The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-29
The Debt Question.

with several paragraphs censuring 'ne
General Assembly for not having fairIy
appornoned the various offices which that
body has recently disposed DIN another
article we give our reasons for publishing
such complaints-but the main purpose OF
the communication is to suggest measures
whereby the pledges Of the Democratic
party relative TO the public debt may be re-
deemed by the present Legislature;
LEXINGTON, Va, December 20, 1888.
| To The Editor of The Dispatch:
While IL is true that the Legislature
could have greatly strengthened Inc par.!
by a tudicious selection OF men 10 MI inc
yorious offices. and while it was expected
| that i'm the selection an eve single Wouiu
he had 10 fitness and locality, IL IS equally
true that fitness. due regard TO locality, and
the future intercs. OF the party were
wholly ignored. For instance. 1t would
have strengthened the party In the South
west had one Of the principal offices been
civen IN A native OF that section--a man
/ Identified and in full sympathy with her
neonle: one who understood the poll
J Ties and pcculiarities OF that people,
| instead of taking one fresh from the
Filth district, and another fresh from the
sixth. neither Of whom has speaking ac-
ouaintance with the people of the Southwest
and whose sympathies and attachments
arc all east OF the mountains, and whose
ideas and thoughts are all OF the East VIZ
cinia mould; and for the same reasons, ana
others that might be given, it would have
been polite to have given to native Pled-
moptrse one OF the offices, instead OF giving
| II 10 another Halifax or Fifth district man.
| That the party could have been benefited
nv electing new men to the House and
Senate Offices Is perfectly clear to any nina
conabIe of political thought. But the deed
| is done. and there is no Use OF crying about
what is done. IL can't be undone. Let us
try again, and we will have better luck
next time.
II the people care anything about fair,
| inst. and equitable distribution Of the pub
| lie Offices; if they are opposed TO the poll
CIV of "once in office always in Office" y; II
they are opposed to placing in office dead
heats and broken-down hacks over the
| live men whose time, talents, energy, and
money keep the party in power, let them
send 10 the next Legislature men OF broad
err views and better understanding OF the
party and party interests.
But while the people are in favor OF JUS
tice and fair play in the distribution OF the
public offices. their thoughts are on an.
other question OF vastly more importance
10 them and the Democratic party. mean
the public debt.
| The resolutions. motions. &C., thus far
introduced by Democrats in the Legisla-
| ture touching this question are all good
| 80, npOnlp
watching the progress Of this question IN
the Legislature. and they think it Is about
time to stop swearing every morning be-
| fore breakfast that the debt is settled, ana
resoluting every day before dinner that
" we are in favor OF the settlement" The
Lynchburg Convention settled the ques-
ton ms far as the Democratic party is con-
cerned, and it is the duty OF the Legisla-
ture TO carry into effect the will OF the
party rs expressed at Lynchburg, and the
will of the people as expressed at the polls
on the 9th Of November.
The law for resettlement OF the deDt
was passed by one party. and it has been
acuuiesced in by the other. and the whole
people OF Virginia have approved OF the
settlement by their votes at the polls. Is
it not, therefore. clearly the duty OF the
Legislature to enact such positive legisla-
ton as may be necessary to into full effect
the act for a resettlement?
How TO do it is a question which seems
to puzzle our legislators.
Az much OF the best talent in the State
has been exhausted in the consideration oil
this subject, At is with difiicence that l, an
humble citizen, attempt suggestion 1oI
the consideration of our wise and learned
legislators. 80,
Many wears ago / read and studied will
some care the plan to kill the coupons adj
yocated by Mr.. Fulkerson in the Legisla
ture, and am disposed to believe the mea
sures he proposed are constitutional, ant
would, il adopted, more etiectually Kill tn
coupon than CoupoD-Killer No. and No
2. Mr. Full1erson proposed to collect TIT
: amount assessed for all licenses granted b.
the State IN lawful money OF the United
States; and secondly, to make the schoo
tax a separate fund and collect it III lawiu
money.
A license is a privilege which may 0
] may not be granted to the citizen, on sue
terms as the Legislature may prescribe.
: is a contract between the State and The GU
zen, which may be entered into by III
y State or not. as it chooses, and the Sta'
S NAV require OF the citizen, as condition pr
5 cedent, that he pay into the Treasury
& much tobacco, wheat, corn, OF money.
IL the Legislature will require all tax
levied for privileges to be PAD III none
II will take from the coupon-holder lar
ann az money and one OF its most access
II bile and available resources. and IL w
- bring into the Treasury ample means, t
"a getber with the amount that always escap
?, the coupon, to pay all tue ORDINARY I
id perses OF the government.
he The second proposition Of Mr.. Fulk'
60 SON was to require the school-levy 10
=" collected in money. To my mind this pr
Is position is clearly constitutional, and
ny adopted will bring into the Treasury eve
r. dollar levied for the schools, and ma
We them independent, and insure the succ(
ts Of the system.
10 The Constitution provides that the
shall be levied and collected for free-scbC
re- purposes not less than one mill nor mo
than five mills annually on every 81
DC worth of property i'm the State. III
10 clause Of the Constitution has been de
nd letter ever since the passage OF the fun
he ing bill OF 1871. Since the passage Of Il
IAN ubiquitous measure it has been held tn
got the Legislature might levy tax for fro
school purposes. but that its power TO c,
ac- lect was taken away by the funding act N
W conferred upon the coupon-holder. SUI
,ui- a doctrine il not only wrong, but absu
Mo and ridiculous; else an express provisi,
oi OF The Constitution may be apnulled
aae legislative enactment. The duty of Z
ns' Legislature seems clearly to be to levy al
IL collect at least one mill on the 800 wor
O ~ OF property and apply it to free-scho
,m' purposes. This done, and one fourth
~, ~. all the taxes now levied win be placed
'u yond the reach OF the devouring coupe
~ and the schools viii he safe.
'o' The Government and the schools bel
' ~, thus protected against the rayages OF {
Ilai coupon, the bondholder would be left I
W chances Of intercepting the balance of o
!. revenue with his coupon, or he Won
l.ox- q l. H..