Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-25
y,,p,.,ao.. save virginia.

10 me EQNOT OF tHe DtSputCH
Without entering into discussion OF
the propriety or effect Of the late Su-
preme Court decision as to the receiya-
bility OF coupons for taxes and other
dues to the State, or as to any other
legislation which may be adopted IN re-
lation thereto, the fact stares us in the
face that there are outstanding several
million Of dollars OF coupons, on their
face receivable for taxes that these
coupons are maturing at the rate OF
nearly 1900, ZOO a year, and that some
of the wealthy corporations, firms, ana
individuals in the cities are paying their
taxes in these coupons at about fifty
cents on the dollar, while their poorer
and more patriotic neighbors are paying
in money dollar for dollar.
Every man who has voted in Virginia
since 1883 is pledged to stand to, abide
by, and sustain the Riddleberger bill,
the true meaning and intent of which
is that these coupons shall not be paid
or received as taxes, but that the State
debt shall be settled upon the terms OF
that bill. Both political parties are
pledged to this settlement, and any
member of either party who pays taxes
in coupons is guilty Of moral treason
TO the State, for her very existence Is
at stake-as much so as it was IN 1861,
when her sons rallied around her
standard and stood by her through
four dark years of blood and death.
The policy Of paying taxes in coupons
is suicidal, for If one man has the moral
right to use coupons, then all have;
and if all use them, then taxes will
have to be doubled or trebled, or. as
the alternative, the wheels Of govern
ment will stop, the schools and charita-
bic institutions Of the State will be
closed, and we shall have chaos and
ruin. The people who are paying taxes
in coupons do so under the selfish be-
lief that enough other people will pay
in money to support the government
and that they can drive a sharp bargain
and save the discount at which they
buy the coupons. Virsinians, will
you he chiselled in this way: These
people are dependent upon you to
support their business. You have this
matter and the practical settlement OF
this troublesome debt question in your
own hands outside Of the courts. Let
the Legislature. before they adjourn,
pass a resolution requiring the Auditor,
on the first day of every month, to
publish in some newspaper in the city
of Richmond. and to have printed in
handbills for general circulation. list
of all corporations, firms, and indl-
viduals who have paid or offered to pay
taxes in coupons during the preceding
month, with the names of the attorneys
representing the same. Let public
meetings be held at once in every city,
town, and county in the State,
and resolutions adopted pledging the
people not to employ any lawyer,
not to insure their property in any in
surance company, and not to buy goods
of anv firm or individual whose name
appears in this list. Let these reSolu-
tons be strictly carried out aud en-
forced, and IN sixty days the coupons
will lose their value the creditors will
be glad to fund under the Riddleberger
bill all the taxpayers will be placed
upon an equality and Virginia will be
saved. MECKLENBURG.
The above proposition to boycott
persons who pay their taxes in coupons
comes from a prominent gentleman.
We have more than once heretofore ex-
pressed our opposition to that PROPOSE
! t;on