Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-04

some other corporations, and . CON.
psrativsly few individuals. They can
never, therefore, become popular; Of
which no better proof can be given than
the last ons--to Wit: That the liquor
dealers Of Richmond, In view Of the
contest with the local-optionists, have
I" Rssolred unanimously" not to pay
their taxes in coupons nor to encourage
those who do--an example which will
no doubt be followed by the temperance
leagues.
But still other considerations show
the impolicy Of the payment OF their
taxes IN coupons by the rich, the only
people or class who, ss rule, can use
them The commercial, liquor. and IN
surance licenses are mainly paid BY the
cities and q those interests are the
main users of coupons, any addition
they make to taxation will be laid on
them, and on incomes /; which latter,
| amounting now to only ga, 1886 for
the whole State, Is an evidence Of fraud,
and tempts to . more searching mode Of
getting at their exact amount. And
| this will persuade the cities to stop the
purchase of coupons.
Another persuasive operating in
| the same direction is the certainty Of .
change in the principles Of taxation as
established BY the present Constitution
il the coupons continue to disturb the
| State.
Now Constitution, Article X. Sec
ton 81 real and personal property is
taxed in proportion to its value. But
! it will be very easy to change that in
| the Constitutional Convention which is
| to meet in 1888, and tax by an ascend.
ing scale according to the amount OF
property accumulated. Thus Q man
worth el,OOO may be taxed twenty
cents on the sl00 value; a man worth
$4,000 may be taxed twenty-five cents
on the tl00 value . man worth slO,-
600, thirty cents, and SO on to maxi
mum in the rich mans case Of one or
two Der cent. With such possibility
ahead, the cupidity which seeks to pay
taxes in coupons becomes stupidity
and wise property-holders will knock it
on the head.
The bondholders think that Virginia
is at the end of her resources in litigs-
ton. Probably they have not heard Of
the late decision Of the Court Of APP
pesls that the education fund has, un.
der the Constitution, prior right over
coupons in tax collections thus open
ing every present Office judgment to a
revision. And they cannot be aware OF
several acts passed by the late Legisla-
ture. OF these some change the laws
in certain important particulars--of
evidence and practice-which the Fede-
raj courts must accept or usurpingly
override others are intended to punish
the lawyers and real estate agents-who
now cause nearly all our trouble by
illegal solicitation Of taxpayers to use
coupons in payment Of tsxes-the law.
ysrs by disbarring them, the real estate
agents by fine and imprisonment; also,
an act to indemnify any officer of the
State charged with the duty Of collect,
ing or settling taxes for any loss OF
damage accruing to him as the result OF
his efforts to collect the taxes under
which act several parties have already
been relieved.
But il is not remarkable that the
bondholders know none Of these things
or foolishly disregard them. Their
conduct herein is of q piece with the
folly which has characterized all else
they have done and is but another
proof that avarice is often cunning bu,
rarely wise. 1t shows that in theil
pursuit of law they have lost sight o.
the fact that the assent Of the people
upon whom they rely to enforce it il
necessary to make it operative by theil
voluntary purchase Of coupons; tina
in charging US with dishonor they bu
revive our indignant recollections o
their own corrupt methods in 1871
that in appealing to the covetousness o
some of our people they ignore tn
tried patriotism Of the rest; that II
threatening us with the judgments o
the Federal courts they but arouse GU
manhood and our State allie
glance; that in Boosting that tn
decisions of these courts impart valu
to their coupons which the State j
powerless to take away they show al
utter ignorance of the public opinion o
the State. The latest proof Of thei
ignorance, or, more foolish still, thei
disregard Of this public opinion, is foun
in the suit they ordered on the Goth in
slant against Morton Marye, Audito
of Public Accounts Frank G. Rufiin
Second Auditor; A. w. Hartman, Tres
, surer Of the Commonwealth r. A
: Ayers, Atterney-General II. W
\ Flournoy, Secretary Of the Common
, wealth; Seaton G. Tinsley, Deput
. Treasurer Of Richmond city; WyndhaI
{ +. Meredith, Assistant Commonwealth
: Attorney magistrate Of this city an
, one of its police officers. These d.
. PENDANTS are all officers of the Govern
( ment or of the law; some Of them ha
r officially approved, others had ordered
, and the rest had executed an order
= arrest on Q Philadelphia salesman, al
r cording to the provisions Of the law
. and the decisions Of the Federal cour
J At the instigation of the bondholder'
} LAWYERS, and under their constructio
Of the laws, the man was endeavoring
r avoid the payment Of tax which OF
r citizens had paid, and was competin
with them in selling goods. And whel
/ in Justice to them, he is stopped in tn
endeavor, he impudently defies the Sta
, and seeks to intimidate its officers by
! sham suit for 100000.
. Nobody here supposes that all II
Federal courts in the world could get
jury-they cannot pack them now--s
Z ignorant and spiritless as to obey il
! structions to find verdict against an
:. officer Of the State who they know hi
only done his duty. Though the bone
! holders rather think they have execute
> q sharp stroke of policy, the best-iI
formed people here see that they have onl
brought contempt on themselves an
ridicule and odium on their lawyers on
their lawyers tools, and have adde
: to the strength and growth Of the fee
ing, already strong and growing, whc
demands the reputation Of the who'll
both principal and coupons, of the col