Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-08-21
Citizens Reply Replied 10,
Nu

Aug. 10, 1908.
Editor Highland Recorder: '
4 In your paper of July IA, there
appeared another letter signed c!tl-
zen which compels me again to re-
ply to him, This person whoever he
may be, seems to have some griev.
ance against me that he is fond of
publishing, and at the same time is
careful not to disclose his Indemnity.
In his last letter he is incensed at
what he terms NV rudeness in re-
plying to him. 1t is always a
pleasure to ME to answer any gem
tleman any question ! can in re-
gard to any bill before the lcgisla-
tute ! have anything to do with,
but when person by an anony-
NOUS letter in the public press at
tacks me and tries to cast undue
reflections Upon me, and at the
same time demads a reply, as this
person signing himself Citizen"
did, he is certain to get the reply
and | do not consider that he is
entitled 70 any courtesy at my
hands. | replied to his first letter
in the manner it deserved and have
= lio apologies to make for what |
wrote, and | would not further no.
tice the letters of this person sign
lag himself Citizen but for the
fact that | do not desire to be put
Iii false position by him in regard
to the bill before the legislature
about which he writes, and do not
intend that the public shall be de-
ceiyed by his ignorant and moor
rect statement of what the present
law is on the subject.
desire to say that when the
people of Blue Grass District petit
TONED the legislature for the pas
Sage of the bill authorizing the
Board of Supervisors of Highland
county to levy tax Oh property III
that district forfree school purposes
that / was I'M favor of their having
what they wanted and so expressed
myself to the representative in the
House Of Delegates from this dis
trict and others. After the bill
had passed the house of delegates
And had been referred to the Sen
ate Committee, ! ascertained that
Section 1885 of the Constitution
gave all the law on the subject de-
Sired. by authorizing the Board OF
Supervisors to levy a tax of not
Exceeding FIVE mills on the dollar
IN any district for free school pur-
hoses. Certain citizens of Monte
rev district knew Of this constitu-
tional provision and declined to
ask for the passage of a similar
bill for that district which they
had intended asking, for the reason
that the law was ample to give
them what they desired. Citizen
SAYS that be knew of this constitu-
tional provision when he wrote hi'
letter (which statement | do not
believe) but says that he is inform
ed that the constitutional provision
was not applicable this year in
fine for levy to be made. In
other words that he does not know
that the constitution is now in
force. BY section % of the SEIZED
nle of the constitution it is provid-
ed that the constitution shall &C
into effect on the 10 day of July
1902, at noon. 1t will therefore
Be seen that the constitutional pro-
vision giving the Board of Super
Yisors the right to levy tax not
exceeding FIVE mills on the dollar
in any district for free school pur'
poses was in effect Oh the 10 day of
July 1902 at noon and Was the
supreme organic law of the state
in full force long before the pro-
posed bin was asked for.
Highland county is noted for
her educated, intelligent people,
but this person calling himself
Citizen, and 'cbampioning the cause
of education has been living under
the new constitution for more than
d year and did not know it. In his
letter he prides himself on his
aanimal instinct" "horse sense" and
"brute knowledge" He may pos
sess'' these characteristics. Most
animals do, but | would advise him
to get a little knowledge of the
constitution and laws under which
he lives before he undertakes to
criticize any one in regard to such
matters. know that he has plen-
ty of men all around him who can
inform him fully us to the law i'll
this particular.
He says the constitutional pro-
vision will do no good this year,
Chat it went into effect too late to
make the levy. In this he is mis-
taken as it will be seen, this con-
stitutional provision has been in
force since the 10 day Of July,
1902, with power in the Board OF
Supervisors to make the levy for
school purposes this year just as
fhe proposed bill provided for. at
the time other 'levies were made
BY them, and the bill referred to