The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-02

into effect.
The Governor speaks most encouraging
Nv OF the penitentIary farm. and we are
quite as much gratHed as he that 1t has
proven such a success. IL Is model
wav for caring at small cost for dis
ahled and short term convicts OF the
state. Indeed 1t seems 70 us that n
pcnitcntiary farm. coupled With such In
dustrjes as shall enable the convlcts to
produce practically all that they consume
and thereby make the institution prac-
tioally self.sustaining. Is the true solu-
ton OF the convict problem. In our opin-
ion the State has no business whatever
10 make the penitentiary profitable IN
stitution by hiring out its convicts to fac
tories which compete with other indus
tries and with free labor. But peni-
Tertiary farm would not affect the inter-
ests Of citizens who are engaged in that
pursuit. Indeed IL has been shown that
such a farm, under high state OF cuiti-
walton. is most valuable to the agricultu-
raj interests of the State as sort OF
experiment station. For example. it wai
demonstrated last year by experiments
on the pcnitcntiary farm that sugar beets
OF commercial value can be produced IN
this section OF Virginia, and the effort
that is now being made TO inaugurate
sugar beet factory in Richmond is based
upon a supply OF beets from the peniten-
tiary farm.
In 1896, 213055 tons of fertilizer were sold
IN North Carolina, from which the state
derived a revenue Of s5O,7@. In Virginia
1875 .7oS tons were sold. from which Vir-
einia derived a revenue Of $500. The
Governor recommends that the act of
March s. 1894. be so amended as to i'm
nose a tonnage tax upon all sales Of fer
tilizer made in the state. This speaks
for itself.
The Governor deals at length with the
oyster question, showing that while the
State should have a large revenue from
this source, by reason Of evasion of the
law the receipts from the oyster tax last
year were nearly 1900 less than the cost
of maintaining the oyster navy. He shows
very clearly where the difficulty is, and
suggests a practical remedy. There was
a time when those who lived in Tidewater
stoutly maintained that all water rights
TO the middle of the stream rights belong
cd to the riparian property owners. But
that IS an exploded theory. The State
owns from low-water mark, and her rights
are not disputed. There IL great wealth
10 Virginia in the Chesapeake and It's
tributaries and the people Of the whole
state demand that these depredations
upon the States property shall cease.
and that she shall have every dollar Of
revenue from that source that belongs
to her. This subject has been under dis
cussion for years, but the depredatons
seem TO be as bad as ever, and 1t is high
time that heroic measures were adopted.
We concur with the Governor in his
plea for the worn-out Confederate vete-
rams. The state should care for them,
and will care for them, but we cannot
agree that the present meagre appropria-
tons to the public institutions Of learning
shall be cut down.
The Governor speaks strongly but not
too much so, on the subject of honest
elections. Well does he say with show
of indignation that the people Of Virginia
are not i'm favor, as has been charged, of
fraudulent elections. They are honest
people, and they believe in honest cleo
tions. But q few fraudulent men for their
own selfish purposes have practiced cor
ruption at the polls, and the good name
Of the state has suffered thereby. The
people demand complete reform. They
demand a law that shall avoid the APP
pearance of evil. They demand, as the
Governor puts it. free and honest ballot
and n fair and honest return. The Gov
ernor recommends an emblem ballot, and
the display of an exact representation OF
this ballot in the public press and at the
polls on the day of election, TO enable
voters to become familiar with it. We
shall have something more TO say on this
subject hereafter.
In conclusion, Governor OFerrall makes
n brief summary of the work that he has
accomplished during his administration
which IS now drawing to a close 1t is not
an irnmodest statement, and every claim
that he makes is fully borne ont by the
facts His has been clean administra-
ton. and he has upheld the law with a
courage and patriotism I'm every way
worthy Of q Governor of Virginia. TINS
much even his harshest political critics
concede. His last message Is an able
state paper showing careful study intel
ligent research, and thorough comprehen-
sion OF the affairs and needs of the state
IT deserves the careful consideration OF
the Legislature.
AN IRRFCoNCILABLE DIFFERENT