Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-08
interest and Patriotism Both.

The coupon spectators are trying to
convince the people Of Virginia that it
would be to their interest to pay their
taxes in coupons BUTT is IS plain as day
that the contrary is the fact. The State Of
Virginia must have nearly three mil
lions of dollars . year IN MONEY,
and II the taxpayers foolishly pay
their taxes in coupons the certain con.
sequence will be that the taxes will
have 10 be increased in order to make
IN for the deficit thus occasioned.
The Commonwealth is bound to
have money-not coupons. She
must have money for her schools, COL
leges, universities, ssylums, judges,
legislators, executive and ministerial
officers, &C.. &c. She can't do without
money; and IL you pay in coupons one
year you will be compelled to pay the
next year double taxes. There is no
other result possible, unless indeed the
public schools are to be broken up, or
the courts Of justice are to be closed.
The bondholdsfs seem to be Of the
opinion that they can convince the peo-
pie that it is to their interest to pay
their taxes in coupons. They have sent
out circular the object of which is to
accomplish that purpose. We have not
seen the circular. The Rockingham
Register describes it as follows;
"a circular addressed to The Tax
payers and License-Taxpayers Of Vir-
ginia,' and signed by The Council of
Foreign Bondholders of London, Eng
land is being scattered over Virginia
o. thick as autumn leaves, the object
of which is to induce Virginians to buy
coupons with which to pay their taxes.
This is very significant circular. 1t
Is easy to read between the lines that
the bondbolders are beginning to see
and feel that our people have deter
mined to take this coupon question in
their own hands in the only practica-
BILE and sure way Of finally and for
ever putting an end to it. They see
that il the taxpayers refuse to buy
them the decisions of the courts can
avail them nothing, and hence they are
endeavoring by every device known to
shrewd money.chsngers and stock-job-
bers to induce our people to come to
their rescue by buying their coupons.
They know that unless Virginians de-
liberately bind themselves by buying
these coupons there is no court,
no power, no decision, which can save
them, and as q last resort they appeal
to the avaricious spirit known to exist
to greater or less extent in every man,
and try to show how money can be
made by dealing with them.
"Wc urge our people to let these
coupons severely alone. Virginia has
already lost millions by the agitation Of
this question, and we think it would be
. great wrong for our people to help
these bondholders to harass tho State
for an indefinite period by their own
deliberate oct, now that they are about
being forced to accept the Riddleberger
bill, which has been endorsed by all
political parties in the State and de-
clared to be their ultimatum on this
question.
"Psy your taxes in money like true
men, and you are masters of the situa-
ton, and the State debt is settled"
II seems to us that the one thing
which it is necessary for the press of
Virginia to do is to show to the tax
payers that to pay their taxes in cou-
pons would be to save few dollars for
year or two and to add more than ten
times the amount thus saved to their
taxes in the future. For If they once
get the merchants, corporations, &C.,
into the habit Of paying their taxes in
coupons, and thus raising their value
to par, they viii never afterwards be
able to put the coupon back upon the
unstable foundation upon which it now
stands, but will have to continue until
al the bonds mature to pay double
taxes because Of their present folly.