Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-29

In connection with II. This could be done
By making 1t the duty OF the superintendent
OF Public Instruction in each county 10 give
their certificates In proper cases. Applicants
should be required 10 state in their applica.
tion for certificate what their qualifications
are, give references as to work done, with
testimony hy employers ~ TO worthness.
There should he grades Of certificates.
fee OF 81 could be charged 10 reimburse the
County Superintendent for this extra work.
This plau above briefly stated Is URGED upon
the Commissioner by many earnest working-
men.
REPORTS FROM MECHANICAL AND OTHER IN
PLOYERs.
CHAPTER second ia devoted 90 this subject.
No less than 42i establishments report snd
Of these 1886 report SJ.J2i.5J0 capital. The
census OF 1880 showed that there were 1892
manufacturing and mechanical enterprises.
with Sl3,0t5.010 capital. The figures show
how rapidly these enterprise. have increased,
and it may safely be assumed that these pur-
suits have trebled aud ever quadruplsd since
the census OF 1880. -Four hundred and two
establishments report J,93j operatives. and
246 report 81, 730,lJ8 capitol and S5,nS.5Ss
value OF articles produced. Of these los re-
port value OF products Sj.7l2,7Jl; sinount
paid labor SI,06j,222 or 10 per cent.
WAGES OF LABOR.
The average amount paid skilled labor in
the state as shown u for males sl50 and for
females - cents per day. and for uD'killed
hbOr, 20 cent. for males. 40 cents for women,
So cents for youths. "a cents Tor children.
The average hours Of labor are ten aud 4
bali: average price Of board per rnoath.
IS SO; per cent. Of adult employees who can
read aud write. -. aud OF children, Cl per
ceus Thlrty.elght per cent. OF tbs clsss of
employees own bones aud 81 per cent. are
kccumulating money.
THE APPRENTICE SYSTEM.
Tie third chapter ia devoted to appren-
tiees. and is very full. II is evident that this
subjectisa chief one with workmen. for hun-
dreds OF them write about it. Much oi I, is
referred to under the head Of reports from
mechanics. The Commissioner very frankly
says the present law on the subject, instead
Of facilitating the spprentcing OF the youth
10 useful cailiugs. has had the opposite effect.
It's regarded With dread. by reason oi The
wrongs It has caused and those It is capable
OF iuactlng. The law j. not only scare
crow. but has been su instrument os much
wrong and oppression = INDECENT and help
iesn children, for scarcely any Others have
cOne under ia provisions. TIE c0lored
! people are particularly ayerSe 70 TIE lnw.
which is old-ilshoncd, with the objection
able terms OF "mastcrr and "mi,tress.'
To these the white people also object. The
clerks Of the superior C0uIt Us a rule con-
Gemn the law.
MANUAL AND TECUNICAL TRtTING
forms the subject OF The fourth chapter.
| There ia mere beginning tn this matter.
| This Is the agricultural and mechanical col
| lege, not yet in operation. Tue develop
ment OF the plan ia watched with marked in-
terest, especially by progressive men.
THE PcBIIc ROADS.
The public roads Of This State are 4 centu.
~ behind the time. The report will devote
a chapter OF over one hundred pages tO them.
! Il SAYS that In most OF the counties the roads
sre bsd cond ton fos 4 large part % the
year; 30 bsj in fact. as 10 forbid traffic
| upOn them save IN limited way. This his
proved a grest bndrsnce TO the social lnd
| business intercourse OF the people. The
people are interested In the subject; il can
not be kept out OF sight There
! greN dissatisfaction win the present
year. Some counties are trying toe
! convict system under the act u let,.
some OF the sblesf men 10 tne state con-
| tribute 10 this mass % Information about the
matter. A large majority regard the present
] law as unsati,lact0ry ana assert that under u
! the Highways become Worsr instead oi better.
J A considerable number favor making the
roads by money taxation upon property and
! poll alleging that this Is the lare-t o. all
classes. in that II compels those who use The
roads most 10 pay most 10 keep them up !.
Is also claimed that tlis plan Is in the rnd
the most economical. Some persons fafor .
] a
! faNltion upon property. This Is the pau OF
tne eMecSlenburg-cnuuty road law, and II isa
c0mpr0mise measure and j. claimed TO be-
fair and Just. While Il compels property 70
do is share Of the work upon the roads II
also cOmDels those who have 30 property TO
| nav their pOll.tax I'm llaor. which would not
! be done as general thing II money tax
were required. The Commissioner thinks
this plan msritori)u-. The best talent IN .
| community should be PAID 10 look after tho
work on the roads. The report contains ali
the road laws OF the states.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
Chapter sixth presents some exceedingly
valuable and new statistics IN re gard 10 tne
/ productiyenCs, OF iarmrg during tue ist
! year. based on replies from sil the count' q
/ save one. Tue families average six persons,
Of whom an average OF = worked IN the
! field or house and y were non producers.
| The average value Of land is $3.50 an acre,
but the 22g correspondents put the average
value Of their lands at 50 80. The product
ner acre wss $40 30, while the cost OF pTOduc-
| lion showed loss OF . per cent. upon tue
canltai used. TDis i tray bad showing.
| Had the crop been up 10 the average the re-
| suit would have been return Of ) per
! cent. upon the capital used. TIE average
| cost Of labor OF persons on farms Was g ~
| for each acre Culuyaled. or 30 per cert. OF
| the product. Fertilizers cost on an average
! aty.two cents an acre, while lhe cost Of food
! supplies bought aud not raised on the
! iarm was So TO the farm. The crop,
were certainly short the plst year not over
/ - per cent. OF an ayeIa2e. 10 IS not sur
/ prising, therefore iba, farming was unpf0Bt-
/ able aud conducted aG a loss. Yet some
| farmers made money, IL i observable thst
| this vas done where grasses and STOCK were
special features 0i isrnng. This plainly
shows that where diversified farming aud
home supplies baye 'bceR the controlling
! idea farming has been profitable IN season
and out Of season. There is improvement IN
| this direction, largely due 70 the efforts Of
the farmers 0rKallTgt,0ns. huch stress u
laid by correspondents upon the necessity Of
| reducing Ia, acreage of crops planted. The
/ principal drawback are crop liens. usurious
! interest. lack Of homemade mAnures, unfe-
liability OF labor &c.
a sad Cunning Accident
Special telegram 70 the Dispsichl
| CHARLOTTE, \. c., December 2A-News
Is received here tonight Oi the very sad
death Of z promising young man in Rowan