Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-29

q good deal OF merit in II. and il they will
let us reduce the State taxes would give
IT my hearty support. II would help my
own county ana, IN fact, the whole of
Eastern Virginia, except when engaged in
a long and stoutly contested murder case,
which might be specially provided for. II
mag not be uninteresting TO know that in
one county in this State the criminal ex-
peDses ran over the amount of taxes paid
by IL into the State Treasury. and that
there are many others whose criminal ex
penses range from 80 to 75 per cent. Of the
amount paid in.
SONY STARTLING FACTS
81 will call your attention." Mr.. Mason
continued. Ito few facts whi,h show
you the merits of Mr.. Ryan's bill, and why
am in favor OF IL on conditions named
The average assessed value Of land. in
cluding buildings. in Loudoun county is
S23.4J per acre: total value of lands and
buildings. 66,26i criminal expenses.
Si,iI7; total tax on real estate. capitation
tax, personal property, and income tax as
sessed tor the year 1889, $56. 6.5ls.27. The
average assessed value of land, including
buildings. IN Buchanan county il 2s cents
per acre; total value Of same, $293. .424 !;
criminal expenses, S3.G9S.s5; total tax.
SS.5Sl.3i.
The average assessed value of land. in
cluding buildings, in King George, which is
considered poor county, is S7.23 per acre
total valae OF same. $Sl5.37 criminal ex-
penses. S495.73: total tax, $5.2s2.44. The
average assessed value of land, including
buildings, In Dickinson county is SO cents
per acre; total value of same. Slsi,4i9;
criminal expenses. S1,9i3.6O; total tax.
S2,s0s.53 Scott county pays total tax of
ss,q1.5O, and ITS criminal expenses run up
TO Ss0i2.j0. Richmond county Ia small
county, pays total tax of q, 1888; crimi-
nal expenses, S434.2l.
'You will find this differencein counties
all over the State. though not in quite
such an exaggerated form. Those coun-
ties whose tax on real estate is high. and
whose criminal expenses are but small
percentage of their total tax paid, have
some reason to complain of Others whose
criminal expenses are 50 large and whose
tax paid Is SO small.
AGAINST TRUSTS.
Another measure favorably reported
by the Committee on Banks, Currency,
and Internal Commerce (of which | am n
member) and passed by large majority III
the House." remarked Mr.. Mason in con-
clusion, " is bill to regulate trade-in
other words, an antitrust bill. For seve-
raj reasons | regard this rs important It's
introduction, as TAR as | could learn by per-
sOnal interview. was very pleasing to the
farmers. They expressed themselves as
highly gratifed that the Legislature had
taken. up this matter and that its members
were redeeming pledge made by their
party friends. ] have boen informed that
this bill will meet with opposition in tho
Senate, but | trust not. for it can do no
harm TO any one not deserving il. and
know it will do good in the future. l
have been told the same bill has been in
troduced in the New York Legislature
and before its passage i had some corrc-
spOndence with General Roger A. Pryor
with reference to it,, He, said, among
other things. he was highly gratifed TO
know that bis old State was taking the
lead in the matter"
CRIMINAL Expenses
"Of course" said Senator Jones. of
Highland. "the most desirable thing that
the Legislature could do would be the
passage of some measure that would bring
about Il settlement of the public debt, but
az no such measure is pending think
that. rs germane TO that question, in q
certain sense. is the question of the Grim
jnal expenses of the Commonwealth.
These have been increasing numerously
each year. and should be reduced in some
way. The proposition to put the expenses
attending the trial of felonies on the
public treasury and those attending tho
Irlnl. OF 1nlSutUletnOJS On lDt county
treasury, with provision that III all cases
where indictments for felonies are not sus-
tanned Except for the grave ohences), they
shall be treated as misdcmeanors. This
will certainly reduce the expenses in that
direction and leave more money in the
public treasury"
FINANCIAL TOPICS.
"In nv Judgment" said Senator J. T.
Lawless, of Portsmouth, those PROPOSE
tiOns looking TO q reduction in the ex-
ponscs of the government or to an in
crease in the revenues of the State are in
controvertibly the most important to the
people. The depleted state of our finances
should actuate, and / believe does actuate
assemblymen to pursue an economic and
retrenching line of policy at this session OF
the Legislature"
MORE ECONOMY NEEDED.
"The measure which l regard Of the
greatest public importance that will come
before this session of the Legislature"
said Senator II. G.. Peters, of Henry. has
not vet been formulated into bill, but
the matter is being investigated by the
proper committees. IL is the matter touch
ing the criminal expenditures OF the State.
The sentiment of the Legislature seems TO
favor policy that would makeea each county
bear It's own criminal expenses or at least
q greater portion thereof. Thus place
such expenses directly TO the home of the
people. and they would he constantly I'M
der their scrutiny. This would insure
economy and would save TO the State
thousand of dollars annually. A part of
the scheme seems to bc TO pay Common,
wealth's attorneys n fixed salary instead
of compensating through fees as is now the
case. Hero NAV also be change IN the
law governing the number, &C., of juries.
Ii is a very important matter and the le-
gislature cannot do better to reform the