The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-02

return for the money paid out These
evils should be remcdied by the con.
solidation OF Offices and where con.
stitutional difficulties are in the way
the places should only be filled tenn
porarily, and the most speedy course
possible taken to remove these diff
culties. To this end hope the Legis.
lature will appoint A Joint commit.
ice OF Its own members, or a commits.
sion outside If deemed more desira BIZ
20 take into consideration the whole
question OF constitutional changes. and
get a report before the close of the
present session, If possible. This. II
seems to me, would be the speediest
ana surest way to settle the question
OF securing suitable constitution.
l hope the Legislature will press the
measures, which l balievc ar. now he
ing considered TO secure fuller returns
OIL personal property for taxation The
total real estate values of the Stale are
1904, 20i,50o. while the value of all per.
sonal property is only shown to be
S9i,3iO DIG. There ought not to be 50
great discrepancy. The personal prom.
erty FalueS ought 20 be something like
equal TO the value OF the real estate
1hiS comes from failure on the mart
CT many holding obligations Of debt
ana ether securities to make propcr 70
turns Frequently it is developed that
parties bequeathe much larger sums
IMAM they had listed during life for
taxation such requests when the fact
can lie ascertained should have n Tux
placed unon said excess equal to the
collateral Inheritance tax, or enough n
reimburse the State for at least Zen
years OF the tax which it has lost 7
think a very rigid law sh6rld De pass
ca recurring evidences OF debt of all
kihd that Is subject to taxation to he
listed with the proper officers, and not
only should the courts be required not
10 give judgment when the property
nag not been properly listed. hut n
hcaNy penalty and fine should b.. i'm
posed whenever n statement TO derraud
the state in this way is discovered
Would 1t not be well to require n lis.
ing OF all stock in Incorporated comma
mes, ana to pass a law invaljdatinr
the act OF any corporation where Il can
be shown that any OF the stock or se-
curlties on said dcITDany that are prop
or subjects of taxation have not been
iiste" would 1t not be we'll also, in
order to save annoyance to our roOnle.
and that We may be able to nut propfr
restraint upon corporate power. 10 re-
duire, Whch 1t is feasible, all corpora
lions doing business in this State to
op'ain charters from the State?
Lest there be those who think + have
oNerdrawn the picture OF our difficult
ties. ana am inclined 40 be pessimis;jc.
VIII say | am not without an abiding
iairh IN the future. 1t needs but n re-
prospective glance for all to recognize
me wonderful recuperative powers of
our grand old State. Think of her con
aition after the last gun was fired a I
Nppomatto%. Devastated in field and
iofest-a half million of slaves Devil.
acfed by their sudden freedom-au our
hocKs ana herds swept away, moneyless
ana a, without banks. and millions of debt.
She was never grander than when she
Earefl mar bosom and badc her sons dig
deep Tor the hidden treasures the value
OF which, though thirty years have
passed. cannot be estimdted;F for as
yet the search for them Is but in the
dawn: der. primeval forests, withS1ts
varied wood invites the axe Of The
capitalist. Her Wonderful water power
ready for the spindlcs of the, cotton
ana other factories; is eager fof ,iltiliza-
tion, while eager hands weary i from
enforced idleness beckon anxiGusly for