The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-08-23
What Should be Done.

and common welfare of the great mass
of the constituent body. The Bourbons
would make the country believe that the
whole campaign is to hinge on the appoint
ment of public school trustees, and the
number of colored men who may be Sc
lected to serve as such. The school inter-
ests are being practically, carefully and
successfully cared for. They have increased
in numbers and efficiency-the scholarship
of both whites and colOred have been
doubled within the past few years, and in.
all their relations are meeting the reason
able expectations of the people. Satisfac-
ton prevails among all who have at heart
the public school interests, and there is no
demand for change coming from those
who are the real and tried friends of this
great benefaction. The party now in
power has proved its devotion to the pub
lie school system in the administration OF
its affairs, and it's continuance in power
will be distinguished by the same judicious
concern for it's welfare. There will be
no step backward. Each scholastic year
will witness ovements-enlarged IA
cilities and increasing efficiency, until the
schools will have reached that degree OF
perfection that will number them among
the most advanced Of the Union.
1t is the most barefaced effrontery for
the Bourbons to raise question about the
Public schools in any sense. Their hostll-
ity to them is a matter of fearful record.
Under their administration they dimin-
ished in numbers, in teachers and benefits
and were so demoralized and impoverished,
that few more years of the ascendancy
of that party would have witnessed their
entire destruction. They can offer no rea-
son compatible with sincere concern for
the system, for the condition in which
they left it. They were either incapable
of properly conducting this great interest,
or were inimical to it's success. In either
case they have demonstrated that the pub
lie schools would not be safe under their
management. And for them to now come
forward with proposition to change the
methods of their administration and in
troduce new cause of dissension, preju-
dice and hostility, is a piece of presump-
ton that the intelligence of the State will
pointedly rebuke. When they resolve in
favor of larger participation in the man
acement of the public schools by the col
ored people, they expose their own insin-
certify, and prove that they are seeking
insidiously to introduce the race issue
| into this canvass in connection with an in
stitution that must necessarily suffer from
| the agitation, even if the device should not
aid them in succeeding to power. The Bour'
bon faction of Virginia cannot be entrusted
with this important institution, let theil
platform utterances be ever so specious.-
| They have satisfactorily attested that they
are not the practic al friends of the public
schools, and to listen to any proposition
| from them is to invite deception and treach
cry. The people are contented with the
present management-the beneficent re-
suits which have followed it, and will not
be cajoled or deceived into placing them
| in the hands of those who have given
the most indisputable evidence that they
either do not want to see them succeed,
or are incapable of properly approaching
and administering the system. The Coal
ition propose to keep the public schools
in their present prosperous conditlon-to
appropriate to their support every dollar
the laws and constitution dedicate to
them and to see that no detriment comes
/ to them SO long as the people shall keep
that party in power.
We may, therefore, dismiss this ques-
tIon from active discussion, and allow the
Bourbon press to exhaust it's ingenuity in
a vain attempt to convince the people that
they have better method Of conducting
/ them than that now prevailing.
/ There are other interests involved III
this canvass which must not be forgotten,
| but which the Bourbons would gladly hide
from public consideration by a sensational
clamor about the public schools.
We have the public road system to con-
| slider and reform and to so change the man.
agement of the public highways as to as
sure to the people improved avenues to
and from market-contributin to the
value of lands and encouraging diversified
products.
We have the method of sales of lands,
under DEGREES of court, to simplify, the
| costs reduced and settlement OF estat es
| facilitated, so that both creditors and
debtors may be benefited and litigation
ended.
W. La.,o tho ohonoorv nfsaof 100 fn rafOrm
SO that estates will not be eaten up by
costs, to the impoverishment of those
who are the lawful and rightful bene-
| ficiaries in them. and such laws enacted. as
will enable creditors. as well as de btors,
| to have speedy and equitable distribution
of the fund, that time and money may be
saved to those interested.
We have the re-apportionment OF the
Congressional districts to be looked after,
with view to correcting the shameful
gerrymandering evidenced by the present
| territorial limits of the various districts in
the State. The Seventh District is fair
sample of the partizan injustice that was
perpetrated at the last appOrtionment, I'M
der Bourbon administration. 1t runs
! from the Allegheny mountains almost to
the sea, embracing diverse interests and
constitutinga partizan arrangement that
carries upon it's face the testimony OF
reckless and corrupt motive.
We have to look to the practical enforce
ment of the Riddleberger bill settlement
of the public debt, and see that it's pro-
visions are complied with by the force of a
verdict at the polls that will leave no room
to doubt the purpose of the people.
We must look to it that the repeal of
the dollar price on the ballot is fixed
and unalterable provision in the fun
damental law. and that the barbara us
whipping post law can never be revived in
Virginia This assurance cannot be Civ
en-, unless the party that imposed it
is kept from the control of the Legisla-
ture.
These things cannot be made to stand as
| they are if the people are remiss in duty
and allow the Bourbons, by device and
stealth, to again get control of the State
government. They did all in their power
| to defeat the debt settlement, the repeal
of the capitation tax restriction on the
ballot, and the whipping-post law, and not
until they were overwhelmed by a popular