The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-11-13
"wHo HE Is,o
"The Kicker" Has Something to Say on
the Delinquent Tax Question.

the Delinquent Tax Question.
In The Times of Tuesday THE
Kicker" had something TO say concern
ing the Infamous tax law" W so
dubbed by Il certain paper in the town
that wanted the contract for advertising
the uelinquent property and wanted it so
bad that they even suggested to one of
the Land erabters" that they stood in
with the officials and if he would agree
to give them the advertising that they
would see that there would be plain sail
ing all the way through for "the grab
ber.''
Now there is no use for the people to
get "huffy" because one or two or three
of the officials expressed themselves as
being Of the opinion that the law WAS all
right and only needed to be amended so
ss to give notice to the present occupants
of the property. not owners, as the prop
erty is owned by the State. If the taxes
properly belong to the State, and taxes
are just debts, they should be paid, and
the State In order TO make taxation an
equitable affair should collect every dol
lar due. IL all delinuunt taxes in Vir-
ginia were in the State tTcasurY,it would
not be such han dship on the people who
are compelled to pay a.highe- tax rate in
order to support our State institutions
and tree schools.
There is no question hut that the la-r
has two sides, and while it has had the
effect tc excite the people of Roauok
perhaps justly, it will cause many people
to go 10 work and clear up the titles to
their property. They will get it out of
the hands OF the State and secure titles
that cannot be questioned, but before
they can do this they will have to pay the
amount due the commonwealth.
With hundreds and hundreds of pieces
of property in Roanoke being owned by
the State for taxes. and private individ-
ualS believing the property theirs, it
seems to be matter of impossihility in
purchasing any Of this property fer the
seller to give n warranty deed TO the
buyer. Doubtless hundreds of pieces of
delinquent property in Roanoke have
been sold with Il guarantee of title. If
the party selling is responsible, the pur-
chase money can br recovered, but many
of the Roanoke boomers vino gave
such deeds, never paid any taxes and are
to- day themselves penniless. The people
of Roanoke ought to he glad that some
thing has occurred TO cause general
clearing up of this;condition so far as it
affects their property.
Now so far as,the kickers'. knitting any
official who dared to speak in favor of
the law, the original "Kicker' will say
that the officials who t-any time. since
the matter has been under consideration,
have made any comment on the law, did
so from the standpoint that taxes are
honest obligations and should be paid,
and they scarcely took into consideration
the fact that local land grabbers who
were supposed to know the situation
should 90 to work quietly and file on
peoples homes with the full intention of
securing title to the property by the
payment of mere song. and thus. like Il
thief in the night, steal ahonle which
man has been led to believe his own, but
which is actually the property of the
State. The law provides that thirty days
notice shall be given and in this time the
former owner OF the property prior to the
ownership by the State can redeem it by
the payment of the taxes justly due the
com IN onWealth.
The laws of the State are wise AMI in
order to tide over just such emergencies
they vest corporation judge with almost
unlimited power, AS in the case of Judge
Woods omnibus order. The'facts are that
certain officials have spoken favorably of
the law, but this was done at a time when
bit ilding and loan associations were pour.
ing money into the city treasury by the
thousands of dollars and thus swelling
the Golfers Of the State and city. Since
public opinion has been wrought up 10
such u pitch, these gentlemen may have
seen proper to change their minds re-
parding the law, and as the ''Kicker" has
not had an opportunity within the pres
ent period of "deling uent tax. scare" to
learn their views of the matter from
present circumstances, he deems t proper