Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-25
LETTER FROM COLONEL RUFFIN.
The Bill to Separate the Taxes of Whites
and Blacks.


in your issue Of Sunday morning. as also
in the Times OF same date, it is stated that
a delegation of commissioners and trea-
surers from several counties, including
Mr.. Il. i. MUmfoTd, Commissioner Of the
CITY Of Richmond. and Messrs. Childrcy
and Craig, Treasurer and Assistant Trea-
surer of the city. called on the Governor
and asked hnn 60 veto the bill introduced
in the Senate by Dr. Dunn, Of Mbemarie,
ana now aWaitia. the Governors sig
nature). winch provides mat the
commissioners Of each city and county
shall make ont his land-b0Oks ~ such form
as the Auditor of Public Accounts may
prescribe and in two books III one of which
be shall place all white persons charged
with taxes on real estate. ana IN the other
all cOlOred persons so charged, so that the
Auditor NAV readily ascertain the exact
amount paid by the whites as compared
with the taxes Of the negroes.
The idea that the execution of this law
will produce ian extra amount of labor f9r
which they would get no pay and would
be "a great hardship on the officers
charged with tins work" too arduous for
them TO bear" is a mistake
The bill does not impose one particle of
additional work or other expense on the
State or the officer. The work now put in
one book is to be put in t,ro--that is all.
In Georgia the exact taxes paid by the
whites and blacks separately are ascer-
tanned by the same class of officers and
without any trouble or complaint that |
have heard of. There is no law that re-
quires il. but il is done without difficulty.
as | understand from the following letter
from the Comptroller-G General of that
State:
In reply to yours of the 10Th instant
beg to say shat we have no law which Ie-
quires US TO separate the property of the
whites from the cOlOred. | simply instruct
our tax assessors, or receivers of tax re-
turns of the various counties of the State,
TO place the property OF each IN different
part of their tax digests. and furnish them
blanks on which to enter their returns:
and when every county has sent in their
books Of taxable property have these re-
turns aggregated, keeping each separate III
the aggregation.
Yours truly, WILLIAM A. WRIGHT,
Comptroller"
So that there is less labor required here
than in Georgia. 1t was suggested to the
Auditor to issue similar orders here, but he
doubted his authority and the willingness
| of the officers TO comply with the request
! even TO the extent of marking the color OF
! the taxpayer against mis- name. And az 1t
would take several clerks to separate black
| from white in his office under the old sys-
| tenn, il was thought better TO change II
and get the bill in its present form enacted
| into law. On the score OF cost, then,
| there is no reason for veto Of the bill.
But am free II say that if there lcGS an
| increase of labor (Which of course ought to
| be paid when its amount and value Is as
| certained) the facts sought should be OBJ
tanned. For it is desirable on every ac-
| count that the white people both North
I and South should know what proportion
of white mems taxes 60 TO the support of
negro lunatics and negro schools and col
| lcges. Assuming, "a | lately did, the pro
| portion of Virginia's philanthropy wasted
| ON negroes was S3M per cent. III the matter
| Of education, cOrrobOrative inquiry has
| already disclosed TO me that Georgia pays
| % per cent. South Carolina 90 per cent,
| and Louisiana " per cent. to the same OBJ
| ject. When we know exactly what we
! pay to the negroes, then We will know
| better how far we will be authorized to
continue this folly of paying what we now
pay to educate black race who vote
unanimously against us at all elections,
and what amount of money we can spare
for other purposes connected with our
own welfare and with the reform of negro
abuses. For instance. We now know that
the expenditure of $40 600 per annum IN
the negro college at Petersburg under the
direction of negro trustees Is "a waste OF
money, and that 1t is the part of wisdom
to shut it up as a college and convert 1t
into an additional asylum for the negro
lunatics, who now need shelter and mantle
nance TO the estimated expense of $50, 600
per annum. And We know many other
things not necessary to be disclosed here.
lit is quite a mystery" says hereportor
for the Times, lit IS quite mystory TO
some how this bill was gotten through the
Legislature. The most careful OF the men,
bers of the House when approached on the
subject failed to remember anything about
the bill when it passed that body. Few of
the senators knew anything about IT,"
The mystery is easily explained. Very
early in the session. in a consultation with
Hon. John Z. Massey, the Superintendent
OF Public Instruction. on the propriety Of
of the action prescribed by this law. found
that we were agreed Then we sought
Hon. Thomas NJ. Dunn, senator from Abe
marie, who being man of intelligence,
sagacity. and energy, had not the least diff
ficulty in getting IL reported and passed
through that body unanimously, the only
delay beng occasioned by his sickness.
Then il went to the House and TO their
Committee on Finance, by whom 1t was
unanimously reported. and then II passed
through the House. the rule being sus-
pended for that purpose. Mem. con.
l think If there is any blame for tins 10
be attached TO anybody it rests on me. and
/ court the blame and the responsibility of
every law which tends to let white men
know how much of their money ~ squan-
dered on negroes in the State of Virginia.
l am satisfied that if any of the present
commissioners find the duties of this bill
too arduous TO be borne that there ara
Others who will be only too happy to re-
heye them OF the burden.
FRANK G.. RUFFIN.