Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-01-15
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1903.
AN EXPECTED BARRASSMeNT.

AN EXPECTED BARRASSMeNT'
There are some hints coming from the
CAPITOL that in the near future the State
may become embarrassed in its finances.
Thee hints were given out in debate in
the State Senate on the 9TH inst, in which
Senator Wickbam stated "that under the
new constitution the loss in the revenue
occasloned by the reduction of ten cents
upon real estate and tangible personal
property would amount to $464, GOO; that
if the ten cents reduction was applied to
intangible property also the amount Of the
decrease would be about $5220OO; that
the expenses of administration OF the State
government would not be decreased under
the provisions of the new constitution
and that the amount derived by the State
from the increased tax upon railroads,
while very considerable, would not be
enough to meet the reduction in the
revenue caused by the reduction in the
tax rate by very considerable sum-"
The statements of Senator Wickham
were followed by his offering a resolution
ofinquiry in the Senate on the Sth. inst.
calling upon the auditor of public accounts
for certain information. The purpOrt OF
the resolution is to secure from the auditor
an estimate of the receipts of the State for
the fiscal year ending Sept. 3Oth 1903, and
also for the fiscal year ending Sept. SOth
1904, having reference to the provisions OF
the new constitution, and also an estl'
mate of the expenses of the State for the
said fiscal years,
The resolution also calls for detailed
statement, showing the items of reduction
in revenue of the State, which will be
caused by reduction of the tax rate
prescribed by the constitution.
The resolution also requests "a state
ment showing the amount of money which
would he derived by a special tax, if
levied, under section 1879 of the constl-
tuition, Ct five cents Oh the hundred dol
lars Of the assessed value (I on all lands
and improvements thereon; (2) and on all
tangible personal property not exempt
from taxaIion,"
The Richmond News of the 9Th inst.
discussing the situation said:
"As we understand, the impending
embarrassment is caused by the mscal-
culations or recklessness of the late constl-
tutional convention One of the few IN
wise things it did was to attempt to Win
favor for the new constitution by the en-
forced, inoppOrtune, unnecessary and un-
jusufable limitation of the taxing power
of the State Auditor Marye presented
the fgnrts ami the Richmond newspapers
at the time united in protest against this
action and in warning of it's consequences.
Now the Gods quences are here, and we
must make Ii best of them"
Here is an admission on the part Of the
News that tie so.called statesmen and
patriots WHO framed the constitution were
guilty IF a small piece Of demagogy to win
approval of their work. Of course every
body knew at the time that the reduction
in the rate of taxation was a scheme of
cheap demagogues to withdraw censure
from their outrageous acts of usurpation
and revolution.
The statement of Senator Wickham dis
closes the fact that there will be no re-
duction in the expenses of the State
governmt mt under the new constitution.
This proves that the trainers of the con.
stitution Who Leld out reduction in the
government expenses as an lnducementIto
win favor were either incapable or insin-
cere. When the convention movement
was first inaugurated, it was claimed that
new constitution was necessary to give
a more economical State government. If
the constitution is failure in that partic-
uiar the people will have been grossly de-
ceived.
The constitution will prove an expen.
sive affair to the taxpayers. 1t has and
will cost the State not less than half a
million of dollars, including the expenses
of the convention and the extra sessions
of the General Assembly. Now, If there
shall prove deficiency in the revenues,
and an increase of taxation becomes
necessary to meet the expenses Of the
government, it will serve to show that the
late convention was controlled by
partisans and demsgogues rather than by
statesmen and patriots.