The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-20
GOV. M'KINNEY
SPEAKS FOR VIRGINIA LIKE
A TRUE VIRGINIAN.
WORDS OF PRAISE FOR ROANOKE.
lie Predicts ,hnt rhe Southwestern
Boom VIII Spread 10 the Eastern
scction OF the state--Materiai Pre-
srcsa and Education.

The following extracts are taken
from the advance sheets of an inter
view held with Governor Mckinney
by DR.. a. E. Dickinson, the veteran
Baptist editor and preacher, of Rich
mond, Va;
What Of the night, Governor Is
the day dawning for the Old State? 2"
81 think it is brighter all around.
In the matter of material develop
ment the progress is truly wonderful.
In every section of the commonwealth
our people are waking up, and new
hope and zeal are everywhere appar-
ent. OF course, the greatest advance
of late years has been in this South
west Virginia country, but it will
spread ali over the State, and multi
tudes in East Virginia who now feel
land poor will find their wealth in
lanf.n
You think East Virginia will come
up?n
Certainly | do 1t is coming up
now. Let US begin ut Norfolk-what
an enormous advance has been made
OF late in all that section. The dream
of generations is now coming to pass,
and Norfolk takes her place near the
head, if not at the very head Of the
column. And look how Suffolk, Frank
lin and other towns in that direction
are improving. Then, if you come
across the river TO Newport News
and Hampton, you will find it almost
continued city from the one to the
other. Before the war l used to go
down there, and where Newport News
city now stands there was scarcely
house, and there was nothing inviting.
But look now what "A place it is.''
Don't you think there is danger
from these great booms in Southwest
Virginia.
Here and there it may be over
done, but think we have seen but
the beginning of the mighty move
ment that is to rlvet the attention of
the civilized world upon Southwest
Virginia. You know we used to think
the projectors of Roanoke were wild,
but now, when we see its great and
growing population and its mighty
Industries, we no longer doubt IT'S to
its great future. Look how Salem is
leaping forward. 1t now seems that
it and Roanoke are to be substanti-
ally one city, closely connected by
street railroads. There is no telling
what is to be the result of this great
incoming tide of prosperity"
What about the outlook of educa-
ton and religion in the Old State?n
There's an interest in both such as
| have never known. Both go hand
in hand, and ought to. We are turn
ing more attention TO practical edu-
cation, and schools of technology are
in demand. Agriculture will be
taught as never before, and the farm
ers will feel more interest in it than
ever before. Everywhere this is felt
at Lexington and Blacksburg the
State schools will devote more atten-
ton to such subjects. At the Peters
burg Normal School we lave opened
two workshops, and there our colored
friends will be taught some valuable
lessons The great trouble is the
prejudice among us against mechani
cal pursuits, but it is gradually wear
ing away. We have sent the hickory
to the North to be worked up there
into axe handles and sent back for us
TO buy. Thus our money has been
ali the time going out. Now we are
going into mechanical pursuits, and
that is where the money is. Apropo-
sitiou is now up IL. establishing a
great school of technology in Ro-
anoke.
Il think old Brother Massey is GO
ing TO give a great impulse to public
schools Heis the most industrious
man | ever knew. He will look closely
after the finances, and he is going to
work up public school education more
than it has ever been worked up
among us. Whatever one may think
of public schools, it is very unwise to
be decryiug them We could not get
rid of them if we would, and ought
not if we could. They are here to
stay, and we should make them as
good as possible. They are very rap
idly improving, and they are fast
growing good enough for any one to
send his child to. soon every county,
will have its graded school, and thus
every one can secure good business
education"