Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-12-06
FRIDAY MORNING. DEC. 6. 1895

FRIDAY MORNING. DEC. 6, 1895
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
The message Of Gov. O'Ferrall sent in te
the legislature Wednesday is quite lengthy
He first tax es up the question OF constl'
tutional convention and expresses the
opinion 'sthat convention would be I'M
polite and involve an unnecessary expen-
diture of money" He thinks the reas ons
advanced by it's advocates untenable. AS
to return to the old system OF justices
courts he deems it more expensive than the
present county court system. AS to the
reduction of the number of circuit judges
he thinks it would be wiser to increase
them. He cannot see any wisdom In the
reduction of the number of Superinten-
dents of Schools OIL the abolition OF the
Offices of county and city treasurers. HAY
ing disposed Of these four reasons which he
saws are given for constitutional conyen-
ton. he comes to the f1fth-the
reduction of the criminal expenses, which
he thinks can be done by the legislature as
well as by convention and at much less
cost.
He reviews the financial condition of the
State and says that lat scarcely any
period in her history have the finances OF
Virginia been in better condition, and the
present fiscal year promises as well as the
last two.'' He says that there has been an
increase in the real estate values OF the
State under the new assessment OF
$11 ,647, 1872, instead Of falling off as was
unprecedented. AS for the public debt that
happily is settled matter. except claim
of the United States, against which the
State has ample offsets.
He says the terms are too short in the
county public schools. In the report of
the schools the State fund appropriated is
1914, 351 SO to which is to be added the
county, district and city levies $S49, 1854,
making total of 81, s24.2S7.77.
He leaves to the wisdom of the legisIa-
ture to devise means to help the University
of Virginia. He advocates sc ferrous ap-
preparations to the Soldier Home. and
says an appreciative word for the State
Board of Agriculture. A doubling Of the
appropriation to the State militia is recon-
mended.
The Governor recommends State super
vision of State banks, insurance compan-
les and building and loan associations, the
kofo 10 int oyanoieo1 fn 1n011 infn
their condition frequently. and be paid for
his services by the banks, companies and
associations. Also to require home insur
ance companies to deposit bonds with the
State just as foreign companies are requir-
ed to do.
In the matter of good roads he is opposed
to the restoration of compulsory road Ia
Dor, and hopes the legislature will give a
patient Investigation to the bill prepared
by the Good Roads convention. The pres
ent road tax levied by counties is, he
thinks, unwisely small.
He recalls the wrong done some localities
by unreasonable alarm in the small pox
matter last Spring. and urges the legisla-
ture to establish State Board of Health
clothed with ample powers in quarantine
and other matters concerning contagious
OF Infectious diseases.
In the matter of the Walton law the
Governor speaks with unmistakable frank
ness. He recalls the fear of race ostra-
cism, the duress under which voters labor
ed, the use Of money, the confusion, disor-
der, pulling and hauling Of voters, that
prevailed under the old election law, and
contrasts it with the sober, and orderly,
and secret elections under the Walton law.
free both from the use of money and from
fear OF prescription. To the objection that
the constable is appointed from one party,
he replies that the same objection might
he applied to every judge who presides in
court, and every witness that testifies in
matter of pollcal nature-that he would
perjure himself on account of his politics
The constables who prepare the ballots of |
the illiterate are sworn officers, while the |
men who formerly prepared the iliiterate |
voters ballot were not sworn. AS to put
ting in multiplicity of constabes he says |
it would destroy the secrecy Of the ballot |
On the subject Of lynching the Governor |
recommends that the expenses of military
be borne by the county asking for it; and
that there be the right of action for dam
ages or his official bond against any officer
by the heirs of the man who has been taken
from his custody and lynched, He fur
ther recommends that the penalty for rape
3r attempted rape shall in all cases be
death, and such indictments to have the
right of way over all others. He
says that during the last two wears
n answer to calls OF the Sheriffs
If Prince William, Augusta,
Frederick, Clarke. Lunenburg and klbe-
marie, troops have been furnished to pre-
vent lynching. 1t did not cost two cents
IN the thousand dollars of taxable property
# the State. The Governor gives a his
DRY OF the troops being sent to Pocahontas
o protect property. and to Alexandria
county to clear out the 'Coxeyites'' who
would neither work nor leave, and who
we're an oppression and terror to the /
He further gives an &C.
count of his efforts to suppress gambling
in the same county, with
ivil officers, and recommends more plain
nd severe law against prize fighting.
THE VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
The Virginia legislature assembled on
Wednesday. On the night before, caucus :,
# the Democratic members of each house
vas held, at which two Important changes
we're made in the official corps of the Sen.
tie. Mr.. Joseph Button Of Appomattsx
eating the incumbent, DR.. j. Dudley ,
'endleton, for Clerk of the Senate by one
Ote. Mr.. EchOIs voted fnr Me Rnttnn