Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-06-18
COUPONS.

Il
the state.
For several years preceding the
election of 1879 the burden hat
become so great that our state
government had wen-nigh SUM
under It.
The charitable institutions Of the
State we're suffering terribly the
schools had become less and less
every year, and the schools SEES
| sions had been greatly shortened
| At the same time we acre default
ing as to the interest on the public
debt to an amount largely exceed
ing a million of dollars year.
This state of affairs became un-
bearable, and the people found
able leaders to show them way
out of their trouble. In 1879 the
Funder party was over whelmingly
defeated, and the Readjusters came
into power pledged to settle the
debt question. This they did sue
cessfully, and our state government
was again put in a prosperous con.
dition. Especially were our public
schools placed upon good footing,
the number of schools and scholars
increased, and the terms lengthen-
ed.
But the Democratic leaders
seeing that they were in a minori-
ty, and determined to obtain pow
er at any sacrifice Of principle, met
in convention, and gave in theiI
adhesion TO the Riddleberger Bill
They went before the people pro
testing that they were better Read
| iusters than were the Readjusters
themselves, and that they meant
to stand by and uphold the debt
settlement. In an evil hour tho
people listened to them, and they
we're placed IN control Of the state
| government.
They legislated upon the deb
question, and by their clumsy legis
lation reopened it. \ case was
taken to the supreme court Of the
lU. S., and the whole debt settle
ment upset. 1t was The duty o
the last legislature to have passed
a constitutional law which woulc
have prevented the Treasury from
being overrun by these pestlierou'
coupons. They did not do so, how
ever, but have left the matter il
this condition, viz; that some tax
payers can and will pay in coupons
while others are unable to do So
and still others will not. Under
this system taxation becomes out
rageously unequal. Some pay SoO
of taxes with coupons which cosl
them only about S25; while the
balance of the taxpayers have to
pay dollar for dollar. 1t IS useless
to appeal to men not to pay in cou
pons when they can save about
fifty per cent by so doing.
The thing wont work. 1t is not
| in accord with the well-knOwn rules
which govern human action. As
Senator Thurman, of Ohio, used tt
say, at won't do"
No, it was the duty Of the legis
lators in our Virginia legislature
to have devised some means by
which the food Of coupons which
threaten to deluge our State Treas
| ury could have been prevented
Failing to do that, it appears to US
childish to expect to accomplish
| such a result by combined sys
tenn of bulldozing, practiced upon
the timid, and system of begging
as to those who are not quite sc
easily driven.
The responsibility of this question
rests upon the Democratic debt
paying leaders, who have OF late
years been metamOrphOsed into
such rapid regulators, and they
cannot shirk this responsibility
either by whining and unmanly ap
peals, or, worse still, by brutal bull
| doing.
The responsibility must be met
| If the Democracy is equal to the
occasion let them deal with it. l
they are not then let them steI
down and out, and give way tC
men who can and will.-Spird o
1.-THE VALLEY.