Peninsula Enterprise, February 6, 1892

The Road Question.

Transportation -- Road - MaintenanceInfrastructure -- Public - Government : Taxation

EDITOR OF ENTERPRISE -- In your issue of January the 30th, I find what the writer's fertile imagination only, might distort into an answer to my circular letter in reference to our proposed new road law. He starts out by charging me with "gross misrepresentation, false reasoning, misleading statements, etc." It required but slight mental effort to prefer these charges, and to prove them, he makes little or no attempt; conscious no doubt, that he could not sustain them, and that the prestige of a good name together with the logic of even an Hon. Ex. or an Ex. Hon. -- I hardly know in the case, what arrangement the much abused prefix should rightly assume -- were entirely inadequate to the task which his flagrant assertions had imposed upon him. Having made the charges, and utterly failing to sustain them, and save in one labored and verbose instance guiltless even of an attempt to do so, they are hereby returned upon the head of this Sir Oracle, who wears his "titled trail, proud as a cockerals rainbow trail." His little diatribe was evidently written to his wards, who, upon hearing such pompous rhetoric doubtless swelled the Ex. Hon's bursting pride with the loud guffaws of approval so characteristic of their race. His attempt at an argument was so irrelevant and farfetched, that he has almost entirely relieved me of the opportunity of making any reply whatever. I had not supposed until now that, the leading tariff reformer of the land, Mr. Cleveland, took any notice of our little road affairs down here, and thought from his well known record, and from the trend of his remarks made at the Jackson Anniversary in New York, that he was wholly absorbed in that great issue, with which he is so inseparably connected, and that in that speech he had no reference whatever to our little affair down here in Accomac, and had supposed that he had never given a thought to our Ex. Hon. and his 2,500 proteges. But in this it now appears, I was wholly mistaken, as is shown from the assurances made in the gentleman's little say of last week. He undoubtably has had both the ear and the confidence of the distinguished ex-President, and knew whereof he spoke, I therefore beg his pardon, "and bending low, and in a bondsman's key, with bated breath, and whispering humbleness, lay this." "He hath optics sharp, I ween, to see what is not to be seen." Having thus, happily for him disposed of his far fetched tariff argument, or a portion of it at least, we will now listen to what he has to say about license taxes, and direct taxes. It seems if he prefers a very serious charge against "my unfortunate wards whose cause I hereby champion," in this, that he says virtually, that they are terribly large guzzlers of "tangle foot," and besides, inordinate gluttons in the use of the filthy "weed." This fatherly individual and self constituted champion, has not performed his fatherly offices with due diligence I am afraid, or else he fails from some cause, to exercise that controlling influence, over his ward's good morals, that usually marks an efficient leadership. Evidently, unless he uses his persuasive powers more effectively, or has recourse to more firmness, or discipline, he will have to resort to the guard-house, or the bastinado one, or else his brigade will soon not only pay the license tax, but many of the other expenses of government besides. When he gets this road reform through all right, he had better then go to work and do a little wholesome reforming in his own ranks; at least he should try and persuade them not to pay all their money toward the license tax, but to save a dollar now and then to chip in toward roads, free schools and the poor-house -- well, we shall see what we will see, when he gets to work at it. Speaking of Federal taxation &c., he says, "that I dare not deny, that I have misrepresented and maligned the unfortunate poor" and that this is a severe charge &c. If true, this would indeed be a severe charge and worthy of all condemnation, but fortunately the days in which people placed implicit faith in the utterances of Oracles, has passed away, and, a few only, are now compelled to believe all that this modern one says. No one who has read my circular with unprejudiced mind, will believe a word of the charge true, and the man who makes the charge, I don't believe thinks it true. He had an evil purpose in making it, and made it, regardless of all considerations that should actuate a fair minded and honorable man. I am not afraid of my record concerning my attitude or dealings toward the poor, either at present or in the past, and according to my means and opportunities, challenge a comparison in that respect with any man, and with even this Generalissimo himself. In order that all may be satisfied as to the falsity of the Ex. Hon's charges, I herewith submit that portion of my circular letter upon which he affects to rest his charges:

"The writer spoken of is surely unmindful of the fact that 99-100 of the burdens and expenses of government are now borne by the property-holders of the Commonwealth. Should not this fact satisfy the wishes of the writer and the class who hover within the shadow of his shield and spear? Does this not satisfy him, and would he yet add to the load the other 1-100 part, and leave his wards taxless, burdenless, and free to roam or do wherever or whatever their fancy might direct? Let him apply his own quotation of Mr. Cleveland's: "That we must meet face to face the voters of our land, with ballots in their hands, demanding, as a condition of their support, justice and an equitable distribution of public burdens," To this matter in hand, and see in what a predicament it places him, or any other man who says that all the burdens of government should be placed on one class of citizens, while the other class enjoys every privilege, and goes "scot free." "An equitable distribution of the burdens" -- indeed, what burden does his followers bear? They are educated at the expense of the taxpayers. They, or many of them, are fed and clothed by them. They have every benefit of the law free, if one is imposed upon in any matter, they throng our halls of justice, walk and ride our highways, vote for men to hold office and levy taxes upon other people's property, and pay none themselves. And what does the gentleman's 2,500 contribute? Anything? Yes, something! The items for expenditures. That is about all.

Nothing said by me here is intended to cast any reflection or odium upon any honest and worthy poor man. Poverty is no crime. It is simply a misfortune; in some instances brought about by one's own acts, as well as by causes which it is unnecessary to discuss here. It is enough to say that the condition exists to an extent that is alarming to any man who has a heart in him. But as much as I may sympathize with struggling poverty; as much as I may deplore the conditions that bring it about in our midst, I cannot shut my eyes to the fact that in a government like ours, "of the people and for the people," every man has a duty to perform and a burden to bear, which should be performed according to his strength. Anything less than this would not be right; would not be justice to others."

Those who read can now form their opinions as to the truth of the man's charges, or not. Evidently, that "to the Jaundiced eyed, all things are green," has been fully exemplified in this writers tirade. Further on in his piece, he gets off another self-satisfying and brilliant piece of rhetoric, which withal contains a bit of information, to the most of us. I tell you we never know what is in a bag until we shake it. This bag has been shaken and lo! out dropped the fact, hitherto unknown, or even undreamt of, "that the delinquent tax payers stand as a shield between the property holders of Accomac and direct federal taxation." For instance, says he, if the tariff taxes were not paid, then the general government would impose direct taxes on all out property &c. So it appears then that his delinquents, unbeknown to anyone but themselves, and their titled champion, have been paying our tariff taxes all along for us. I did not believe before that they had so much money. I had thought according to the opening part of his little farce, that it took about all of their money for whiskey, tobacco and the license tax, but I am glad to learn it is otherwise, and that we have a gallant band of delinquents who surround a still more gallant leader, "who stand as a shield between the property holders of Accomac and direct federal taxation. Hip! hip! hurrah! Long live the leader and his now, thrice noble wards, who stand between us and direct federal taxation. This is an item of news, indeed. THe Herald would pay a hundred dollars a word for it. When they hear it, Cleveland, Mills and Springer, will yield up the ghost, toss up the sponge, for the delinquents of Accomac have stolen their thunder. Away with the tariff question, it is of no interest to us.

A dulcet lute, and cooing voice are next heard. In a plaintiff strain an old song greets our ears. Its words are about as follows: "My traduced wards, most of you, all who can ought to pay your capitation tax. It is a sacred duty you owe to the children of the county and State, etc. You should pay a fair share also of the road tax -- a change has recently come over the spirit of his dreams -- for you all will be benefitted by good roads." We herewith tender our congratulations -- and humbly accept even these grains of concession -- and so the voice goes on.

The time and situation is for a champion, and a leader of a strong contingent, and extremely ludicrous one. It reminds me -- in connection with the peculiar surroundings, of a free negro trying to doctor an exceedingly sick, but vicious mule. He would like for him to take the medicine, but is afraid of his heels; so this man would, it seems, now like for his contingent to take his medicine, but is afraid to say emphatically that it is their bounden duty as participators in every blessing of government, to help support it. His leadership might be imperiled, were he to do so. It is useless at present to pursue this game further, the carcass would not be worth the powder. I have made but little effort to treat this man's piece with any degree of seriousness, it is not worthy of it, but have made a slight effort to treat him as every man deserves to be treated, who denies his own record in this discussion and who persists in misrepresentation, and who maliciously raises false issues to discredit an opponent that he might injure the cause he advocates, and also to blind the public to his own weakness, and to the true facts in the case. THe writer of last weeks's platitudes is well known to me and to this community, his weakness, as well as his strength. It is a true and forceful old saw, especially appreciable in this case, "that a man who lives in a glass house should not throw stones." I commend it to his consideration. For the present I leave the matter with the public.

N. W. NOCK.

A Bill.

Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Taxation

To authorize the board of supervisors of Accomac county to increase their levy for county and district school purposes.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That the board of supervisors of Accomac county are hereby authorized and empowered to increase the county levy of said county two and one-half cents on the hundred dollars of the assessed value of the taxable property of said county for county free-school purposes two and one-half cents on the hundred dollars of the assessed value of the taxable property of any magisterial district in said county.

This act shall be in force from its passage.

EDITOR OF ENTERPRISE -- The Hon. D. Frank White has introduced the above bull in the House of Delegates allowing the board of supervisors of Accomac to increase the levy for county school purposes 2 1/2 cents on the $100, and the district school fund also 2 1/2 cents on the $100. He states that he advocated it in his canvass last fall, and that the people desire it. I did not make a canvass myself last fall and do not know that I ever heard the matter mentioned. I learn that there is some opposition to the bill. It has passed the House and is now in the Senate. I am willing to vote for the bill if the people want it, but I desire to hear from them on the subject. I enclose copy of bill. Will you kindly publish this or call attention to it in your paper, so I can learn through it the wishes of my constituents. Yours &c.,

J. W. G. BLACKSTONE

Richmond, January 28th.