The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-02-26
A Spasm of Virtue.

The Richmond correspondent of the n o.
folk Ledger, who seems to be always wide
awake and quite independent in furnish
ing items of news, says: 1T is SAID that
one or two of the signers of the call for q
meeting of license taxpayers to declare
their opposition to the use of coupons, used
them in the payment of taxes on the very
day they attached their names to the move
ment. The meeting itself was very de-
monstratiye in its patriotism, which we
were delighted to see, if the sentiments
uttered are practically carried out in pay
ing taxes, We remember, however. that
several years ago there was manifesto
ton equally fascinating, when about thir-
ty or forty gentlemen, including business
men, ministers and politicians, of both
parties, made proclamation of q purpose
to pay the public debt, and the ladies of
the State were appealed to to surrender
their finger rings, ear rings, breast pins,
and like recommendations, to be dedicated
to the laudable purpose of paying the pub
lie debt, and sustaining the honor of the
State. That was before the Riddleherger
bill became so popular with the Democrat
ic party and the debt payers generally.
There would have been very little diff
Guilty in furnishing the treasury with am
pie revenue to meet the current expenses
of government if the large taxpayers had
done what the small taxpayers were COM
PEELED to do-pay their taxes in money.
But this they would not do. To make a
few cents in the dollar by buying tax-re-
ceiyable coupons, with which to pay their
dues to the State, they were Indifferent to
the government and the essentially OF
actual money to run it. The great mass
of the people have uniformly paid theil
taxes in money. for the amount due from
each one Of the rank and file was small
and being unacquainted with brokers
ways, he went straight to the tax-collectol
| with his money and paid it in. The large
taxpayers took different course. They
went tothe broker or his agent, and pur-
chased coupons at a discount of ten or fit.
teen per cent. and these he showed into the
hands of the collector, and by him showed
into the treasury, Notwithstanding every
payment Of that kind was a blow at the
public schools and the charitable institu
tions, as well as the machinery of the State
| government. The operation of the Cou
| pom Killers arrested this. and so long as
| that legislation was undisturbed money
| flowed into the treasury, instead of cou
pons, for it was not profitable to g
through the tedious and costly processes
| by which the coupons had to be verified
and received.
How long the species of virtue recently
exhibited in Richmond will last and how
far it's influence will reach through the
State, is a matter for future development
1t is a practical way to protect the treasur,
from the coupon ''cut-worm," and ONT
that would have been effective in simply
flying the debt complications, if it hat
been heroically adopted years ago. 1t i.
certainly far more rational than the atti
tude assumed by the government officials
Of resistance to the federal courts and
challenge to federal authority. That j
the merest bombast, as would be mad,
distressingly plain were u kindred spirit
manifested on the other side.
1t is possible to starve out tie tax-re
ceivable- coupons, by every taxpayer in th'
State paying his dues in money and it il
possible to absorb them by re.funding il
other bonds. They cannot be whipped out
| by the State militia, nor can the repudia
tion enactments of a Democratic Legisla
ture destroy them.