The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-06

able amount, a million dollars would
he added to It's Golfers
At the outset the negro question
enters into the discussion. II Is not
desirable that negroes should be
! placed on the registration books and
it was to prevent their registration in
large numbers that the constitutional
provision, of which the tax commits
sion complains, prohibiting collec-
/. ton by legal process until three years
after it is due, was enacted by the
constitutional convention Of 1901. That
| provision is an integral part OF the
suffrage clause of the constitution.
There has been suggested, however,
means Of collection that would result
in adding hundreds of thousands of
dollars to the revenues of the State
by enforcing collection from whites
without at the same time making the
negroes pay and thereby adding their
names to the lists of voters.
One OF these is to make capitation
taxes collectable in the same way
ed, and that Is by the process OF
garnishment. 1t is proposed to author
ize the officials Of the cities and coun-
ties to garnishee the wages of all de-
ltn3uents, exempting those earning
less than Atty dollars n month. By
this means hundreds of thousands of
dollars would be collected from white
men. while the mass Of the negroes
would not be forced to pay and thus
so placed that they could get on the
registration books by the payment of
a few extra dollars.
A glance at the table accompanying
this article will show what large sums
could be added to the revenues Of the
o. Nd % ~ a In
school system. More than two and IA
half million dollars is now due tae
State. Under the constitution the
amounts due for the last three years
cannot be collected by legal process.
so those amounts must be eliminated
In considering the means Of enforcing
collection. However. there remain the
nine years OF 1s0S-1911. inclusive,
which makes a total OF $z.159. 1866
that could be collected. A little less
than half this amount. Is owed by
making less than fifty dollars a
month. Eliminating all amounts
whose collection IL impossible or un-
desirable under the plan suggested.
there is at least q million dollars in
back capitation taxes that could be
collected by the enforcement Of such
law. or that amount the schools
would. receive t667,0O0 and annually
thereafter an amount approximating
100000 at first and increasing as the
population increases.
Large Amount Annually.
The annual amount OF additional
capitation. taxes to be collected Is
found by the same process applied to
the back capitation taxes due. In
1912, which will be the last year taxes
are collectable In 1915 there was de-
linquent about $27O.O00. Half OF that
IL owed by negroes or whites making
less than fifty dollars a month. leav-
Ing about $4,000. II only two
thirds Of this amount Ii collected, the
State will receive the $4,000 mem
toned. Each year this will increase
as the population increases.
Another law suggested Is one max.
ing l. mandatory upon city and county
courts to find out the delinquents and
summon them to court to show cause
why they should not be fned. Just a.
Il done In the cases Of those who fail
to pay license taxes. To guard against
adding negroes to the poll books, the
same exemption could be made and
to prevent inconvcnience to those
carving less than nifty dollars