Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-04-10
vIRGINIA'S TROUBLES.
Can't Collect Taxes Until She PAYS Her
Debt-Labor Shocking Her System,

Debt-Labor Shocking Her Systam.
A Richmond correspondent writing to
the New York Herald says: The ancient
Virginian lolling under the shade of his
ancestral oaks and lamenting that the
country is going to ruin is much dis
turbed just at this time over the condi-
ton OF matters in his state, and his more
serious trouble, it's public debt.
After Malone had made all the capital
he could out of this matter and had
thrown it aside the democratic party
donned Mahone's cast off vestments and
became the proclaimed advocate of all
that it had been denouncing Malone for.
1t has enacted every statute which the
greatest talent could devise to keep the
tax receivable coupons out of the treas
ury. And yet the troublesome things
will not desist from plaguing it. As fast
as the legislature enacted statute the
United States supreme court has de-
stroyed it, and the decisions rendered by
thai tribunal in January last are now Civ
ing the democrats more trouble than any.
thing they have yet encountered.
The court decided that after person
doing business upon which license
tax is imposed tenders the states coupons
in payment of that license tax and such
payment is refused he may thereafter
pursue his business without license. By
this decision the state law which pretends
to modest him is simply void and of no
effect. In consequence of this quite
number of drummers for large
northern houses have rendered the
state officers coupons for their licenses,
which being refused, they are now sell
ing goods in every part of the state with
out licenses. They really pay no tax at
all. AS they sell the coupons as soon as
the tender is made for what they gave
for them, or in many cases they borrow
the coupons for the purpose of tender,
and then proceed with their business in
defiance of the state and her laws, claim
ing that the state law is unconstitutional
under any circumstances, but it is the
happiest way to get around the question.
The same thing is spreading among
the old residents who pay direct taxes on
property. The supreme court decided
also that after coupons had been tender
ed for such taxes it is simply a naked
trespass to levy on the Taxpayers prop
erty. The collector is personally liable
for any such trespass in suit which may
be brought in the United States circuit
court, although both plaintiff and de-
PENDANT are citizens of Virginia. The
funny thing about this matter, like the
one Just mentioned, is that the taxpayer
may borrow the coupons for the purpose
of tender, or he may purchase them and
resell them after the tender; so that he
pays his tax without being out of pock-
ct cent, and then whatever he receives
by way of damages is that much net
cash profit. The collectors of taxes are
afraid to levy, and those who owe direct
taxes are beginning to understand this
and to refuse to pay in anything but
coupons, all of which causes the lot OF
the state to be by no means happy one.
Another cause of trouble to the an
Gent Virginian is the appearance here
and very rapid development of the
knights of Labor. Until recently any
thing like combination of laboring peo-
against capital had never been heard of
on the sacred soil" The very idea
was preposterous and absurd Lately,
however, it has come to light that body
of the laboring population has organic
ed itself under the rules and modes of
procedure of the Knights Of Labor.
Their authorities have instituted and
very vigorously pressed several "boy-
COTS" which have just brought them to
the knowledge of the sleepy Virginian-
They have aroused his ineffective wrath
to no inconsiderable extent.