The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-16
The Poll Tax.

Sys--I bog to cnll your attention 10
impression that prevails In this locanty
and suppose with a good many IN otnel
portions OF the State, with regard 70 .''e
payment Of the poll tax.
Thcrc seems to be luke Hfarnlness On
tho mart OF many OF The Democratic vot-
ers about qualifying themselves 1or Vo..
ing In the coming election. and some are
not paying it with the idea that II they
do not pay they will mot be FORCED ~
pay eventually fby the tax collector,
though they may have properly :, o.. :, ~
depending on tho carelessness OF the Oh
ficers who have the collecting Of IT..
THE Republicans are giving evidence
9 passn's = 8 ~ &c. =. JONES.
Carysbrook, Va.
A citizen Is as much In duty bound to
4 pay tho poll 3tax as any other tax as r'
sessed or assessable against him and this
without any reference whatever to the
question Of voting. The Constitution OF
Virginia provides that .'the General As
sembly shall levy a State captation tag
of, and not exceeding, $50 per annum on
every male resident OF the State not less
than twcnty-one years Of age except
those pcnsioned by the State for military
services; 81 of which shall be applied
exclusively in the aid OF public free
schools s5 S$sfI
section CSC IA. Of Pollard Code provides
that every capitation tax for State, coun-
t. and corporate PURPOSES shall pc q
lien upon tho real estate owned by the
persons against whom such tax is as
scsscd from the time Of such assessment;
and II such tax be not paid real es 'laa1
m nv be subjected to sale for the payment
thereof when the tax shall have become
three years past due. Every citi zen
whether he be q voter or not, sn flsi
discharge this duty which he owes 81 70 70
the state, should pay his capitation tax
cheerfully and as a matter OF naoe.
rho captaton tax is a sort OF u page 2'ae !.
Of honor. The receipt for 1t Is Ger i
tiflcate of citizenship and every citizen
who appreciates the privilege of citizen-
ship in Virginia will have a sense OF
IaprIde in carrying in his pocketoook athe
treasurer's receipt for his capltat!on tax,
AS already pointed out, the Constli t,l
ton provides that two-thirdssot the ga: Ga pi
ttation tax shall be applied: exclusively
! In the aid Of public free schools and that
is anot her rea ion vi every tizen should l
pay; this tax. s5 II d
The trainers OF the Constitution were
SO certain that the capitaton tax was was
a Just tax that they made Its payment g 9
prerequisite toIsvoting. They reasoned '
that the man who thought $50 title OF
the privilege OF voting as to be unwilling N
i to paw his captation tax six months
ahead OF the election was not a proper
person to vote, These are prosperous
times and every qualified voter can man man
/ ago without embarrassing himself g 70
/ pay this trifling tax each year. We IN
i sist that 1T is not only q privilege Du ut
a duty to pay the capitation tag ana ana
the man who falls TO pay It, whether ne
be a voter or not, is tax-dodger I. a tll1'
!. shirks a binding obligation Of citizen
Z ship.
Il 5Fa 20 lH4t =-=-C----------4i,5 III ;4a
Carolina and Virginia Editors.
The Roanoke News OF Weldon heartily
approves tho proposal OF The 't s.Dis'
match for a Joint meeting OF the virginia
Press Association and the North caro-
!, lima Press Association next summer, pul
, Weldon contemporary says;
."rhe Richmond Dispatch lknowt
: |how to fight the battles for the honor
safety and welfare OF Virginia. ana I
Z also knows how to gracefully Yield point
\ we heartily endorse the sentiments pass
/ led by yirginla'R leading daily IN its propo
sitions for a Joint meeting OF the breth
! rcn of the two States,
1t is gratifying that these kind words
approval come from our nearest Nortl
Carolina contemporary. and we hope tina
: the sentiment expressed by tho Roanoke
> News In favor OF n reunion" Is the sen
Z tirnent of the North Carolina press TIL
: laore we think on, the subject tho bette
Z we like the idea OF a Joint meeting. Fac
y association would, OF course, hold Its ow
. separate business meetings and Their
y would be no confusion ON this point. 81,
= In addition TO these separate meeting
. there could DO one or more joint session
y of the two associations In which vnriol
y subjects OF interest to the craft woul
y he discussed, and an Interchange OF view
~ on newspaper topics between tho editor
Y of the two States would undoubtedi
- be enjoyable and profitable
- But the chiefcst charm OF such NEE
y Ing would be the social feature II woul
be well for tho editors Of these two State
~ and tho ladies who usually accompan
~ them to meet together and exchanl
Nv greetings. There are editors In Mort
~ Carolina with whom we have been tall
, ing through print for years and who
he -. ..--..---
In
= hEzA ~