Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-12-08
1.-THE Public Debt"
IL IT WISDOM IN THE TAXPAYER TO USE
''THE CoUPoNs?"

Is IT WISDOM IN THE TAXPAYER TO USE
''THE CouPoNs?"
Mr.. R. Taylor Scott of Warrenton,
Fauquier county, publishes an excellent
article in the Alexandria Gazette, under the
caption given above, specially addressed to
the editor of that paper, from which we
extract the concluding portion as follows:-
Taxpayers" of your city, you tell me,
use "the coupons" They agree, then,
with Mr.. Lucas, and have adopted his
views. Will you and they read again Gov.
Lees letter, dated November 90, 1885, to
Senator-elect John W. Daniel, aud will
you mark, learn and inwardly digest it?
If you do you will find out your mistake
and. hope, correct it.
l am no politician" have emo axe to
grind" love the old Common wealth !:
she is my home and for generations past
was the home of my ancestors, and beneath
her sod their mortal remains rest Would
that she could and would pay 'the public
debt" But her governor, her officers and
her General Assembly tell me she can not.
must and 1 do believe them. Counsel
peace, do not be stirrer up of strife be-
tween man and man, the citizen and the
State. AS a Virginian hold up for the poor
"Old Dominion" These, to me, are sad
days and days of trial. Our "bone of con-
tention" is the public debt. Lawsuits, as
many as the leaves in 'sVallambrosa;" de-
eretal orders and learned opinions from
federal and State judges do not, cannot
help. Use one remedy open to us, and my
word for it, this trouble will be ended. 1
had almost said it is the only way of de-
liverancs. The crisis is at hand. There
can be no doubt, that, if the taxpayer makes
use Of ''the coupon" to pay his tax, the
treasury will be empty. He will pay no
money into it; how, then, can the State
have money? Without money, how can
the schools be kept open and the Govern
ment do its work? What will become of
our courts and how will crime and vice be
punished? What is to become of ''our an.
fortunates," the deaf, the dumb, the blind
and the insane? Think of this, taxpayers
of Virginia, and ye, who have used ''the
foreign bondhol1eI's coupons" to pay or,
to tender payment" of your dues to the
Commwealth, and ye, teo, who have drag
ged her officers before federal judges to be
tried for trespass and there mulcted in
heavy damages-think upon these things!
What is the remedy? Plain and simple
taxpayers do your duty to the State in this
hour of her peril-payin money. Do this,
simple as it is, and you will settle "the
vexed debt question" forever.
II you do not, what then? No money in
the treasury. The State Government must
be supported, and to do this the taJes must
be increased. Rest assured, the payment
of taxes in coupons is ''penny wise and
pound saving at the spigot, but
losing at the hung"
Are my farmer friends in Loudoun, Gull
pepper, Orange, Prince William, Alexandria,
Fairfax and Fauquier ready to have their
taxes increased and will they contribute
to bring this about?
Before they answer me, nay, before any
one Of them invests in sfhe COUPON" beg
them to count over sfhe returns" from
cattle, wheat and corn for three years past.
Selfinterest and patriotism BOTH require
thai they shall pay their tares in money.
Virginia asks this of her children, and the
exigency of the hour requires it. "Ifa son
shall ask bread of any of you who is ia
thsr will he give him stone? or if he asks
a fish will he for fish give him serpent?
or if he asks an egg will be offer him a
scorpion?" Very truly yours.
R. TAYLOR SCOTT.