Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-02-05
RICHMOND LETTER.

Richmond, Va, February "A cam
paign of retrenchment and reform was
never in greater demand in Virginia than
it is now. The chances for success in an
effort to overthrow the present regime
we're never better than they are in this
good year of 1903. We want no party
issues, we want simply platform showing,
in detail, every superfluous officer in the
Commonwealth who is drawing pabulum
from the breast of our old mother State
Let us have platform containing facts
and figures in relation to how we can save
the people large part of their money
which is now, and must continue to be
wasted under the present Encouragement
Of the States finances Let the Ides Of
next November be the judgment day for
the men and measures Of the present ring
rule III Virginia. All men, regardless Of
past or present political alfiliations, should
be invited to unite on this platform, and
return men to the General Assembly who
are pledged to stand by and support every
item in the platform.
This mo rning, at the suggestion OF a
Dem ocratic Senator plrty of eight or
ten members of the House and Senate
took a little stroll around in certain de
partment, to see how many employees we
could find on duty. We will tell the re-
suit in the campaign next November. No
lodging of issues now. We are right up
against the naked fact that the COnstilu'
tional Convention needlessly made 1t
necessary that new subjects of taxation be
found in order to meet the needs OF the
State as its finances are now administered
Instead of cutting down expenses, so that
they may come within the revenues, 1t IS
proposed TO charge every poor mechanic,
and every industry of the State, with
licenses and taxes in order to meet the ex-
travagance Of the present Encouragement
of the machine in control.
What do the people of the Southwest
think of the proposition to levy tax OF
four cents ton on all coal and ores
mined? We hope to greatly reduce this
tonnage tax, but the very fact that such
bill has been offered, and is now being
urged, ought to wake up our people to the
gravity Of the situation.
We have already appropriated S5O,OOO
to the Democratic apple show at ST. Louis,
and are asked for 100000 more for the
jamestown Precautionary celebration. The
application Of frst.class Republican for
the place of an assistant to the st. Louis
Commission was promptly turned down.
Some of us sle going TO see whether he
jamestown Show shall be run altogether
by Dem mocrats, Or whether Republican tax
pavels of the State shall be in 1t, also.
We are checking the boys up, and don't
you forget it. We are mighty sweet,
good na;ured set Of Republicans down
here, but we propose to assert our rights
when occasion demands.
By-the-way, wonder why the CInch
Valley News said that l was interested IN
an insurance company at TazewelI? Was
it the only way by which it could direct
the attention of our working people from
the proposition to impose a license tax on
them for The privilege of working? Bro.
Leslie is getting little too reckless in his
statements. Now, the truth is, l have no
interest, directly or indirectly, in any in
surance company in Tazewell, or else
where. Now, in the second place, l won
der the Clinch Valley News will tell It's
readers that it was mistaken as to my in
terest in an insurance company "We
shall see."
Respectfully,
J. n. HARMAN.