The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-13
a CRY OF DISTRESS.

u
readers believe that The Times had given
Il 4 stab in the back And all because
ne reproduced in full an article from the
DISPATCH and made some good natured,
IL rather sts. ging, comments thereon II
the Dispatch had been fair enough to
print The Times article along with its I'LL
natured comments we should have been
mite content to leave the entire subject
to the good sense Of its readers without
further ado. But, as our contemporary
has denied us q hearhg and yet pre-
sumes to interpret our remarks, we are
forced to mako reply on our own pc
half.
In doing this we shall have to pass me
whole case In review, and so we start
al the beginning.
At the session Of the General Assembly
5 OF 1884, Mr.. EugoNe Withers, mer1per
from Danville, made a speech. in whlch
he declared that the expenses Of govern
ment in Virginia were greatly larger
than those Of either Georgia or North
Carolina and that the additional expense
IN This State was due, in the main, to
the Underwood Constitution. Mr. With
ers made an exhibit Of figures in support
Of his argument and urged upon the Cen
cral Assembly the Importance OF hololhs
q convention to revise the Constitution.
This speech attracted attention far ana
wide. and the figures which ne gave
wore printed in numerous newspapers Oh
The state. including the Richmond DIS
match. The Danville Register took the
lead in this agitation, but the Dlspatch
was a close second and stood Tallantiy
nv the Register in championing Mr. WITH
ers and the convention movement Inc
Register published an article. IN when
) a. sid a1nug other things. that since
tba Underwood Constitution was adopted
Che people Of Virginia had paid IN dlrect
,asation s37, 900, 600 more to support the
state government than the people OF
North Carolina had paid during the same
nertod. It charged that under the In
Herwood Constitution the people were
ma wing 100000 a year Ito support use
hess Office holders. It declared '.iae
muring the past fiscal year Virginia paiu
nut for State expenses alone s','4o'o'''
while North Carolina paid s2s69,sl2, peins
,esa s1s less than virgnia's State expenses
and about 100000 less than Virginia $
State ard county expenses como1neo.
So the Register argued that the peo-
ME of Virginia were being "unnecessar-
i,y bled every year to the tune OF ~
cfeo 900 or more.
The Dispatch reproduced upon its eol-
.orial page this article from the kegs
ter with apparent approval Al any
rate, it did not question the accuracy u
the Registers figures.
RIO t1,e contrary, the Dispatch llttie
later reproduced a table from the Extra
Census Bulletin, givp-g summary oi
tho receipts and expenditures Of State ana
local government in the nation ana snow
ing that virginia's eSpazSes We're s$4'oi
her cap Rita against 81. 20 in North Carolina
and s2.s5 in Georgia Other taoles 10
the same purport were printed os inc
Dispatch, together with an interview Win
AR yyithers and with extracts from other
newsnaners in. the State, all declaring
that our government was enormously eA-
nenstye. The Dispatch also printed nu-
nerous editorials, commencing MI. Wlth-
ers for the work that he was doing in the
interest OF constitutional reform.
Tn one of these articles the Dispatch
said. .Mr. Withers, of Danville, has
done distinguished public service by
showing how costly Virginia's govern
,nent is, compared with the governments
of Georgia and North Carolina : :.
There are a dozen reasons why con-
gcrtion should be held, but Its ad-
rocates are full-handed enough il
they ask that it be done for
the one purpose Of amending our Con-
stitutiot, so as to rid our taxpayers Oh
the enormous burden Of useless eA-
4 pcnses now heapcd upon all the counties
and cities of the Commonwealth.
But in the name of common sense, what
IS the use in Kidding the people OF these
unnecessary expenses il the ratio of taxa
ton is not to be reduced? Mr. Withers
object In reducing expenses was to re-
8 duce taxation. He wanted to tighten
the burden of taxation upon the people;
and so after his most able fight. after
the convention had been called and as
sembled, after expenses had been re-
duced and provision made for increasing
the revenues OF government by an addi-
.ional tax upon the railroads, Mr.. With
e1s then asked that the rate OF taxation
he reduced, and. in order to be sure OF
it. he further asked that the reduction
be made. a provision Of the 1ew Con-
stitution.
Cur contention was. and is, that Mr..
aYithcrs was consistent and logical in
asking for this reduction. and we said
that the Dispatch had cruelty deserted
him The hour Of his success and
achievement. II the Dispatch has any
doubt as to how Mr. Mithers views its
course, let Il ask him and print his re-
ply.
The Dispatch docs not. for 1t cannot,
S,s,sy Ha.