The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-18

payers OF Louisa county are bearing
very heavy burden.
Do not misunderstand us. The Times
believes Ii. an economical government,
and IL there is any way to lessen the bur
den OF the taxpayers without impairing
the public service. The Times is heartily
in favor of adopting the plan. But we do
not believe it right or wise to msslead the
people and to get the idea into their
heads that the Constitutional Convention
is going to make such changes in the
organic law as materially to reduce the
expense of State or county government.
II tie people in the Individual counties
decide that they do not want to make
any appropriation for schools, or roads,
or the support of the poor, or for any
other purposes save the necessary run
ming expense of county government, they
can reduce their taxes to a trsflns sum.
We repeat that this is a matter for the
taxpayers themselves to decide. and the
Constitution does not, and should not,
have ANYTHING whatever to do with II.
If the people desire to tax themselves
for school purposes, for road improve
ments. for the support of the poor ana
for other such purposes, it is their own
affair, and it would be a public outrage
for the Constitutional Convention TO pro-
hibit them from SO doing
one reform that has been suggested rs
.h. adjustment of the commissioners of
the revenue and the county treasurers'
we find upon examination. however thsI
the highest salary paid to any county
treasurer. is s2.S65.Gl, including comn,ls-
sions, and the highest sum paid TO any
Commissioners of the revenue Us s2,Ab5,5o-
AS q rule the salary drawn by such an
official is considerably less than $1,000
year. It is plain, therefore, that even IL
these officers should be abolished, the
burden of taxation would not be ma
terially ligFltened, and it is plain also tnat
somebody must be paid something 'ot
iayins and collecting taxes. If we have no
commissioners of the revenue in Virginia
and adopt the North Carolina pan' as
has been suggested, we should have list
takers, ard would probably pay them
quite as much 2.s we pay the commits
sioners of the revenue; the only change
would be a change in name. 1t has also
been suggested that i'll lieu of the county
treasurers the sheriff be required to col
lect the taxes: but it is safe 10 say that
under such a change the sheriff would
at least receive some additional pay Tor
th.s additional work.
in conclusion. we remark that the re-
! ports show that many of the counties in
Virginia are expanding a considerable
sum OF money for road Improvement
The amount expended in A!bemarle last
year was, S12,020; in Augusta, S5,4la; IN
Botetourt. $si09: in Charlotte, $4,000; in
! Fairfax, 1924; in Hanover, $1,000; in
Henrico, Sl7.oS3; in the little county OF
Highland. s6.lS2 while the entire saared
account is about Sl,lo9; in Madison, Si,SSI;
in Montgomery, s3,249; in Norfolk county
s25,315; in Nottoway, $500; in PittsyI-
yanil, s2e 157; in Prince Edward, 1855;
in Roanoke. 5000; in Rockhridse. sS,959;
in Rockingham s9,74i: in Warren, $5,662;
in Wytha. $1l,519. Many other counties are
expand:ng on the same account from one
10 two thousand dollars q year. This is
certainly a most encouraging exhibit and
is one OF the best signs we have seen of
yirgin.a's prosperity and progress.