Virginia was re-admitted to rep
resent ation in Congress, and to participation
in the affairs Of the general government.
hope the time will never come when the
people of Virginia will be willing to make
voluntary pledges, and after obtaining the
benefits resulting from the faith placed in the
inviolability with which those pledges would
be observed, then turn right around and repp-
diate them.
I do not believe they will do so sests their
eyes open.
Again, if we admit for the sake of argument
that the restriction on suffrage is right as an
abstract question, nevertheless the well-known
fact that the law is susceptible of such gross
abuses ought TO damn itin the eyes of all lovers
of IAN honest BALLOT
conclude, therefore, that the people will
not hesitate to wipe from the fundamental law
of Virginia this restriction upon suffrage.
which was placed there without due delibera-
ton, which is un-democratic; which has
proven failure as an expedient for the collec-
ton of taxes; which is violation OF our
plighted faith, and which has been the fruitful
source of SO much fraud and chicanery.
We next come to tho great question of
the
PUBLIC DEBT,
and as am not lawyer, shall treat this
question from the standpoint of plain practi-
cal man, who thinks he knows what is equity
in this matter, thought he is not q technical
lawyer.
am convinced that we do not eqalita5ly owe
more than the amount fixed by the Riddieber-
ger bill, and if the State in this matter stands
on the same footing with private individual,
and war interest is not to De charged up
against her, then ! say the RiddlebeIger bill
fixes the amount of the debt at five millions
more than we owe according to my ideas Of
equity.
To come to correct conclusion in this mat
ter. let us take the amount of the debt as 1t
stood in January, 1861; then compute the in
terest upon that amount up to January, 1881,
at 6 per cent per annum; then cut Off one
third for West Virginia's share; and finally,
credit Virginia with all she has paid since
1861, and we will have the amount Of the debt
on the first day of January, 1881, including
war interest
If, however, war interest is deducted. we
will have 50, OBS. 11406 less
/ append the following statement which
will show exactly what mean: