Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-09-25
A POINTED REBUKE
OF STATE FINANCES
New Subjects of Taxation Should
Be Found
CUT GOVERNMENT EXPENSES
Abolish Unnecessary Offices and Not
Increase Salaries

having published list OF those In I
Virginia whose incomes amount TO
more than $4,000, it is interesting
TO recall the energy and eagerness
displayed, in recent years, by the
representatives in the Legislature
to find new subjects OF taxation, and
the entire absence on their part OF
any effort to curtail expenses, abol-
ish any unnecessary Offices, and, II
possible, to reduce the rate OF taxa
ton. Session after session has pre-
sented the spectacle OF lao suppos-
edly good business, men, raking the
State for objects of increased taxa
ton, declaring that the State treas
ury was threatened with bank
ruptcy, while at the same time they
we're piling up the expenses and
creating new Offices without q man
OF the lao suggesting what would
occur 70 the veriest tyro in his own
business-the possibility OF reduc-
ing expenses as a means of meetiHg
the emergency. Amidst the clamor
for more money, when the poor old
whiskey dealer and the corpora
tons were having popular preju-
dice against them capitalized into
higher taxes; when the Legislature
was proposing to establish a tax
commission and pay tax expert
SC, 900 a year, and when it was in
creasine the circuit judgeships in
the State from twenty-four to thirty
) two. not a voice was raised in favor
OF an investigation of the expenses
: OF the government; not a propose
was made looking to a possibility o
y abolishing a single unnecessary OF
! fee, and not a reason was advanced
why Virginia, with no greater ter
II ritory or population, should nee'
/ Just twice as many circuit judges
y and three times as many, all told, a
Is her nearest Southern neighbor
y North Carolina.
AS strange as is the fact ths
Us these representatives of the peopl
VI have gone on, year after year, II
C. creasing taxation without once col
L. sidering the question OF economy
administration it is not more anna
ing than the Indifference and cor
'e' placency with which the press ar
the voters view the proceedings ar
~, apparently welcome the increas'
Blu public burdens. In the absence
U.s. any investigation Of the subject
a'e economy in State government, W
eau is prepared to say that even
us whiskey dealers and the corpol
'no tions are not being uniustly take
W that the tax on incomes is rea
ate needed to defray legitimate exp'
3D. ses: that the tax on deeds and r
'iso estate tran sactions are not unnec
q sary hin6rances to business; t
10 the tax on public franchises
NO charters is unavoidable, and I
anu tie more recent tax on births
OTIS deaths are absolutely essential t
re- wise and business-like adminisi
any ton of governmental affairs?
III II taxation is wrong in primer
'ne and is only justified by the need
son. a government economically admin
tered. is it not rather strange
the people of Virginia do not ava
'ady to the responsibility OF select
arts representatives who will make
CT effoit to reduce expenses rat
pre- than devote their whole time to b
OF ing new subjects of taxation
th's new offices to create?
Until some such effort is mac
until some Legislature can meet
adjourn without creating additl'
o.0 offices end increasing official
oN. n ries to be paid by enlarged taxa
there ought to be few people
~ least in Virginia who will pro
WIN against this tax which resp
'', neither the cradle nor the grave.
'.o against u policy which prever
'o'," man from going into debt for
anus which will earn an income of
nun 81, 900. without taxing the DO
use the plant and the income =
o o..,.. recent issue OF Charlottesville t
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