Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-14

| as We were OF opinion that II would be
better for tho delinquent taxpayers to
4 pay the IS penalty than 10 lose their
! lands, for which applications had been
filed to purchase under the old law. and
the bill was passed by the Senate. AZ
| ter the substitute TO Senate bill No. p
had been passed ]. with some difficulty
got the companion bill. No. %. passed
| through the House, and 1t became law.
| also.
THE PENALTY SCHEME.
I might stop here, as this fully. In my
judgment, explains the acdtion OF the
Senate, but, If did,, my position an the
matter might be misunderstood. There
Is one thing about the matter that u
very amusing to me. and that Is that
the members of the House OF Delegates
who took part in the matter were thsh
so proud OF the S-penalty scheme that
they were unwilling for the precious
thing to be inserted in the Senate Dill
by way Of amendment. but offered IL as
a substitute, in order that the House
might get full credit for their action. but
now there seems to have come a cnanse'
and the members OF the House seem 10
be hiding, for fear some one VIII point
them out. with the exclamation, sure
ly thou. also, ant one or them, ana
could not help but notice the TACT mat
when the Dispatch gave me the creait
some time ago for being the author "
the 'land-grabbers' law" not a single
one came forward to contest the honor
with me. Why don't the members OF the
House come forward and defend the
law? / can account for IL In only ono
way, and that is because they have h9s
taken the trouble 10 study the purpose
and effect Of the law. We have passed
no "land-grabbers' law" Such law
was the act of 1894. but we nave
amended IL, so that the application TO
grab" must be in writing, and ample
notice OF it must be given TO all partles
interested. and then four months given
in which TO redeem.
The law gives the landowner TWO
wears after the sale TO the Auditor in
which TO redeem by paying the taxes 10
the Clerk, with per cent. interest, pe-
fore any application can be MADE 10 pur-
chase, and then four months after notice.
so that the landowner has, at least, TWO
years and four months In winch 10 re-
deem. What more does any honest man
want? The law, then, instead OF oelhs
a sland-grabbers' law" is a law TO pre-
vent the land from being grabbed. Inc
law. as 1t now stands. is one of the best
that was ever enacted, and should not be
renealed. but II should be AMENDED so
as to graduate the penalty.so as TO make
81 lighter on the small landowners.
do not know of single tract OK lano
that the so-called "land-grabbers' nave
secured in this section OF the STATE bul'
If the landowners do not redeem uhuer
the present law, the lands ought TO go
into the hands of some one that Will pay
the taxes on them. The new law Is
much better for the taxpayer than the
old one for, under the old law, they mad
TO pay 10 per cent. interest on the taxes
Under the new law they only have 10 pay
G. and the difference between the ~ anu
G per cent in q majority of the cases, Is
more than the $ penalty now required.
The only hardship is on the small tax
payers. and that should be corrected.
AGENTS OF THE STATE.
The idea Of the House committee In
putting the 50 penalty in the law was TO
induce persons to make applications TO
buy, so that the taxes would be collect
ed. and il was argued that, under the
Senate bill, il was so much trouble 10
make the application, and give the notice
required that no applications would De
made. and no taxes would be collected.
1t was further argued that the applicant |
should be made the agent OF the state In |
collecting the taxes, and that he should |
be paid for his services by the delinquent |
tax-payer. Is not this view correct? 1t |
permeates through our entire system or
collections. The debtor against whom a !
Judgment is obtained pays the costs or
the Judgment including the writ-tax, and |
$3.50 attorneys fee TO the creditors law
yer as well as the commissions OF the |
collecting officer in whose hands the ex-
g. Il there reason
why the delinquent taxpayer should be |
made a favored class? First, the Urea |
surer goes to him, and asks him 10 pay |
his taxes; if he does not do so, notice is |
given that the land will be returned de- |
linouent. unless the taxes are paid. If |
not then paid, notice is given that they !
will be sold for taxes, on a day named. |
unless redeemed before that time. Then |
the sale Is made, and the land is pur- |
chased by the Commonwealth, and he Is
then given two years in which TO redeem |
before application can be made to pur-
chase and then if application Is made, |
he is given four months in which to re- |
deem. l repeat. what more can an hon
est man want?
THE TROUBLE SOON OVER.
Before the next Legislature meets 1t Is |
believed that most of the old, delinquent |
taxes VIII nave Dttn NOilOSNNhb NANt
eyer hardship there Is in the law will |
have been suffered and for taxes recent |
ly returned delinquent there can be no |
hardship, because parties know what TO |
expect when they do not pay their tax
es.
l am surprised at the howl that Is at
tempted to be raised about this matter |
l am not surprised at some of the coun-
try papers, because I am satisfied the |
editors do not understand the matter, and
have not taken the trouble to investigate, |
but l am surprised that the Dispatch |
should join in this hue and cry against
the law What would you substitute In
its place? Would you exempt these peo-
pie from the payment Of their taxes?
think not, and until a better way of col
lectng delinquent taxes is devised, shall |
be in favor of the one we have.
l regret to have been forced TO refer
to my action in the matter, but. as l
have been given the credit of being the |
author Of the act, thought 1t but right |
that I should explain the reasons that |
prompted my action. r. TURNBULL.