The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-12
SUNDAY, JANUARY 1s' 1890.

~ coyrENOR's Iiksl
Governor Mckinney first message
40 the legislature, is according' 70 ."'
etne,s OF things" devoted eAo'u
s,,alv to the subject Of first impor'Su.s
20 this CommonweaIih-our pu0''
debt. e,d.
While the Governor recoi Ll.,''''',.
s.,.n,,sl adherence to the Riddieper-
co. hin and the amendments, he con
csdes that different terms not mate
r;,llv increasing the principal or IN
,.rest might be considered. This opens
ND the question Of what IS "s'ei'1''
The most material concern to tne
state "a 10 obtain a true and genuine
settlement Of tho debt. The 'ca''e"
Riddlsberger settlement IS no settle
ment at all. 1t has only made confusion
worse COMPOUNDED.
II we only owe what u proViaeu ioi
in the Riddloberger bill, the State snou'u
not pay one moro cent-bet'er @uop'
ths sentiment Of the noble South Oaio'
,;n;sn "millions for defense; not one
80, ,or tribute.n But IL we do owe
more than is provided for in the Rid
dl.bsrger bill, we should to the extent
Of our utmost ability. provide for II 10
,he beat way we can agree upon with
our creditors.
This agreement will form the basis oil
.ho only true and genuine settlement
,oss;ble Like the Ephcsians, who
once in great frenzy. "all with one
,o,c. about the space Of two hours
cried out great is Diana OF the Lppe
slams. - so both political parties OF tins
State have for seven years been
,olemnly proclaimipg from platform
and on the hustings, Great IS riddle
bsr0sr and his bill, and the Riddle
bsrger settlement is a settlement
These declarations would be regarded
only as the tricks of politicians II the
subi.ct were not so momentous and the
conseou. sees so serious. The debt thai
WA, really troubling the State has
hardly been touched.
The fourteen millions of o per cent
tax receivable coupon bondswhose sell
executing powers menaced and continue
80 MANAGE the State, remain intact; and
all tho devices Of the State to destroy this
mower have only damned up volume
of coupons which, if get free by DE
cisiou of the Supreme Court may cause
a Johnstown disaster to our treasury
II NAV be, then, commitment 10
party platforms that causes the neglect
of this matter by our legislators Near
tv half the session is over. aud no step
has been taken to relieve the State OF
this danger. II keeping quiet our
selves would quiet the demands OF our
creditors, it would only be question
Of morals whether We should pay OF
not. but they may soon be put in a po'
s;tion to TASK us no odds, and these
coupons. despite Coupon Killer No. l
and Coupon Killer No. ?, and coupon
crusbers in all their shapes, will
Rise again
with twenty mortal murders on '"e''
crowns.
And push us from our Stools.
The motive power of the Riddleber.
ger bill is supposed to have been the
profit made by some Of its promoters
ont of certain classes Of State debt-ths
'black scrip" for instance-whicli
bore no interest, was harmless 10
hurt the state and was Of very small
market value, but which, by the pro-
visions of this wonderful financial
scheme, il was made part of the inter
est-bearing debt Of the State, ana
doubled in market value to the proper
tionate profit Of those patriots who
shared the spoils.
Yet Il has been pretended that the
people Of this State are bound body ana
soul 10 this financial confession of faith
and are to suffer all the evils which
come inevitably. from ignorance and
corruption, and that it is disloyaity to
the Democratic party even to point to
the chasm into which we are all
Democrats and Republicans alike
rushing.
The bondholders again hold out the
olive branch in most consderate terms.
IL in sullen obstinacy We reject the
offer, it will be small comfort to any
yirginian when disaster befalls MS to
know that he had predicted such re-
suit.