The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-09-26
The Capitation-Tax.

The Capitation-Tax.
row pcrsons ever take time to investi-
x.,e for themselves the questions involved
a. a political canvass. Fewer try to do any
thing more than to deposit their own bal
lots. And very small, indeed, Is the num-
her OF those who put their hands into their
pockets and contribute libcrally--or at all,
we might say--to aid in the promotion OF
the cause for which they profess to be con-
cerned and to be working.
The Mahonci;es in Virginia need not at
all regret that the facts In the case OF inc
election right before rs are what we nave
lust stated. They ethousands OF Federal
and State officials whose contributionSthcy
can compel. They have collected many
thousands OF dollars wherewith TO pay not
only the capitation-taxe due by their faith
full allies " the negroes and the impecuni-
Gus amongst their white followers, but
whatever expenses may DC incurred in car
rying out the MALONE project a Republic
canizing Virginia. ltisa great prize that Is
offered TO Mr.. Arthur, and he will invest
whatever money IL is necessary to invest In
order to make this prize his beyond a
doubt. Even the Republican nomination
OF 1884 for the presidency may depend
upon paving the poll-tax OF fifty thousand
negroes in Virginia this fall. Is ii not ao-
solutely certain that GRANT, CoNKLiN0'
LOGAN, ARTHUR, CAMERON and their hench-
men will combine in one supreme effort 10
wrench Virginia from her moorings? And
Is Il not lust rs certain that they VIII fur-
nish all the money needed for paying capi-
tation-taXes?
The census OF 1880 tells some facts which
are well calculated TO ast0nish the unin-
formed. The total Of the votes cast in
Virginia in 1880 for both HANCOCK and
GARFIELD was only about $4,000. The
number cast last year was about the same
The census aforesaid shows that the total
number of males in Virginia twenty-one
years old and over is 33i, 500. This is
most surprising fact. IT indicates an I'M
accountable indifference among the voters
OF this State as TO how the most important
political questions may be settled at the
ballot-box. One hundred and twenty
thousand voters have for years declined TO
take any part either in the selection OF their
own officers or in the decision OF the i'm
portant questions which have been pre-
sented for their consideration.
But the census also shows that the num-
Der OF white voters in Virginia is 206, 24S,
whilst the number OF negro voters is only
Us, 2j7; or, to state il differently, that the
white males over twenty-One years OF age
have majority OF about $4,000 over the
black males twcnty-one years OF age and
over. zThis is an encouraging fact. The
whites have it in their power TO carry the
State easily. They constitute an immense
majority relatively Of the voters.
Now, these are the facts. Act upon them.
Pay the capitation-taXcs of all these white
men, and you need not be afraid that the
"faithful allies will with the aid OF few
whites be able TO outyote you. COncede
to the Mahoneites all the negro votes and
the 81 600 whites who voted their ticket in
1880, and still there are white votes enough
to carry the State for the Democrats.
Neither DAWSON nor WISE can be elected
If the Democrats of Virginia will pay the
capitation-taXes OF all the white men.
The $4,000 persons who voted in 1880
and 1881 10 doubt pay their capitation-tax
regularly, or else have it paid for them. If
these are allvoters now, there remain $4,000
voters whose taxes are yet to be paid
Cannot the Democrats OF Virginia raise Il
hundred thousand dollars for this impor-
tant purpose!
There is no use in minoing words. The
election cannot be carried without the ne
cessary votes, and the necessary votes cam
not be had unless the capitation-taXes due
for 1881 10y from fifty TO n hundred thou
sand white men are paid before the end OF
next month. Ii the moneyed men amongst
the Democrats are unwilling to make this
slight sacrifice, ii must be because they are
willing to be ruled by MALONE, and to have
his Legislature come back to Richmond
next December with an appetite sharpened
by the failures OF last winter and the sue
ccsses OF this fall.