Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-01-16
OUR WASHINGTON COR
RESPONDENCE.


COL. O'FERRALL'S PLAN TO BENEFIT
THE FARMING COMMUNICATIVE EDU-
CATIONAL BILL, &C.
Especial Correspondence of Staunton vindicator.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14.-Representative
O'Ferrall is engaged upon scheme that
will be of great benefit to the people of the
western part of Virginia, and will be duly
appreciated by them. 1t is plan to ex-
tend to them the advantages of the obser-
vations and predictions of the United
States Signal Service. The great value of
the weather bureau, especially to those
engaged in agricultural pursuits, has been
abundantly established. Col. O'Ferrall
is assured of the hearty cooperation of
the officers in charge of the bureau and is
confident that he will succeed. His plan
is to have the various signals, indicating
clear weather, rain, frost, &C., displayed
at all stations on the Virginia Midland,
Shenandoah Valley and Valley railroads.
Thence they will be communicated to
other points, covering in the aggregate
very large part of the territory. The Sig
nal Service has reached state of such
perfection that during the past two years
about IS per cent. of its predictions have
been verified. Millions of dollars have
been saved to the farmers by it's warnings,
in the harvesting and handling of their
| crops. Col. O'Ferrall tells me that year
or two ago, two of his friends lost in a
single night, by frost, 5000 worth of
! tobacco. A days notice of the expected
frost, such as are now always given by the
Bureau, would have enabled them to save
the whole. He is very much in earnest
| in the matter, believing that he can thus
do great service to the people in that
| part of the State.
THE EDUCATIONAL BILL.
Friends of the Blair Bill in the House
! are quietly watching their opportunity to
| have it taken up fer consideration. 1t will
| not be from lack Of vigilance Oh their
| part If it is crowded aside by other meas
| ures. The utmost confidence is felt that
| it will pass if it can be brought to vote
| Col. O'Ferrall is giving the subject very
| careful attention. He has been for some
time at work in the preparation of "a
| speech upon 1t. From data collected by
him,h has kindly permitted me to extract
the following facts and figures. which pre-
| sent in the c(earest possible light the great
| inequalities that exist under tie present
| system of education. and which would be
in great degree remedied by this bill:
| Within the II Southern States lately in
| rebellion, in 1880 there were 2,740 o64
colored illiterates over the school age Of
| 10 years, while in all the other States and
| Territories there were only 49,, 014 of this
| class. The total population of these II
States was II, 990.146, and that of all the
other 81 1865 637. The white population
of the IL States was only 1922. S52, and
| that of the q other States was IS 790 119.
| 1t ;sill thus be seen that 1922 $50 white
| people have cast upon them the educating
| of 2 $40 S64 colored illiterates, while 35.-
| $50. 1l8 white people in the other States are
only burdened with the education of 1872, OLA
| of this class. In other words every white
male adult in these IL States is called upon
| to educate a fraction more than two col
| ored illiterates, while in the other STATE 8
and Territories the education of one per-
son of that class is distributed among
| seuentyfOur white adults.
| In 1880 the assessed valuation of real
| property in these IL States. was $780,
| 1856 ,5S4, and in the other 81 States SIS, 032 :
0l9 30S. s. less than So 900 600 900 must
| be taxed to educate 2 700 600 colored illit-
crates, while $1a, 600, 900 900 escapes with
| a tax to educate only 1872, GOO. One ninth
of the wealth OF the country NJ ust bear the
| burden OF educating more than four-ffths
Of the illiterate colored. Since the war
Virginia has paid internal revenue taxes
to the amount of 800, 600 900, and has re-
ceivcd from the government for internal
improvements almost nothing. Her pol
ton under the Blair bill will be nearly
| Sc, 900 600.
PERSONAL NOTES.
Col Cabell and Col. O'Ferral have both
entirely recovered from their illness.
| Garrison of the 1st Virginia districs, is in
his seat. He was not able to come to
Washington before the holidays. John S.
Wise is still conspic uous by his absence.
Senator Malone resumed his seat last
Monday, looking very pale and weak.
Representative Seney, of Ohio, has been
examining the civil service and term OF
Office laws, and says be finds nothing that
will prevent President Clevela nd from
filling the Offices with Dem ocrats. provid-
ed wants to. ARGUS.