Year: 1879




This leaves the levy Of forty cents now
to effect precisely what that levy form
erly effected. But the people of Virgin
in in their generous wish TO discharge
the full obligation of their public debt
now only require that this forty cents
levy. in addition to the support OF gov
ernment. shall pay the interest on the
public debt. This rate Of taxation be-
fore the war supported the government
paid the full interest On the public debt,
and afforded an annual redemption iund
for the principal of the debt. We now
only demand that it shall support the
government and pay the interest, and
ask that such rate of interest may be
fixed as will fall within the revenue
produced By the rate of taxation levied
before the war for both principal and
Interest.


An adherence to the rate ofiifty cents
on every one hundred dollars as assess
ed values, and the appropriation ot the
whole excess over what is required for
the free schools and for the support o.
the government, to the payment OF IN
terest only on the public debt, gives the
creditor annually more than he Is en-
titled to claim. Ten cents on every
hundred dollars of assessed values Is
required by the Constitution tor the
school fund. a large part of this has
every year been taken from the school
fund ard appropriated to the public
creditors. An act of the last General
Assembly will probably embarrass this
diversion in the future, and save Tor
the schools nearly three.fourths OF what
onght to be appropriated to them. The
act of March Sd, 1879, accomplished d
partially and indirectly for the schools
what the Barbour Bill" would have





accomplished fully and positively.


This act enables the schools to be
supported by what can be obtained by
a sale of three-fourths Of their conStitu-
tional dues in competition with the
bondholders' coupons. To put three =
fourths OF the school fund on foootlng
of quality with the bondholders' uncon-
stitutional dues was regarded as a great
privilege. In consideration OF this
privilege all further call for justice to
the uneducated children is to be hushed.
In effective operation, this scheme viii
owe the schools about three-ftths OF
what the Constitution intended for them.
Seventy five cents in the dollar OF the
school fund is to be put in shape to
compete for sale to the tax payer with
the bondholders' coupon. Ii the school
scrip shall sell as well as the coupon,
the school fund will get six cents Tor
every ten that is due to 1.-THE other
four.tenths IS surrendered to preserve
our reputation and the bondholders'
interest On his investments. For this
concession the boldholder expects the
active all OF all the school officials IN
fastening his claims upon the people
Perchance the bondholder and school
officials may be hoist with this petard'


The next General Assembly ought
TO be chosen from candidates pledged
to correct this and give to the schools
every dollar dedicated to them by the
Constitution. Iaded in the passage oi
The School Bill, not because it was
right. but because it was nearest to
RIGHT that could be obtained after the
veto Of the Governor had suppressed
my effort to give the schools what they
ought to have. The Brokers Bill rem
ders the robbery Of two.iitthS OF the
school fund as permanent as that Bill
If the schools are TO have their Dues
the Brokers' Bill, aud all similar legis-
lation. must be annulled. The Brokers
Bill bonds. the government. and the
schools cannot each get what they re-
ouire. if the rate of taxation Is not ln'
creased. The schools are the feebIesi
of the three competitors. Let the peo'
ple at the ballot box take sides with
the schools, bind every candidate to see
to the full Appropriation TO school pur
poses of the proceeds of the tax levied
for such purposes, not six cents but ten
cents on every hundred dollars as levied
for the support of the free schools. Fol
the other forty cents let the bondholdeI
and the government official contend
IF the executive and judicial officers o
the government wish to surrender then
salarios to the bondh0lder, let them 60
But the people must be careful or these
competitors will compromise at the ex-
pense of the people, and. amlcably
aoree that what they call a slight in
crease of taxess hall be made. The
interest on the brokers' bonds, th'
salaries of the government official enc
tbe schools expenses cannot all be palC
without an addition Of at least 80 pc
cent to the present rate of taxation. L
the people consent to the addition o
one cent to that rate, the whole cause
is lost and the rate of taxation will soor
be largely increased. No Increase
wbatevef-absolutely nonc-in the rate
Of taxation on real and personal pro-
perty ought to be the inexorable de


mand of the people from every candi'
date this fall. II this pledge is iallh
fully performed BY the next Legislature
the Brokers' Bill will be nullified, an
a new and just settlement OF the publ


debt will be petitioned for by the bond
holders. II the slightest increase is al
lowed all that the bondholder wishe


will be given to him. An impoverlsh