Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-02-13
THE STATE DERT.

To the editor of the Alexandria Gazette:
The article of Mr.. James P. Harrison, oi
Danvile, published in your paper Of the 9th
instant, we'll deserves to be considered by
''the young reu of Virginia"
His remarks are sensible and we'll timed,
and address themselves to every man in the
State who considers tie payment of his in
dividual obligations honorable.
Mr.. Harrison is entitled to great credit
for the high ground he takes, and surely in
this once famous old commonwealth the
| number will not be few found ready to re.
spond to his trumpet call.
| The State of Virginia can make satisfac.
| tory settlement of her debt.
Mr. Ia plan to reach this much desired
end is reasonable, sound and practical. He
calls upon the young men of Virgnia"-
those who are not all self and selfish, but
| who have the Improvement, progress and
prosperity of the State at heart.
He exhorts those who do not thirst for Of
fee to unite and struggle together for the
greatest good of the whole people of the
State.
He calls upon those who are not seeking
| "political preferment," "who have no axe
| of their own to grind" who are not polite
| ians, but who are honest, and who think
the full payment Of a .just obligation q thing
commendabe.
I for one, ana thoroughly in sympathy
with Mr.. rs aim, and move.
believe Virginia ought to make settle
ment of her debt. don't think her credi-
| tors will be unreasonable. Don't think they
| will demand more than the State is able to
| pay.
| | hope Mr.. Harrison will not find himself
mistaken nor that he has "miSjudged Vir-
ginia and Virginiaus"-th there will be
very many to respond to his appeal-that
the ball he has set in motion will be kept
rolling in this same direction until this grand
| object is achieved
Behold men of the State of Virginia, the
| figure our State is now presenting to The
people of the world. She legslates by evo
| ry hook and crook to defraud her creditors
of what she hns promised, by most solemn
obligation, to pay, while shs at the same
time seeks to compel her citizens TO pay
taxes which she, herself, failed to collect
some twenty years ago. Her anomaly is
individual honesty. social corruption. a
body sound in all iis parts, but rotten a4 q
whole
| The cEtire session u; our LEGISLATURE,
year after year, is nov consumed in franz
ing unconstitutional aud useless measures
of evasion The same scenes repeat them.
selves every term, and we grow from better
to worse I'VE grope in the Gark--wo dout
advance, don't improve we stand still or 60
backward. Capital seeks investment else
where. Our best mon desert us TO seek
homes in more prosperous, moro honest
States. Our State stagnates because Of her
financial uncertainty; her people are kept
nervous and anxious; enterprise is chilled
and diversified.
1t is to be hoped that Mr. II. will not
grow weary of his good purpose, but fight it
manfully and wisel. through to full bar
vest of success.
Let every man who would succeed him
self do something to lift his once honored
State back TO her former greatness. Her
name once sounded strong and noble and
grand. We felt proud of her position in the
roll of States, but now when she is named a
sense of shame, pity and remorse op.
presses us.
The occasion of this vast change is due to
several chief causes, not the least of which
is that Virginia owes just debt, which she
is not allowed to pay.
T. B. ROBERTSON, JR.
Broad Run Station. Feb. IL. 1886