Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-19

VIRGIN, AND NORTH CAROLINA.

In another column OF TINS ISSUE w
uublish a letter from Mr.. j.. W. Leigh
further discussing the expenses OF Wy
glnia and North Carolina and the DIS
.patch's figures in relation thereto.
Mr.. Leigh and the Dispatch agree in
the belief that it would be unwise LOT
our people 10 order a constitutional con-
vention at this time. We also agree 'h''
much of our present burden Of taxation
it is IN the power Of the LEGISLATURE ana
The county and city authorities 10 re-
move. But Mr.. Leieh heretofore under-
took 70 question the accuracy Of some
OF our statements. though what ne con-
sidered errors were no errors at all lie
was misled by what he believed was an
understatement OF the annual interest
charge of this state. whereas, we hau
explained that IN justice TO TINS COM
monwealth. and 10 show truly what she
g doing for public education. we mad
considered the Kindred thousand dollars
and more annually paid for excess oil
interest on college bonds as a contriou-
,jon TO the cause of education Iathr
than as q part of our regular interest
charge. OF course, no matter where thls
expenditure is entered. the grand 'o'ai
OF our outlay is the same
Mr.. Leigh has been m.sled also iy not
seeing, in the report Of the Auditor OF
Public Accounts any acknowledgment CT
the receiot Of thity-odd thousand dol
lars that the State has annually re-
ce,ved from the Richmond. Frederlcks-
burg and Potomac railroad. As we nm
derstand. the sum in question boiones 10
,he Sinking Fund. ard the receipt OF i
&c acknowledged in the annual report Of
tho commissioners. THO Sinking fund
Commissioners. OF course, apply TINS
fund in aid OF the eytiagushment OF the
principal Of our debt.
Mr.. Leigh wrongly supposeS that We
have underesiimatod what our counties
and cities pay in aid Of public education
A. = matter OF fact, We have made no
estimate OF that at all; hut on the con-
frary. we expressly said that our nsures
related 10 STATE taxation cnly. But il
NAV be said by him that when we COM
parea the Virginia ana North Carolina
expenditures for public education our
comparlson made an erroneous impress
sion. " So that was our misfortune.
We eot from official sources in North
carolina the sum that that State raises
on STATE account for public education
ard from the Capitol here what our
STATE raiges on the same account, and
we put the two side by Side. we know
that ,n Viralnia. counties. cities, ana
.owos are in the habit Of experimenting
the "s,ate fund" by local taxation. and
xVere informed that school districts
An North Carolina had the same privi-
,oce and exercised it. Mr. Leigh now
assures as that if the North CarolihianS
have the same privilege, the fact is that
IA a rule they do not avail themselves
of II. He may be right; we do not know.
All our efforts have heretofore besn con-
fined 20 comparing the state expenses
OF the two States.
Mr.. Leigh dwells upon North Caro-
jira's valuable holdings in railroads. ana
shows chat they almost pay the interest
upon her public debt. Wei and GOOD.
But let US not forget that Virginia has
much larger city population inah
North Carolina and that our cities and
towns furnish much the greater part OK
orr States revenues. thus relieving TIE
agricultural community 70 that extent
This is fact, the existence Of which
IS not recognized half so often CT promi-
nentfy as It ought 10 be-
Taking into consideration state, county.
and city taxes. we have no doubt az az
1sat taxation Is lighter IN North Caro-
lima than In Virginia The census re-
ports show this Mr.. Leigh also states
4. az fact so upon this question we
have no dispute with him at all In
deed we have been working win nm
20 the same end, though upon different
lines.
II actually appears from MI. Leigos
figures that STATE taxation In North
Carolina for school and governmental
purposes IS higher than IN Virginia
tha; U.s. The rate there Is 20 cents upon
the 800. while ours Is 40 cents, but there
tho county and city taxation is very
much lighter than ours
This statement suits our argument ad-
mirably. 1t goes 10 show, what we have
often insisted upon. that 80 far from
needing 10 call Constitutional conven-
tion. merely TO cut down expenses. our
people have the. power TO do that now.
Ia the course OF fea years Virginia