Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-18
wEDNEsDAY-..AUGUsT is, 1886.
Taxes in Instalments.

1t has for many years been the prisi-
lsge Of the taxpayers Of this city to pay
their taxes in instruments. They there
fore know by experience how much
easier it is TO pay taxes in that way
than to pay them all at one time. They
pay half in June and the other half in
December. They thus have an oppor-
tuniiy to save the money needed for
that purpose with much less incon-
vepience TO themselves than would re-
suit from being compelled to pay it all
at once.
II Is, we repeat, q privilege to be
thus allowed to bear half the burthen
of taxation in June, and the other half
in December. And it is not simply the
largest taxpayers who feel this to be
privilege, but the smaller ones. The
men who pay from ten to q hundred
dollars are those who are most sensible
OF the difference between paying large
sum and small one. Mr.. LINCoLNis
reported to have said in one Of his an
pual messages to Congress that it was
easier to pay small sum than large
one. lie was clearly in the right.
There would be larger number of de-
hnquents in Richmond if the taxpayers
were forced to pay all their taxes in one
payment, whether in June or December. |
We cannot understand, therefore, why
the e.'uDtry taxpayers would not be
pleased ifthey we're allowed to pay their
taxes in instruments. Surely our law
makers must know that ready money is
much scsrcer in the rural districts than
in the cities. Why, then, would it not
be q popular measure, rather than an
unpopular measure, to allow the tax.
payers to pay their taxes in four in
s,alments? BY making the taxes fall
due four times year, and forbidding
two tsx-bills to be consolidated, the
number Of taxpayers who could use
coupons in the payment Of their
taxes would be SO reduced that
the coupon.speculators would soon
lind that their occupation was
gone. 1t would be q more efficacious
method Of circumventing them than is
found in the present practice OF indem-
nifying collectors out Of the State Trea-
sury, and, we might add, would be
cheaper method. We do not think it
ought to cost the State moro than a
hundred thousand dollars extra, at the
outside limit, to collect her revenues 10
four instruments. We can recall, the
time when the sherifIs used to visit the ,
lax. payers at their homes and collect
taxes in that way without inconvenience
10 the taxpayer.
The delinquentlist would be re- q
iuced. Many man would consider Q
himself able to pay two or five dollars !
per quarter who would not even try to ;
pay eight or twenty dollars at once G
until and unless compelled to pay it as a
means Of saving his property from 4
The hammer. Long lists of lands de- !,
linquent for taxes would become o =
hing Of the past.
We advocate this measure as one that r
will relieve the Commonwealth from L
he coupon evil, and cause the bond G
holders TO fund under the RIDDLE. u
BERGER bill. If it cost a hundred +
thousand dollars or more for few v
Tears, or put the taxpayers to a little q
Extra trouble. IL ought to be resorted
% because Of the exceeding desirable u
less Of its final outcome. But if it
hould cost less than the present sys-
EN-, and would accommodate rather c,
han Inconvenience the taxpayers, our +"
Aw-makers would be guilty of gross 5
'lunder, not to say crime, il they 81
hould fail to give the Commonwealth .
he benefit Of it. nj