Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-09-23

balance of only Sl00,9IO yet due that
fund. on which interest at 3 per cent. Is
paid annually and disOursed with the
distributable school fund. Now, while
Democratic administrations borrowed
from this fund 70 meet casual deficits
under authority and by virtue of law,
Republican administrations did the same
thing without regard 10 law. While
the
Democrats Have RigidIy Accounted
10 the school fund for every dollar so
borrowed. and have promptly paid ac-
crued interest thereon, the Republicans
kept accurate account Of neither prlnci-
nal nor interest, and from the formation
of the state 10 the year 1866, they used
both the general and free school funds
indiscriminately for general state pur-
poses in direct violation Of law. In
support of this statement, let me give
YOU Republican authority. lquote from
the report Of Auditor McWhorter, dated
Jan. /, 1866, page !. He says: In AS
suming the duties of this office on the
4th dav of last March, found that no
account had been kept with the free
school fund or of the general school
fund" Auditor McWhorter thereupon
opened accounts with these funds. and
when the DAYS of Republicanism ended
in this state. five years later, the books
showed, as near as could be aScertained
from the imperfect accounts kept, that
a balance of 500, sos. "a had been diverted
from the school fund, on which no in
terest had been paid and for which no
note or other evidence of Indebtedness
had been given, and which sum Demo
cratic administrations paid back. This
is the sort Of protection and care that
was given by the Republican party 10
that fund which its present platform de-
clares was set apart saCredly for the
education of the children So long As
that party's fingers were in the treasury,
this fund was not regarded too sacred
TO be used for other than school pur-
poses. whether for the sacred purpose
of diSfranchSing Democratic voters or
increasing officers salaries by donations
of house rent.
The Public Printing.
Nv friends. this remarkable platform
next charges extravaganza IN pubic
printing and stationary accounts. While
no department of the state government
is more carefully watched and econom-
icallv managed, there has been
necessarily a gradual increase in the ag-
gregate cost of printing and stationary,
incident to the establishment and growth
of our public institutions. But If COM
parison is made between present appro-
priations when printing is done for and
stationery supplied TO the university
agricultural board, experiment sta
ton. Colored Agricultural college, six
normal schools, hospitals for the insane.
the penitentiary, labor bureau and mine
inspectors, and the appropriations for
printing made priort to the establishment
of these institutions and departments. 10
say nothing of the large requirements Of
the executive Offices of the government,
a sufficient answer 10 the charge of ex-
travagance in this quarter will have
been found.
Partisan Boards and Teachers.
Another charge in this platform is
that our public institutions are run by
partisan boards appointed because Of
partisan service. 1t strikes me that
this comes with rather bad grace from n
party that was seldom, If ever, known
10 appoint a Democrat 10 any Office or
upon any board, and even required Of
school teachers the Infamous test oath
before allowing them 10 teach school for
n living: but in defence 90 the charge
we plead that all of our state institutions
are in most healthy, prosperous and
satisfactory condition, and better man
aged with less reference 10 politics than
they ever We're n any period during all
the years of Republican supremacy in
this state. SO far, my fellow citizens,
as am authorized 20 speak for II, the
Democratic party will decline TO apollo
gize for placing Democrats on guard.
The States Prosperity.
And now | come to what must be re-
garded. in the light Of our states splen-
did prosperity since she threw Off the
yoke Of radical Republicanism, as the
''joke. the ridiculous absurdity Of the
Huntington platform. The Democratic
party is grayely charged through its nd-
ministratiOn Of affairs with retarding
the growth Of the state Ny friends,
invite your attention 10 our public insti-
tuition, costing more than g. 600, 900, 20
our spendid system of free schools and
educational institutions, 10 our un-
precedented increase in population and
material wealth. TO the astonishing in
crease in tie states railroad mileage, her
mining industry and every department
Of commercial and industrial activity,
and ask that you follow me while
make some comparisons.
A Few Comparisons.
In 1871. after nine years Of Republican
rule. we found the state with free
school system crude and inefficient. We
perfected the law, enlarged and i'm
proved the school work. and gave 30 the
state Of West Virginia one of the best
educational systems in the country. The
growth Of our schools under Democratic
administrations has been simply wonder
ful. In 1871 we had 2 ,Oj9 shcool houses;
in 1891 we had 1899. In 1871 the school
population Of the state was l72 ,331; in
1892 it was 27l .332. In 1871 the aver
age daily attendance was but 81 1856; in
1892 IL was l23. .9S7. In 1871 there were
only 2,4GS teachers employed; in 1891
there were 500 teachers employed. The
value Of our school property in 1871 was
81 ,064, III; in 1891 it was 8, ljl 1896. In
1871 we had an irreducible school fund
of only $21S. .OG9. 90. and n general fund
aggregating only S174, 500 3j; in 1891 the
irreducible school fund had grown 20
1868 ,2O3.93. and the general fund 20
1851 .4S7S9 In 1871 the entire amount
spent in education was $j77, ,7lS.72, while
in 1891 there was expended 81 $3.50, ,G93 -.
This, my friends, is the splendid record
of our educational progress and grandly
vindicates the loyalty Of the Democratic
party TO the bright boys and girls OF
West Virginia.
West Virginia Railroads.
In 1870 we had 800 miles Of railroad in
this state. The miiage was made up al.
most entirely Of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, completed in 1916. under
Democratic administration Of the old
mother state During the entire period
of Republican rule in West Virginia.
from the organization Of the state 70
1871, less than twenty-five miles Of rail-
roads were constructed aud put into
operation. What a record for this party
Of bOasted progress that now in the face
Of such record charges US with retarding