Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-03-23
CAPTAIN MUSHBACH AGAIN.

CAPTAIN MUSHBAcH AGAIN.
He Writes Another Able Article in De-
Tense of the Valuation Bill.
Editor THE SPECTAToR:-I am in
receipt OF a copy of your newspaper OF
the 10th instant in which is reprinted
from the Alexandria Gazette a COM
munication of mine anent the Commits
sioner of Valuation bill, and which also
contains your editorial comments on
that communication. I beg to be per-
lmitted to thank you for the courteous
and fattering references you make to
the character OF my discussion of the
question, but, with your consent, 1 de-
sire to call attention by way of friend
ly criticism, to what l deem the weak
ness of your argument and position
against the bill.
1t appears that we agree that taxa
ton should be equal and uniform;
which of course involves the agree
ment that no one species of property
should be taxed more than any other
species of the same value, and IL ven
ture the assertion.) the further agree
ment that when it is discovered that
one kind of property, to-wit: personal
ty, is being Systematically and wilfully
hidden from the assessor. and is there
by practically and illegally exempted
from a tax which real estate has to
bear and cannot escape bearing be-
cause it Is constantly in the assessors
eye. This injustice, inequalityand want
of uniformity in carrying the burden
should be corrected by legislation ii it
be possible to do it; and that if the
owner persistently and as a matter of
custom or habit refuses to report his
possessions, so that the burden may be
euuahzed, be should be compelled so
to do.
1t is hardly possible that We differ
on those propositions.
Now l respectfully suggest that the
vice in your further discussion OF the
subject is that you Immediately pro-
coed to beg the question, to substitute
; assumptions or guesses for couclu'
s1ons, in other words to assume the
very matter in judgment. You say
; that if this valuation bill would relieve
} the farmer of his load of taxation upol
1 his lands which can be seen, you would
:. support it with pleasure; but you add
| somewhat dogmatically it appears te
: me, that this is not contemplated, il
' is not ever sguinted at" l nigh
y we'll ask, how do you know that such &
= result is not in contemplation If as
3 ~sertion were proof 1 could content my
self with the bare statement that 1T q
4 in contemplation, but that method o
. treating a subject is not argument.
believe. and 1 have had excellent op
l portunities for becoming acquainted
: with the motives of the average Vir
l ginia legislator, that this bill was in
{ tended to be a preliminary and neces
4 sary step toward bringing about tina
l very desirable and happy conSumma
y ton. I also believe, and have goot
grounds for the faith that is in me
: that if this valuation bill is enforced
! in it's letter and spirit, it will produce
i such an increase in the revenues OF tine
l State that coming legislatures will ct
compelled to lower considerably TIE
2 present rate of tax On both real ant
5 personal estate, and to largely decrease
5 if not altogether abolish the Onerout
, license taxes on trades, &c and tbs
tax on wr1te, deeds. protested notes
and afidavits, which you select or par
ticularize as especially obnoxious. II
may be true as you say that the bill
does mot even squint at" the rednc'
A ton of the land tax, but it is equally
true that 1t does not even squint at ths
5 idea that it might not be thereby re
Iduced. Thus, so far as "squinting" Is
concerned, there is q standoff, a cast
of horse and horse.
i Your thought seems to be that this
valuation bill is bad inasmuch as it does
not %ineYpress terms promise that tic
r the extent that it brings in more reve-
nue., to that extent will the ''pack horse
i. of taxes, the farmer" be relieved; bu1
to my notion, (trusting as | do legis'
lature selected by the people and tax
9 payers from amongst the people ano
/ ~taxpayers,) such an assurance or prom
!, Use is unnecessary, aside from b lega
!, principle that a declaration Of that
character would be nugatory so far as
: it seeks to bind subsequent legislatures
1t strikes me too that this pack
, horse of taxes, the farmer" as you
felicitiOusly describe him. is of opinion
: that the valuation bill must result in
transferring a fair portion of his pack
to the back of his stronger and more
: capable neighbor of the town, for We
find none of him, comparatively speak
> ing, running about and kicking against
the new bill. We do find, however
that the opposition is confined almos'
wholly to Chambers of Commerce
Boards of Trade, Bank people, capt
talists. aggregations of wealth general
ly. and persons who have either retired
=, from trade with a competence, or were
never obliged to engage in trade, and
no one gees more clearly that such il
| the fact, than does the Man with the
Hoe" He IL not 90 stupid as Mark.
ham makes him out to be.
Seriously, how many farmers in you,
lneighborhood are up in arms against
, this law? / have been looking out fol-
some bereabouts. but they are greater
!. rarities than teeth in the months ot
, their own hens, and ss@ invisible as the
average thousand dollar bond or taxa.
Bile income.
Again, 1 note your assumption that
this bill is designed. or at least will
have the effect, ito pour money into
} the treasury to Re wasted;' and on
} that point l must be allowed the CON-
!, ment that one who makes such an as
sertion has the faculty OF diyination