Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-03-16
TAXES! TAXES! TAXES

~ 4SSSAS o
GERS in Virginia is stirring the State
through its length and breadth. An
argument in behalf of it is f%orcefully
put in a letter to the Alexandria Ga
zette by Capt. G.. A. Mushbach which
is reproduced on our first page. This
is the strongest presentation OF that
side of the case we have seen. We do
not wish it understood that we are
against a law which tends to make
taxes equal and uniform, but we are
against any more tax laws unless they
are passed to relieve those who have
been all along honestly paying their
taxes. We know that it takes, or
ought to take, within a few thousand
dollars of the same amount to defray
the expenses of the government one
year that it takes another. We know
that such a sum must be raised, but
we do not want d law passed which
simply pours money into the State
treasury to be wasted, even though
the money may come from a source
which it is thought had not previously |
been drawn upon. Now if the farm
ers, whose lands can be seen and taxed,
could be relieved by any other tax law,
or by this new measure OF assessment,
nothing would give us more pleasure.
But this is not contemplated, it is not
W. squinted at. We have simply a
law which increases the general bur-
den of taxation without relief any
where. To this We are directly and
unalterably opposed. 1t would startle
the average citizen to know how DIES
perately we are taxed now. We groan
under taxation that few States in the
Union suffer from. At the beginning
Of this session we begged our delegates
at least to vote for no NEW TAX LAWS
unless they took the burden off those
who were then the sufferers. The
pack horse of taxation, the farmer, will
have another lead laid upon bis weary
and CALLED back in this new inquisi-
ton, and the man about town at whom
it was aimed will go practically IN
b urt. What possible motive could !
there then have been for loading the
people of Virginia with another tax
law when the revenue Of the State
were already sufficient to meet her
necessary expenses. Do our readers
know how enormous our taxes are? Do
they know that probably no State in
the Union has so many different kind
OF tax laws as we, and that nothing
from the cradle to the grave escapes ?
Our lands are not taxed higher than
those of our neighbors, but every con-
ceivable object is taxed. Our lands {
are taxed. II we sell them a tax is col t
lected for recording the deed, and the I
bonds given US by the purchaser are 1
taxed, thus giving the State three tax t
collections, when only existed a mo- c
ment before. II we are compelled to 8
sell, there is a writ tax, a measure =,
never known in Virginia until the a
United States, as a val measure, laid '
the odious burden on us. We damned Il
then, and it ought to be damned t
now, until it is driven off the statute t
books. Ii an affidavit is made, a dollar s.
goes into the State treasury. If a note t.
is protested the State gets a dellar. a
Every time d notary affixes his seal on o
papers which the law compels us to tt
have him do, out of our pocket into Il
the State treasury goes a dollar of our
money. 1t is probably not known to
our readers that just across the State
Inc lays a commonwealth which does
lot have such taxation. In West Vir. y
yln1a, which is the commonwealth to 1
Which we refer, and which is fast .
irawing our people away, taxes are a
mere song beside ours. There a mer- ~
'hant, unless be be a druggist who
'ays $40, pays no license at all. A p
loctor and a lawyer practice free. I'll
tract of land be sold there. to record =,
deed costs probably not 81, while u
lere the same transaction might cost p
1000 OF taxes. No tax on suits is exact !"
d, a person can make affidavit there nc
Without paying 81 in taxes. If we va
7ere to take up the tax lists of the ~
wo States and contrast them we be- Ill
the contrast would be greater "o
han we have been able to make it iie
ere. Taxes in this State are a mock vi
~ and a by word, they are a disgrace Ii"
a CIVILIZED community, and an in LII
rease of them deserves rebuke, and pa
be people should not be mild in their oo'
'nguage to express their disgust at Ill
increases of their burden. "t
be
Ma