Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-08-17
FRIDAY MORNING, AUG. IL. 1894
THE COUNTY EXPENSES

pie pay into the treasury for county purposes
including criminal expenses? We think she
does. An analysis of her expenditures fol-
lows:
Roads. .S14 $40 81
Schools 40, $50 80
Sheep fund from dog tax ........-....... 1916 so
Criminal expenses, say.....--......--... 5000 90
County levy 34.5l0 %
Total .......... ...................S9 SOL, 593 AZ
No fault can be found with the road, school,
sheep and criminal expenses. We would all
be glad to see more money spent ON roads and
schools The criminal expenses are not
heavy as Augusta is a peaceable, lawabid-
ing county. The county levy is the only fund
that is by any possibility open to attack.
From this fund are paid salaries, expenses OF
the poor, contingent expenses, keeping up
and erecting county buildings, bridges, MAX
ing new roads or extensive improvements in
old roads.
Summing up, we will say that the county
of Augusta pays in taxes the sum of $780,
:,61 So of which So, 76SO6 60 to the State for
purely State purposes, and S97, 595. 49 are spent
on the county for strictly county purposes.
1t is very likely true that no county in North
Carolina pays so much tax, and it is also very
doubtful whether any county in North Caro-
lima spends as much in proportion on roads,
schools, and taking care of the poor, as Au-
gusta county, all of which is to the credit of
Augusta county, assuming that the money is
we'll spent.
AS we understand Mr. Withers' conten-
ton, it is that the system of county gov
eminent inflicted On the people OF our State
by the Underwood Constitution is itself
extravagant and oppressive; that it is like
the 81 sent to missions in foreign lands
which, in early days, took IS to get it there.
He claims that much Of the road fund is
used to pay unnecessary official expenses;
that much of the school fund goes the same
way; that the system OF criminal expenses
is extravagant; that, in short, there are
four men to do what one man ought to do.
From our cotemporary7s showing the per
capita tax of Augusta is over $$4, and
of this 81 over IS is for county expenses
OF the county expenses in North Carolina
we are in no situation to speak from per
sonal knowledge, but the comparative state
ment of the taxation in one OF two coun-
ties of equal size and wealth in the two
States, made 10y Mr.. WitLers and already
published, has attracted attention by the
disparity in favor OF North Carolina. In
the matter Of roads and schools the cOun-
ties of that State are far ahead of their old
reputation in that respect, and i'll Nj
Withers opinion are not behind similar
counties in Virginia. Like the News we
would be glad to see more money spent on
the roads and schools Of Augusta, but that
is not the question just now; the question
is how much those Who have to pay the
taxes in Augusta are able TO bear in that
behalf.
1t seems to us to be simply a question of
whether we in Virginia are not wearing a
larger and more costly suit Of New York
clothes than we are able to pay for. It was
the lot of this writer to hear the whole dis
cnssion in The Underwood constitutional
convention over the county system. 1t
was yehemently opposed 10y the few Demo
llCutUCAO VI GiIstp pOly lIOlil liiS
counties. but WAS adopted over their pro.
test. 1t WAS the system provided for New
Y ork by its State constitutions State
which, when the Underwood constitution
was adopted, had Il population Of 1882, 759
to Virginia's population of ], 225. 1853. 1t
sounds strange to write it at this day, but
the school system Of Virginia with its
manifold boards and officers was adopted
without change from the New Y DIRK system
largely through the persistent efforts of a
colored member Of that convention named
"Specs" Hodges from Norfolk, who had
held a position Of school trustee in New
York, and was looked Up to in that remark
able legislative body us sort Of authority
on the subject. And yet the school popu-
lation Of New Y ork at that time was
] PAT 900 to Virginia's 414.000.
With what we have read Of Mr.. Withers
figures, and with what little weknow from
other sources we cannot resist the convic-
ton that there is room for retrenchment
somewhere. We do not pretend to suf1i-
Gent knowledge Of the matter ourselves TO
say where. 1t is matter for the people of
each county to look into for themselves.
and we are glad to see that in this county
the Fishersville Farmers Club has appoint
ed a committee to gather some information
on the subject. We shall look to its report
with interest. AS fer the State at large, as
far as we can gather from its press, the
people earnestly desire more simple and less
expensive court procedure, and u simpler
and less expensive plan of county govern
ment, and to secure these they are rapidly
coming to the conclusion that even so ex-
pensive a remedy as constitutional CON
vention would be cheap if it secured what
they want.
DEMOCRATIC DUTY NOW.
H..