Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-06
Coupon Spectators.

We learn from the Fredericksburg
Star that at the special term of the
CORPORATION Court Of that city which
was held last Thursday for the purpose
of granting licenses to merchants and
others, all the merchants paid their
license taxes in money except MA
1RATH & CHEsLEY and S. HIRsH &
BROTHER, and that only the following
ljouor-dealers rendered coupons--name-
". p. McCRAcKEN & BROTHER, @.
b. LUCK, j. w. COLBERT, SILAs Il.
HAIsLrP, A. A. COLBERT & Bro
THEIR, L. F. SToFFREGAN, EDWARD
BRIAN, ULMAN BROTHERS, NJ. Nc
CRACKEN, and JOHN NJ. GRIFFIN.
The Star says:
"No lawyer in Fredericksburg was
willing to represent those who rendered
coupons, and Mr.. Terrence McOracken
was selected by the couponists to 60 to
Richmond and secure counsel, which he
did,"
The Court refused to grant license
to these rendering coupons, and upon
application of counsel for the petition
ers the following order was entered in
each case
"Nevertheless the Court being OF opinion
that u has no right TO grant the applicant
-. fat aA R.na I'm ln
has not complied with the law by producing
the Treasurer's receipt for his license.
having paid as prescribed. and that
for that reason alone doth refuse to grant
him said license"
Notwithstanding the refusal of the
Court to grant the license, all the par
ties who rendered coupons are going
on with their business. Ofcourse they
will all be indicted at the next grand
jury term Of the Corporation Court for
doing business without license.
II those who have rendered coupons
in this place in payment of the license
tax had intimated before the election
that they would do so, the "drys"
would have carried the election in their
favor. Every man who has rendered
coupons voted the "wet" ticket. Not
. single man that voted the dry"
ticket has rendered coupons.
Those gentlemen who offered to pay
their taxes in coupons had not fully
considered the subject. They had look
ed at only one side Of the question, and
finding, as they supposed, that they
had legal right to pay their taxes in
coupons, they did not stop to inquire
whether or not they had moral right
to do so.
The Constitution Of Virginia pro-
vides that taxation shall be equal and
uniform. Is it equal and uniform taxa
ton to allow one man to pay only forty
dollars for a license for which other
men pay hundred dollars9 The last
Legislature seriously pondsred the
proposition to provide by law that
licenses should be issued for only six
months, the intention being that the
Legislature should reassemble at or be-
fore the end of that period and, if the
licenses had been paid in coupons, fix
the license-tax for the last six months
Of the year at double the price charged
for the first half Of the year. There
is no doubt whatever as to the power
of the General Assembly to pass just
such law. The bill was not report
ed-we suppose because it was under
stood that but few merchants, liquor
dealers, or others, would try to pay
their taxes In coupons.
Certainly the licensed classes will be
taxed to make up for any deficit in the
Treasury which may result from paying
taxes in coupons. Such deficit will
not be caused by the landowners nor
small taxpayers. The Constitution
expressly provides that the Legislature
may levy taxes upon incomes over 5000,
upon licenses Of all sorts, and upon
cal other business rhich cannot be
reached By the ad ralorem system"
The men who pay their taxes in cou-
pons, therefore, may rest assured that
they are only laying up for themselves
store OF future trouble. If they can
not be reached by the ad ralorem
system-that is, the system under
which every man pays taxes in proper
ton TO the value Of his property--thsy
can be reached under the section from
which We have just quoted.
As to the moral right to pay taxes in
coupons, let it be remembered that the
man who does so expects to profit by
his neighbours patriotism. The coupon
payer contributes not one cent that
goes into the Treasury Of the Common
wealth. Heputs the expense OF keeping
up the public schools In which his chill.
dren are educated entirely upon other
men. lie puts the expense Of protect
ing bis own property entirely upon other
men. He makes them pay for support
ing the courts Of justice, for providing
for the education Of the deaf and dumb
and the blind, for caring for lunatics,
and for sustaining our State institu.
tions Of higher learning. lie makes
them pay for passing the very law un-
der which hs obtains his license. In
word, be throws the whole burden Of
government upon the shoulders Of other
men, and men, too, nine-tsntas of whom
ere less able to contribute to it's sup
port than be IL. In view Of these
facts, what becomes Of the moral right