Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-01

oiiioSl lliucllllely, out Su1i1cient has
been written to form an introduction
ITO an account of. measures adopted at
Winchester to perfect delinquent tax
payers against the consequences of the
law under which the LAND grabbers"
are operating.
Leading citizens of Winchester and
Frederick county organized themselves
into an association, whose object is, as
mas been stated the protection of that
class of property holders who have not,
or cannot pay taxes on their property,
and have been listed as delinquents.
and are, therefore, legitimate prey for
the insatiate land grabber" The firs(
move of the Association. which created
an ample fund for the purpose, was to
make application for the various prop
critics in both city and county. with
view to saving the deiinquents not only
their homes, but the penalty OF So i'm
posed by the land grail bers'" law
This law. which has become a house
hold word in Virginia. is this: Z" All
property upon which taxes are due for
two years and unpaid is sold to the
State"
Under the recent law anyone can
make application for the purchase of
the same within four months after the
expiration of two years. Upon the fall
urc of the delnGuents to redeem the
property by paying all back taxes, the
pays these taxes and gains final pos
session of it therefor.
If. however, under the new law, the
property holder pays up his delinquent
taxes he has also to pay the person
making application for the purchase of
the same the sum of 50 merely for
making said application. This has
worked great hardship on all delln-
ouents, and is something of a bonanza
Tor the land grabbers," who. IL they
fail to secure the property applied for
would, In Norfolk at least. receive SIS 30
for their trouble in examining titles
and other work not very laborious.
AS n result of the law many syndi-
Gates have been organized in the State
FOR the purpose of making application
LOT the delinauents. in the hope of
taxes thereon. or also obtaining the fee
of S. from each delinquent.
1t is to save these deiinquents the S.
fee that the protective organization
was formed at Winchester. The law
has created widespread intercs.
throughout the Slate, as millions of
dollars of property are involved, which
viii either come into the hands OF these
syndicates or else pay into their pock-
cts s. for each tract of land delinquent.
1t is possible that similar associa-
lions with the same object in view will
organization has not been suggest
ed here in Norfolk. where it is general
~ conceded that the "land grabbers"
wifi get little besides the SO fee allow
ed them on each application filed.
The law. however. has brought many
thousand dollars into the State treas
ury which would probably not have
been realized but for the new measure.
This in no way lessons opposition to 1t
among the great mass of property hold
ers. If we except the syndicates refer
red to. but rather intensifies it, and 1t
is settled that politics in the State will
based-aPef4 The standing ef- eaaai-
dates in regard to this law, as the most
strenuous efforts will be made to repeal
1t at the next meeting of the Legisla-
ture.
The press of the State are demanding
the prospective candidates their posi-
tons In regard to the law. and repre-
sentative men are working against the
measure, which is regarded as most
unjust in that 1t works great hardship
upon the delinquents and benefits syn
dicateS.