Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-07
THURSDAY ....DECEMBER 7, 1898.
49, Gorernor,e MessaRe.


an account Of his stewardship in mes
xaeo 10 the General Assembly which Is
, commemorative review OF our AFFAIRS ana
sensible statement OF the legislation
,bat we need. 1t f. written In business
HE STYLE without rhetorical effort and
,rtlipes the history 81 one Of the most
o,s,oorablc administrations Virginia has
over had
The croWning success Of this admins
,rotlon has peen the settlement OF the
nublic-dcbt question. After more than
r,arter OF century OF agitation in one
,orrn or other we are at last at peace
with our creditors and with our tax-pay-
are The bondholders are content with
heir new securities and the people make
m complaint as 90 the taxation necessary
,o nav the interest thereon. This Is hap
plness Indeed.
There IS stn outstanding small pal
hncs Of bonds which have not been eH-
rbanged. because the limitation OF time
given the Board OF Commissioners ex-
pircd before this could be accomplished
Tbe Governor recommends that Inc
boards power be renewed for limited
lime. so that the whole debt may be set
Tied on the same conditions, and that the
General Assembly will adopt this sugges-
Hon WE have not n shadow OF doubt
The Governor finds great pleasure in re
Jcrring 10 the management Of the peniteh-
tiary. This institution. once heavy bur
den upon the public treasury. now more
fhan pays expenses In uhS past TWO
Years its cel-buildings snd workshops
have been greatly enlarged. The ohief
Income Is from prisoners hired to CON
tractors within the walls. and the NOR
tality Of those 70 employed Is much
smaller than that OF prisoners hired to
counties or 90 contractors on pubhc
works. me truth is that the mortality
hmong conyicts sent outside OF the peni-
tcnuary has sometimes been awful The
Governor concurs In the recommendation
of the Superintendent and Board OF d.
,ect,rs Of the penitentiary that the State
purchase a farm and erect cheap prison
thereon In which TO employ convicts
whose services cannot be otherwise utI-
lied. This would be a move In the direc-
zion Of mercy and economy both; mercy
because II would to some extent relieve
The dreadfully oveTcrowded cells; economy
bo-ause IL would afford "A means of en-
moving. at some profit. numbers OF boys
nud men who, on account OF partial physi-
cal disability, cannot be employed WITHIN
The walls. or under outside contractors
Tho Governor also recommends the
ndoption OF "a ticket -of-leave system"
md that young convicts should be
Taught TO read and write"
Attention IS called TO the fact that
she criminal expenses Of the State have
Increased from $4,000 in 1860 and $4,000
I'm 1870 to $a21 900 in 1898. To check this
enormous expense the Governor makes
number of recommendations, which we
hope viii have due consideration. He
urges that the pay Of circuit judges be
Increased before their election Is gone into.
THESE two subjects. and the public de-
ynand for greater efficiency In the admin
tstration OF criminal justice, in our tudg-
fnent. might well be consiis--d together.
The oyster question is dealt with elabo-
fately IN the message, and figures are
law was passed the State was in the habit
pf paying more for the protection of
oysters than II received from this source
In rents and licenses. In 1898. however
The receipts were s52.695 and the expendi-
lures A7Ol7. a number of amendments
10 the present law are suggested.
The Governor would like to see the
State create the office OF Shell-Fish Com
missioner 10 perform the duties now per-
Formed by the Board of the Chesapeake
md he holds 10 the doctrine that revenue
which the State collects from those who
take oysters 'is not a tax, but rent"
Ample protection from marauders should
be given. but those who profit by the
oyster industry must expect TO pay the
expense The Governor is Of the belief
that Virginia owns million Of acres of
land suitable for oyster-planting (which
could be made TO yield rental OF 81 per
pcre."
But this is not all Says the Governors
Sou have 1900 tongers and dredgers and
others engaged In the fish and oyster In
oastry, who, when properly taxed. will
add largely 10 the revenues OF the State
II efficient means are used in the assess
ment and collection. Nothing but the
worst management can prevent large
reVenues from these sources---larger than
We now have from railroads, or from
licenses. or from personal property, or
from any other source except real estate.
j. not this Sufficient to direct the constant
and earnest efforts OF the General As
Fcmbly OF Virginia 10 this important
subject?
Where oyster-lands are not taken up in
D reasonable time by citizens OF Virginia
she Governor would LEI non-residents rent
them. ''and II will not be long before We
Gan dispose OF every acre.
IN enormous increase In the cost OF
taring for our insane is shown by tho
Governor.
lie eommends as remedy that a person
suspected OF lunacy be examined In a
court OF record dnstead OF by justices.
Us II nov the case) and by a judge learn
Ell In the law and with the assistance of
the Attorney for the Commonwealth.
"hen there IN doubt, the judge should
nave power to empanel jury 10 assist
him.
"NNN"s paw ttt tVfNfAOf du~
f'sFs That there be separate asylums
ier dangerous iunatics and harmless Inn
beei'es and idiots. This latter class. the
Governor shows. make about three
tOlrths OF the number OF inmates in our
aSy'ams. all Of whom could be COM
,o,'soly provided for elsewhere at one
mar OF the present cost. He would have
vne OF more Of the asylums set apart
sor these harmless persons.
sof good roads the Governor speaks a
eoos word. lie would ailows the counties
90 issue bonds TO build them. He advises
ss VI state employ . competent eags-
us~ 70 locate tbs rosds % such ceun-
uss - may desire his services" His es-
e>@se : w u yirEInlA u'aaaa nsr ~