Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-06-27
FalSified Promises.

The Charlottesville Chronicle says
"that the Readjuster leaders have failed
to fulfill the promises made to the peo-
pie on the hustings during the last can
vass is acknowledged by the man who
declares that the party is indebted to
him for their success in the last cleo
ton. It was distinctly understood that
the Riddleberger bill would be submit
ted to the people for ratification or re-
lection after its passage by the Legisla
ture, but once in power, the leaders de-
termined that their work should not be
retarded or subjected to risk by such
final arbitrament. There was another
promise made which we desire to bring
to the remembrance of the people,
which not only remains unfulfilled, but
which the majority in the Legislature
have persistently refused to consider
when proposed for enactment by the
Democratic side.
1t will be remembered that the Read
ulster speakers declared that their sole
purpose was to get rid of the capitation.
tax restriction on suffrage; that they
not only proposed to levy the tax, but
to pass stringent laws to enforce its col
lection. This declaration was made by
all their speakers, from their candidate
for Governor down to the most insig.
nificant of his canvassers, who emphat
icaliy asserted that no injury would re-
suit to the public schools from the re-
moval of the restriction on suffrage, be-
cause effectual measures would certainly
be provided to insure the collection of
the capitation tax-such, for instance,
as have been adopted in the State of
Louisiana. How have these pledges
been redeemed? What are the facts?
During the last session, Mr.. Skinner,
of Augusta, made repeated efforts to Sc
cure the passage of bill embracing
substantially the Louisiana law, which,
among other provisions, requires the
employer of laborer, who has been in
service as long as three years without
paying his capitatiOn tax, to pay the
same to the treasurer or collector out OF
any wages that may be due to such de-
linquent. He was unable to get it con-
sidered, and at the present session his
efforts in that direction have as signally
failed. Last Saturday motion to sus-
pend the rules and engross the bill was
promptly voted down in the House.
The majority evidently fear to place
knowing, as they do, that the enforce
ment of collection will not be popular
with their colored constituents. They
do not hesitate to appropriate thousands
of dollars for the higher education Of
the colored people, but when the propo-
sition is made for securing the collection
of money that belongs to the public
schools of lower grade, and without
which the revenue for their mainte-
nance will be seriously diminished
we find these boasted friends OF popular
education throwing obstacles in the
way OF its consideration. 1t is to be
hoped that Mr.. Skinner will yet sue.
coed in getting the majority to vote on
the bill. The ayes and noes would be
desirable on the record, whether it is
passed or not. The point involved
places them, as the boosted friends OF
the schools and the special beneficiaries
of negro votes, in an embarrassing po-
sition. They find it difficult to steer
between Scylla and Charybdis, but the
patron of the bill has his eyes open and
will compel them either to take action
upon it or demonstrate the insincerity
of their professions during the CANVASS