Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-06-05
St0untOtl Spectator.
TUESDAY, JUNE 5. 1883

'rWhat will it profit us if it can be dem
onstrated that iron can be made in Virginia
at one-half the cost in Pennsylvania; that
our mountains are teeming with ores; that
our streams are capable of driving the ma
rhinery of continent; that our farming
lands are rich and cheap; that our timber
is abundant and of the finest quality; and
that nowhere in the Union are the induce
ments for the profitable investment of
money more numerous or promising? All
of these advantages count as nothing when
capital, proverbially timid, is warned away
on peril of its existence. No sensible man
is going TO invest his funds in community
ruled or likely to be ruled, by mob, and
when it is proclaimed to the world that
such fate, in all probability, awaits Vir-
ginia, the door might as well be closed and
the shutters put up.''-VaZley Firyin5an.
The above from an editorial in the last
Valley VirginiGn is an important truth well
presented and deserves due consideration.
The question is, Shall the State be ruled by
the party composed almost exclusively of
white people, with whom, the same number
Of the Valley VirginiGn says, "abide nine
tenths of the wealth and intelligence of the
State,' or shall it be ruled by the party the
large majority of which are negroes with
whom abide only one-tenth of the wealth
and intelligence of the State? Will CAPT
talists invest in a State ruled by party
that can and would tax property heavily
whilst the majority of that party would
have but one-tenth OF the tax to pay?
Capitalists are not willing to trust the
taxation of property to persons who will
themselves have but little, if any, taxes to
pay. They know that they could have no
guarantee that property would not be op-
pressively taxed but, on the contrary, they
know such would be almost inevitably the
case, should the State be ruled by parry,
composed of comparatively few white people
who would be interested in multiplying the
number of the offices and increasing the
salaries because they would fill them, and
who could do as they pleased, because the ne
groes, that are controlled by them, would
not hesitate to vote any amount of taxation,
as they would have but little of it to pay.
The rule Of such assparty would prevent
all investment of capital in the State, for, as
the Fallsy Tirginian says
''No sensible man is going to invest his
funds in community ruled, or likely to be
ruled, by a mob, and when it is proclaimed
to the world that such fate, in all proba-
bility, awaits Virginia, the door might as
well be closed and the shutters put up
If the people of this State be wise, they
will never allow such party 10 get into
power in this State, for if they do, that
party will SO legislate as to perpetuate its
power, and the people will be made to groan
under their heavy burdens of taxation, for
the majority of that party would be inter
ested in increasing the taxes, for they would
have little to pay, whilst they would enjoy
all the benefits.
To crafty the white leaders and Office
holders Of that party, the negroes would
vote to multiply the number and to increase
the salaries Of the Offices; and, on the other
hand, to crafty the negroes and to retain
their support, the white office-holders and
ofice-seekers of that party would concede
to them whatever they might choose to de
mand, whether mixed school-boards, mixed
schools, or mixed marriages; for rather
than lose their offices-which they would
hold at the pleasure Of the negro majority
they would grant whatever demands that
majority might make. In this consists the
great danger of the success of the, Coalition
party, The people should think and act
before It BE too late.