Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1910-03-10

on what the present machine rule of the
State costs.
Remember this is not an indictment
from the members of the opposite party
to the one now in power, nor a rash
statement made in the heat of a hard
fought campaign, but is a calm and
judicious summing up of the record of
the machine that has controlled the pol
icy of the party in power in this State
for the past thirty years. 1t is an in
dictment founded on the testimony of
thoroughly competent witness and one
converssnt with all the inns and outs of
the Democratic procedure and for which
the Democratic party, as a whole, must
stand for unless they take steps to
purge their party of the office-holding
ring that now dictates its policy.
The Republican is glad to know that
the Senator from Rockingham has the
courage to tell of the miserable manner
in which the States finances are Jug
gled and the pitisble lack of thoughtful
ness for the interests of the tax PAYERS
of the State and the woeful want Of
consideration for anybody or anything
which does not bear the trade mark of
the dominating and domineering faction
OF Democracy now in charge of this
State. This paper has frequently point
ed out the existing conditions, but the
charges were either ignored or denied
for the only reason that they emanated
from Republican sources, but now the
charges are brought by one on the in
side and by one whose sources of infor-
nation cannot be ignored. Let the tax
payers show by their votes this fall that
there must be change in the control
of this State.
ut is with pleasure we see that the
Senator from Rockingham has spoken
his mind on the subject of taxation. He
deprecates, as we all do, that Virginia
is in the lamentable attitude of a spend
thrift, who, having wasted his sub
stance in riotous living, must return to
the paternal roof starving and in rags.
This legislature, as did the father when
he saw the son afar off, has run out to
meet the prodigal, and, we suppose. will
put ring on his hand and shoes on his
feet. The wasteful prodigality of the
outgoing administration has been g sore
trial to the people; it has been a blow to
the Democratic party in Virginia. All
this has been difficult to apologize for
or to explain. Millions were in the
treasury during its incumbency. but
when our solons assembled this year.
they found 1t empty. Useless offices
had been created for henchmen: waste
full extravagances INDUCED in, money
thrown hithGr and thither as if there
would be no day of reckoning. Now
taxes must be increased. More money
must be found, and again the fine tooth
comb is being used to rake up new sub
Jects, which we are told have hitherto
escaped. God knows the burdens have
been heavy enough. But the public
back is to be further tried.
Senator Keezell calls attention 70
the fact that the railroads and public
service corporations are, as to taxation.
what might be called immune. He
raps the Corporation Commission for its
conduct as to them. We regret that
we have only very few of his remarks
before us. 1t struck US that the news
papers of Richmond were afraid to give
many of them, lest they hurt the feel
lngs of the Corporation Commission.
We gather that he has been bold enough
to speak. We gather that he has caused
reply to come from the Commission.
We gather that the trouble long fore.
seen and which is as certain as fate tc
come if it is not already here, has al
least approached that the Corporation
Commission bears its right name, be-
cause 1T will be the corporations com.
mission in name and in fact. They will
own 1t, mind, body estate in a little
while and this could be seen from the
first. The railroads are taxed by virtue
OF the commissions ruling on a basis OF
SIG, 600 per mile, and yet when the rail-
roads went whimpering in to court with
their tale of woe, about confiscation by
the State, on account of the cent rate
we found them mortgaged at about
$50, 900 per mile. We hope the ponder.
GUS sledgehammer from Rockingham
will deal more blows-that he will fall
upon those who have caused this unsa.
worry condition until he has heated them
sufficiently, to make it possible to work
conditions into better shape for things
are by no means sayory or satisfac-
tory"