Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-01

Coal aud coke.......... 9,i5O i,l45l3i
The Increase for tho last year alone has
been Is per cent. in iron and iron ores and
Al per cent. In COAL
Nearly II not quite all the capital to start
and sustain these enterprises has been con-
tributed from the North and from Europe;
and rs in the last three sessions OF the Legis-
laturo eighty.three railroad charters have
been granted, II looks MS II u was thought
that plenty more capital could be obtained
from the same quarter.
Not having time TO give more facts in this
line I refer Mr. Andrews 10 the report OF
General John y. Imboden, made TO Colonel
William +. Svitzler. chief of the Bureau OF
Statistics. Internal Commerce Of the United
States, 1SSG-pp. 3, 2l3. In that be will
find In ample detail the Information he needs
so badly II he Is able 10 assmilate 1t and
willing TO do justice he will admit that the
development OF Virginia. at least, is not
"faeagre," and that there has been no "re-
pusion Of capital" from what he ignoraDtly
or wIfully cali. "the disregard OK public
contracts"
THE sTOCK.J0BBER's SUGGESTION.
fG) Why then not settle the debt according
IN The STOCKHOLDERS suggestionI Here
again shall have 20 eulighlen the ignorance
OF Nr. Andrews and Others OF his kidney.
The effort 10 pay tue interest accrung under
the acts OF 1871 and 1879 by receiving cOu-
pOns In lieu OF taxes had resulted disas-
trously. In eight years the funds OF the
Stste had been reduced from surplus OF
S1,Sl6.000 TO deficit OF 50 $780, 1891 I'M
der tax OF 80 cents on the SlO0-iust double
that assessed on the state OF New York. II
had been declared by both parties and by the
houdhoIders lin the preamble 10 the act Of
1870 that no increase OF taxes could be
borne; ADD the party then In power passed
the RiddlebeIger bill in 1882. In 1888 the
other party formally committed Itself TO the
same bill. Since then both parties have often
declared by unanimous resolutions OF Stete
conventions and Joint resolutions Of thelr
legislatures that this oil was the ultlmatun
Of the State. Aud woe 10 the politician who
shal attempt 10 betray the people by VIC"
latiOn OF that engagement. IL were better
for him that milestone were banged about
his neck and that he were drowned in the
depths Of the sea.
For the two parties TO the agreement were
and are ia dead earnest; though from dlne-
rent motives. One party, ana majority OF
the people, hold that the State was absolvcd
from all public de6t by the robberes Of the
war-that the only obligation Is that one
vaguely expressed by section 10, Article X, OF
the present Constitution, which was adopted
under duress; aud that Is an obligation which
constitutional amendment can release.
This class Of people do not plead poverty.
II Virginia were worth ten tunes her present
estate they woud not pay one cent more
than the Riddleberger bill calls for. Were
It not for the compromise among ourselves
they would not pay that; but would remit
tue claimants 10 those who despoiled the
state, then saddled fraud upon 1t by
bribing Legislature, and now denounce 1t
as a swindler because 1t refuses to be swim
died.
The other paTty-some moved by senti-
mert, some by what they suppose is ex-
pediency. some by that conservative feeling
which submits TO wrong 70 escape obloquv-
these would be willing to pay more. But
they know it cannot be done without an In.
crease OF taxation. as shown by the follow
ing figures from the Office OF the Auditor OF
Public Accounts:
No !.
ASSESSED VALUE or REAL ESTATE FOR THE YEARS
1871 AM 1885