Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-03-09

curing to the Commonwealth a large
revenue from these sources. Governor
Mckinney has evinced a great interest
in this matter, and his valuable mes
sage was a great source of assistance to
the General Assembly in dealing with
this subject.
'"The subject of the distribution of
the direct-taX, amounting to four hun
dred and odd thousand dollars, was as
well disposed of as could have been eX-
pected under the circumstances. The
bill provides that each treasurer in
whose county or city this tax is to be
distributed shall give a new bond with
security for the proper distribution of
the fund coming into his hands, and it
is through him that the parties enti-
tied are to receive their several shares.
A GROUP OF IMPORTANT ACTS.
"a great many minor acts, important
in themselves, though possibly not of
such general interest, were passed
such as the law prohibiting book-mak-
ing and pool-gambling providing for
the expense and treatment OF the in
digent but durable blind; providing for
the erection of workshops at the re-
formatory established at Laurel, and
the incarceration at that institution
of youths who were hitherto sent to
the jails or penitentiary; for the copy
ing and preservation of all the old re-
cords in the clerks Offices OF the Com
monwealth anterior TO $1,000; for the
erection of a public-library building
costing $200,00 in which are to be
provided apartments for all of the base
ment officers and the room for the Su-
preme Court of Appeals; and the act
making Labor-Day legal holiday.
VIRGINIA AT THE FAIR.
1.-THE passage of the Worlds Fair
bill, though the appropriation is small,
is, in my opinion, a source of congrat-
ulation. The bill provides for the APP
pointment of a commission Of one per-
son from each congressional district,
who are to serve without pay; to en-
ploy two agents, whose duty it shall be
to collect and carry to Chicago an ex-
hibit of the manufacturing, agricultur-
al, mining, and other industrial inter
ests of Virginia. A building, the fac
sianile of Mt. Vernon, is to be erected
on the EXposition-G Grounds, which will
be the headquarters for Virginia and a
place for distributing statistical litera-
ture relative to the resources of our
Commonwealth. The State is now
taking the lead, and if our cities, coun-
ties, towns, railroad corporations, min
ing and manufacturing, and other con-
Germs will all unite we can make the
exhibit at Chicago an honor to Virgin
la, which will turn to our borders capt.
tai and emigration and yield one hun
dred fold for every dollar expended.
Newport News is nearer Chicago than
New York, and there is no reason why,
with proper effort, large portion of
the European travel, either going to Or
returning from Chicago, might not be
brought through Virginia.
PRUDENT IN APPROPRIATIONS.
I'm the matter OF appropriations this
General Assembly has, on the whole,
been reasonably prudent, the only
marked instance of increase being for
the care of our lunatics and our wound
ed Confederate soldiers. Under the
appropriations as made the schools will
derive larger fund than ever before,
ample provision inside the walls of our
asylums will be afforded for every lu-
matte in the Commonwealth, and the old
soldiers have provision for the care of
200 inmates in the Soldiers, Home and
considerable increase in the fund dis
tributed among those who do not come
to that institution. As to the increas-
ed appropriation to the Soldiers Home
the State will eventually receive in re-
turn property amply sufficient to re-
imburse the outlay, as by the terms of
the bill all the present property of the
institution, and any that it may here
after acquire, is to become the proper
ty of the State when its inmates shall
have passed away.
DISCHARGED IMPORTANT TRUSTS.
1.-THE Legislature also assisted in the
erection of the monument to the pri-
vate soldiers and sailors by small APP
preparation, and discharged debt of
the highest honor in paying Rufus b.
Weaver, of Pennsylvania, his claim
for services rendered in removing the
dead bodies of our soldiers from the
battlefield of Gettysburg and interring
them in Hollywood cemetery.
I'm addition to the passage of the
above laws, which are few among all
the many, and the consideration of
divers other measures, this General
Assembly had to elect United States
senator, all the high officials of the
State Government, one hundred coun-
ty court judges, five circuit court
judges, and numerous other minor Off
clais. IL appoftlOneQ tne State Tor rep
resentation in Congress, and for rep
resentatiOn in our State Senate and
House of Delegates.
las have stated, a large majority of
the lower house were farmers, and
though there were many measures
brought before that body, which at
first had the appearance of being espe-
cially conducive to the interests of
that class, yet they were carefully con
sidered, and the treatment received
evinced the profound conservatism of
this great element of our people.
IF this Legislature has done moth
ing else,' Mr.. Munford concluded, sit
has at least convinced the people that
the farmers of Virginia, when entrust-
ed with power, are observant Of the
rights and interests of all classes of
people and WELD their power with
wisdom and with moderation"