Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-17
VIRGINIA'S EXPENSES
HOW CAN THEY BE SUFFICIENTLY
RETRENCHEDs
ECONOMY VERSUS EzTRAYAGAHCE,
The Editor of the Southern Planter
Outlines His Plan for Meeting the
Increase I'm the Rate OK interest
Upon Our Debt.
0 the Editor Of the Dispatch:

To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
In your editorial remarks on the article
| appearing in this months issue OK the
Southern Planter, in which l took opjec-
ton to your suggestion as TO the neccs-
| sity for an increase Of state taxation,
| in order to meet the increased rate or
! interest on the State debt. you say: viii
It be possible TO economic in expenditure
so as to save $4,000 per annum out OF
the 10000" which. you cay, Is the pres
ent cost OF carrying on tho governmsat
OF the State, beyond the appropriations
for schools, colleges. pensions. and the
care OF the insane1 Answering this ques-
ton. you say: 1--WE much doubt 1t. How
ever, we should DO glad TO knsw that
plan could be framed that would accom-
pllsh that purpose. but so far we have
seen no such plan. II the Planter has
one, It would do the public service by
proposing It In detail"
accept your invitation, though to do
so Is contrary to the advice OF very
eminent European statesman, who. when
once similarly challenged, replied that
would prescribe" / propose to accept
your Invitation, In the first place, In order
TO enter the protest of the farmers OF
Virginia against any increase OF State
taxation as being absolutely unjust and
ruinous to them, and you yourself admit
IL such increased taxation IL laid Oh our
cities and towns 1t will be laid on a
class, "all OF which have now as many
burdens as they can well stand up UNI
der" In the next place / accept your
invitation In order TO demonstrate by the
example OF an adjoining and very similar
State that Ii Is absolutely unnecessary
for the good government OF this State 10
incur so large an annual expenditure as
we now suffer from. much less an increase
OF 1t, and. in the last place, / accept II
In order to denounce system OF taxation
which some years ago. In an article on
the subject, described as barbarous. anti
auated, unjust. and unequal, and which
description / now reiterate and support
by the following opinion just given by
the Hon. d. A. Wells, former onicial
OF the National Government. and one or
the highest economic authorities In this
country and whose high standing and
ability has been recognized by the lead
ing economic societie. OF Europe. Writ
ing on the system Of taxation in force
in this country In the current issue Of
Appletons Magazine. he says:
OUR SYSTEM.
"The outcome of all this is system
which powerfully contributes TO arrest
and hinder natural development,tc corrupt
society. and Is without parallel In any
country claiming to sbe civilized. And In
illustration of this latter point 1t may be
added that Notwithstanding recent dis
Ill l. tn tN1IA h
tect is yet SO unfamiliar to the people
Of the United States that probably nine
out of ten of its best informed and col
iegiate educated citizens. and even mem
beers Of the bar. take II for granted that
the method of assessing and collecting
taxes for local estate and county, ana
municipal purposes Is substantially the
same all the world over, and would be
greatly surprised to find, on investiga-
ton, that the American system is one OF
the things that Is exclusively American,
and SO little esteemed by the people OF
other countries as 10 be for such reasons
strictly non-exportable."
AS an evidence that our system OF taxa
ton Is rightly lightly esteemed by the
other civilized nations OF the world, 1t |
would seem to be sufficient to say that, |
in the opinion OF the best informed |
students OF this subject, probably |
great deal more than 80 per cent OF the |
personal property OF the citizens Of this !
country escapes assessment In some parts |
of the country. A system so defective |
cannot surely commend itself 10 thinking
people. and ono OF the first duties Of any
and every legislative body should be TO
devise or adopt some better method and
system of taxation. The other civilized
nations have already done so. We alone
IND nd oil a iDiuGtipa
in the name and under the sanction OF
law.
At the outset, Mr.. Editor, allow mo
to say that propose to demonstrate the
extrayaeant cost OF our government
without assailing the expenditure on
educational institutions. pensions, and the
care OF the insane. ] DO this whilst not
admitting the strict justice or necessity
Of this outlay. Much OF 1t, probably
all of it, might be justified II the State
was in a condition OF afiiuence.
OUR LIBERALITY.
A man may we'll give literally to his
Church. to charity. and TO other good
objects, but If his family needs the
money for the necessaries OF life, then
such an outlay in charity is wrong and
ought to be stopped. This. / take TO be
very much the condition OF this State. /
mink IL Is open W Bitdt ducolipH |
whether the expenditure on the Univer-
,ity of Virginia and some other higher
educational institutions is defens!ble
inder our present conditions. They are
Institutions for the benefit OF very
mall class of our people, and that class
he best able TO provide for Its own
reeds in the way Of education. In my
Judgment. they largely fail to provide
he kind OF education needed nowadays
O advance the prosperity Of the State,
md II is, therefore. questionable whether
hey should receive State aid at all,
much less when the State is In condi-
ion of poverty. would not hesitate
O cut off these grants rather than in
rease taxation. The State would not
ose anything IL few less lawyers, doe
ors, and parsons were turned out for a
ew years-we have already a super
bundance of them.
In support of my first proposition. that
increased taxation will be ruinous
0 our farmers-nay. that existing taxa
ion is ruinous-let me invite your at
entIon TO the facts as to the value OF
he products of our farmers. The total
er capita production of crops la the
tate L. only s2oS7 for our farming popu-
alton or very little more than 800 per
ear for each family dependent on the
arm for its support. The per capita
alus of the live stock OF all kinds kept
v farmers Is only $17.25. or. $50 for each
amiy. Out of this average production
f,x hoc 20 he |