Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-18

Tor coupons under the act Of February
- fs1e and 81 afrcafages Of interest.
amounting to Second Auditors estimated
fo,si disbursements for 1874. sc5s .s z
Less two Items Just noted.....s - -. y
Total disbursements during 1875 - 'e4ssso 70
Less three items noted aDovs
as charged to interest account
Interest to Board Of
Public works........1 M,m S d ~
Coupons for tnxes.... fe6.ssS w
One years interest ~
on manuscript bond. 31.'H ~
Total three extra items. ........s em.ns 70
Deduct from total amount paid
out in lSs3, and leaves reguiar. :. a. a, a.
charges and expenses. ia; :s''|@1's's -
Increase Of expenses In 1877 a. a.. az, =,
The following Items explain the In
crease: In.
Criminal charges. =. :. So, os2 So, 552 G?51
General Assembly 20 1'S sa T S 3 s,s
Pensions :......:....... lw,'Vo "'i~ iS'o''
Oyster and fund mea- ,,o,s ,s,s, ,sms
r; sures S;iid;nc S sss% ss.ss iSsoi
NOTfc--The cents In the above columns
have been omitted.
And the following item. which IL hardly
a normal or usual expense, to Wit:
Amount turned over TO the Commission
ers Of the Sinking Fund to purchase
bonds" 100000
There are several items showing de-
crease, the largest being the public school
appropriation, from $9il, 1856 In 1888 to
500 7l5.09 In 1894, being a decrease OF w.
223.
Now, take from the disbursements OF
both years the arrearages or interest.
amount paid To coupons, and all interest
over and above the normal amount,
and deduct in addition from the disburse-
ments for 1891 the amount turned over
to the Commissioners OF the Sinking Fund
with which to buy bonds. and We will
have the actual normal expenses OF 1894
exceeding those OF 1893 by $ii4. con-
fronted by a decrease for the same
time of s22o.l75.SS In the States income.
Consider the great shrinkage In value
OF property. the fact that from all over
the State comes the cry that the new as
sessment Is showing heavy depreciation
in and around Danville running from Is
per cent. to 50 Is per cent, Neapolis alone
excepted; consider further that the State
derives a revenue OF about $4,000 from
its taxes on real estate, and that de-
crease in valuation OF 20 per cent. in
realty, which, I believe. Is low esti-
mate. means loss in revenue of about
$4,000 alone. without considering other
certain losses, and then let us see what
confronts us. There is hardly reason
able prospect OF any material decrease
in State expenses. Interest on the State
debt, appropriations to schools, colleges,
asylums, penitentiary pensions, etc., ex-
penses of State Government, courts, Of
ficers. and criminal charges fasten upon
the State fixed expenses exceeding $780,
0o1. which will absorb all the revenues
and more than can be raised under the
present rate OF taxation.
Politicians. leaders, and Taxpayers may
as well confront the situation, which is
a deficit or an increase In taxation.
a deficit means default In paying in
terest on the State debt, that means
that the already uncertain credit of the
State will 20 completely to the wall, and
that the debt question, that hideous spec
tire of Virginia politics. will again loom
up to confuse and confound our politics
and our people.
An increase Of taxaton--in the present
state of commercial and financial depres-
sion-means storm OF Indignation and
a perfect howl of rage against the party
that dares attempt 1t, after which the
deuge.
Is not the Democratic party of vir-
gnla running full tilt against one or
both of these rocks?
win its leaders permit relief to be
given? EUGENE WITHERS.