Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-09

VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA


VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA.
In the following letter friend of ours
questions some of the statements that
the Dispatch recently made as 10 the
comparative expenses Of the state Gov
ernments" of Virginia and North Caro-
Iina-with what result our readers will
see in the comments following his criti-
cisms:
Houston, Halifax Co., Va, May Z, 1897.
TO the Editor of the Dispatch:
I have watched with considerable in
terest your various articles on a consti-
tut.onal convention. In your issue Of
May 9Th You publish a comparative state
ynent Of the expenses Of Virginia and
North Carolina. In this statement you
say: For instance, We find that North
Carolina pays annually as interest upon
her public debt. s297, e62. while Virginia
pays 100000. Here is saving OF over
$4,000 a year."
l agree with you as TO the inexpedi-
ency of holding a constitutional conven-
ton. and therefore am anxious for the
people to know exactly why our expenses
are greater than the expenses of North
Carolina. Pardon me for saying the
above quoted statement is misleading
If you win examine the report of the
Auditor of Virginia for 1896 you Will find.
on page 6. In his statement of disburse-
ments. that Virginia paid
Interest on public debt 1867, S3i 81
Interest on bonds held by insti-
tutions Of learning. 1881 SO
Total . ................ S7l4.165 CO
If you will examine the report of the
Auditor of North Carolina for 1896. the
same year. you will find on page 1S5, in
his statement of disbursements that
North Carolina paid
Interest on per cent. State debt. 2iS
Interest on per cent. State debt. 1l4SO
Total ........... .........'.......'.Soo o'Vfe
Virginia has no investments, but il ap-
pears that North Carolina has. and doubt
less large portion Of her debt was
created in making these investments.
IL you Will examine the report Of the
Auditor of North Carolina for 1896, you
will find on page 1sS. in his statement
Of receipts the following items-viz:
Atlantic and North Carolina rail-
road dividends, per cent........$ q, 800
North Carolina railroad dividend. 1875 ,01S
Total ............ ..................s-zo,oio
Now. as this dividend is received from
nm Investment Of the State bonds, you
should deduct the profits of the invest
ment from the interest paid on the bond
I'd debt Of the State, and thus show what
amount OF interest on the State debt is
paid by a taxation of the people. DO
ibis-i e. deduct amount of dividend
fs220.si5). from interest paid CsSO50iSe, and
II leaves oray sS4 703 TO be raised by a
taxation OF the people.
think there are other investments
which would reduce It still further. while
,yery cent OF the $7l4.165e6 paid by Vir-
rjnia Is raised by taxation.
Your statement as TO the school tax Is
entirely wrong. See Virginia Auditors
report for 1886. pages 5-S. and you will
md that Virginia pays to
Horticultural and Mechanical
College ........ .................s zl'ooo ~
r~o,ored Normal School ........ 1900 %
TarmvI,le -. .............. 1880 On
Medical College ....... 80. 500 On
Public schools .......... so5,5ol 90
University OF Virginia 1888 80
virginia Military Institute 1880 90
Virginia Agricultural and Me-
ehanical College ...... ........ 15,ooo 90
wi,iam and Mary College $50. 1900 90
ai Alto for literary funds 49,. $500 IS
Total ........ ................ i,l74,020 50
Less United States appropria-
ton ........ .......... .......... Zi,t56 o1
Leaving ......... ..............H. 152, S6 Is
See North Carolina Auditors report for
1896. pages 1856, and you will find that
she pays
s Normal schools ....... .6Sl 70
North Carolina College Raleigh). 5000 90
North Carolina College Greens
bOro'...... ...... ................... LOW w
State Normal (Greensboro) $500. 1860 90
University OF North Carolina
Chapel HID ........ ............ D,po 10
United States governmental APP
rppriations--Agri and
Mechanical College and North
Carolina Experiment Station. $1,000 90
North Carolina Penitentiary Sum
day school .......... .............. 70 co
slls,7i1 70
Less United States appropria-
lions ........ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1900 90
$s1.7l1 70
In your article OF May 9th you mention
q school tax OF Is cents on the 500 levied
in North Carolina. and ] suppose from
that you make up an aggregate Of ST.
o1852S expended Ia North Carolina for
educational purposes. while you overlook
The fact. and do not mention, that in
every county and In every corporation in
9he State Of Virginia there Is school
tan levied IN addition 10 the items have
! Q@}171Rerafe1 above. The taxes levied for
4 ~ fcheol purposes 10 Virginia are a.
%. & @5<1'| (, I ~ +. s. ~ ~ Il