Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-01-02
Governor 0'Ferrall's Inauguration.

ana an area OF Il. tJU ~ udIe Jlhes, Will
a fruitful soil and boundless mineral
wealth, magnificent rivers and majestic
mountains, endless woodlands. rich val
leys and fertile hills, CLASSY bays and
and crystals rivulets; with the inter
ests OF farm and mine, forest and field,
furnace, forge and rolling mill all blend
ing and working together in beautiful
harmony; with an intelligent, indus
trious, frugal, law-abiding and God
fearing people, with climate that is
salubrious and temperature, breezes
that ere balmy and sun that is genial,
what more could we desire to give sta
bility to Virginia to complete her ma
terial advantages or add to her bless
ings?
The question of taxation will receive
my careful consideration. Taxes i'm
posed upon the people, whether direct
" orindirectly, should be limited strict
ly to the necessary demands of the gov
eminent, economically and prudently
administered, and when levied for any
other purpose it is robbery under the
form Of law. Excessive taxation, sap
ping the substance of the people, except
to supply the real wants Of the govern
lnent, whether done by State or ma
tional authority, is crime. Oh course,
it bears most heavily upon the laboring
man, for often at best his struggle Is
hard TO keep the wolf from the door.
The State debt has fortunately been
adjusted upon terms acceptable to the
creditors and honorable to the State,
and never again will it return to plague
US or to threaten US with increased bur-
dens or the diversion from their rightful
channel of the revenues intended for the
education of the children of the State.
In my opinion the present rate OF
taxation upon property can soon be re-
duced. The rapid advancement of val
ues in many directions, the great strides
we are making in our material devel-
ment open up before Us prospect so
bright that, taken in connection with
important reforms and indications
which have been proposed, leads me to
hope and believe before the close OF
the next four years the condition OF
our treasury will justify the Legisla-
ture in lessening the rate Of taxation.
Our educational interests will have
my fostering care.
The sure Foundation OF State is laid
in knowledge, not in ignorance, and
when there is universal suffrage there
should be universal education, for the
more general the diffusion of knowl-
edge the more general does public viz
tue prevail, and in republican gov
eminent where people govern, the hand
that casts ballot should have behind
it a mind.power of intelligence. Pub
lie education creates a security OF our
liberties and a State and national
strength which all the laws, all the
muniments of war, all the forts, all the
armies and all the navies cannot give.
1t is proper for me to state that
shall improve and encourage and ap-
prove wise and judicious legislation re-
speeding the regulation of the railroads
of the State. believe this is essential
TO the interests of both the roads and
the people, that there may be no OPP
preston or discrimination on the part
OF the one and no unreasonable de-
mands on the part of the other.
have no sympathy with that sentiment
prevailing to some extent, that appar-
emily regards railroads as public enc
mics and oppressors. 1t is the cry OF
the demagogue and time serving poll
tician. Neither do I sympathize
with the arrogant spirit shown by
some railroads to disregard the wish
es or conveniences of the com
munities through which they pass
simply because they have monop
oily and the people are powerless
Railroads l recognize as the great ex'
plorers and mighty developers OF g
country's resources. Hush the clamol
against these powerful helpers in the
work of civilization, development and
progress. Let them rebuild. Throw
no impeachment in their way. Let them
traverse the whole land. They will
bring blessings, not curses. They will
bring gladnesss, not sadness; bright
ness, not gloom. But while they are
shedding general benefits let them not
be converted into engines Of depression
of any section or locality. Our oyster
beds and fisheries shall not escape my
vigilant attention. They are the prop
critics of Virginia and must and shall
be protected from the incursions of citi-
zens of other States and held under the
law for the exclusive occupancy of Fir-
ginians. Our State boundaries are
now well defined at almost every point
and there is no reason why any mis-
takes should be made, and when an en-
croachment occurs it will be either viii
full or the result of gross and inexcus.
able ignorance. The executive of our
neighboring State contiguous to these
waters will am sure, cooperate with
me in my efforts to preserve them fol
Virginians, as l will surely cooperate
with him in preserving the waters o.
his State for AIarylanders. The oyster
mans peculiar condition, locality, sur
roundings, training and mode of life
should be carefully considered and re-
spected.
/ must not forget TO refer briefly tc
the subject of immigration. With open
arms we welcome every stranger into
our gates who comes with q good char
acter to dwell among us and become
one of US, ond by his brain, money OF
muscle aid in developing our unsur
passed natural resources. We want
him to be laborer, not al idler in the
vineyard.
Lands we have in plenty, homes we
have in abundance for those who will
buy them with their money or earn
them by their labor.
Let us, then, encourage by legislative