Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-28

|
date for onsressman-a t-large. de
clined at first to do 80. saying that
wanted 70 retire from public office: that
thought there was no better time &c
90 SO tnan then, when / had left the
Auuitors ONCE with more and warmer
friends than / had when / entered It,
They insisted that was the only man
who could then bring together and re-
unite the two wings OF the Democratic
party, known as the Funder and Read
Juster wings OF the party, and insisted
that l Should then and there announce
myself as a candidate, before / even had
time TO make any statement for the
papers Of the position that occupied,
or my purpose In becoming a candidate.
'Ihe question was then raised, whether
1 would prefer the calling OF a conven-
ton Tor the purpose OF nominating me.
L stated that IL IL were the purpose to
call convention, to select a candidate,
II might be well to do so, but IL you say
In advance / am to be the man, think
IL would be better to have no conven-
ton. II the Funder side OF the Demo-
cratic party should nominate me- 1t
wouldpossibly drive the Readjuster DEM
ocrats from my support, and II the Read
justers should hold a convention and
nominate me. II might drive the other
class OF Democrats from my support;
| that while 1t might be better for myself
| 10 nave convention, IL would not be
! best for the State. II simply announce
myself candidate and stand between
the two wings, all who know me know
that / am Democrat, and know that
| am also Readjuster, so that / can
bring together the two wings OF the
party, the Funder wing and the Read
tuster wing. and thus reunlte the party.
|
| renee, and ran as candidate for Con-
| gressman-at-large as Readjuster-
Democrat, without being nominated by
a convention OF either party.
when the convention was held at
Lynchburg. committee composed OF
three delegates from each congressional
district was appointed to frame plat
form for the reunited Democratic party.
After short talk 1t was decided to
refer that work &c Major Kelley, Major
Daniel, and myself. We formulated the
platform Upon which 1.-THE Democratic
party has been standing ever since, and
upon which II has never failed to carry
the State either In national or State
elections.
Mr.. Massey, you have about gotten up
to the period when you were nominated |
as Lieutenant-Governor. VIII you tell |
me how that happened. and something |
of the history of that campaign"
AS LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR.
II was never candidate for nomina-
ton as Lieutenant Governor / was a |
candidate for nomination as Governor
and had my own county and many
others at my back. When the conven-
ton was held, / was asked If 1 would
accept the second place on the
ticket, emphatically refused to
7 sk II 7 rupra nominated nv |
reclamation, whether / would accept it.
My purpose decidedly was that / would
not; but after the nomination Of General
Lee, when my name was brought for
ward for the second place on the ticket,
without my consent even, and was
nominated by reclamation, felt that /
could not, in justice to those who had so
me. and to the interests and
success OF the Democratic party, refuse
TO accept It, l did so, never having an
nounced to any person whatever my will
ingness to do it until after the nominal
ton was made; so that / think l may
very safely say that the Office sought me,
rather than that | sought the office. At
ter accepting the nomination, / entered |
Into the canvass with all the activity I
could, and made q general canvass Of |
the State"
IN HIS PRESENT OFFICE.
How about your first election as SUI
of Public instruction, Mr.
Massey"
"In the convention that nominated Gov
,rnor Mckinney 1 announced that then
expected to retire from public life, and
lever expected to be a candidate for any
,ffice again, but friends Immediately
Urged that l should become Superlntend-
mt Of Public instruction. and my name | !
vas presented before the Legislature,
md l was elected without my ever
laving applied to a member Of the
legislature for his vote, or made any {
aEvass whatever for IT. 1 was elected !
o succeed DR.. Buchanan, whose term G
would have expired on the 18th OF
iarch AS soon as was elected for the G
nsuing term he resigned the office. and S
was then elected to fill the unexpired Y
erm. C
II feel that there is no position that / a
yer occupied, which gave me a greater {
pportunity of being seryiceable 10 the h
tate, and especially to the rising genera 7
ion, than the one that L now occupy. 1 {
eel deep interest in the work in which | n
am engaged. l was brought into it | \
Iithout any solicitation on my part, | a
nd the growth and improvement of the d
,hool system are very gratifying to me-"
GROWTH OF SCHOOLS. a
"Mr. Massey. what have you to say o
the progress Of the school II
ystem in the State Of Virginia during A
our administration? W
1T has been exceedingly gratifying, j
s the following brief statement will
how: a
Increase in number Of schools. Lilo di
Increase in pupils enroled...... S0S69
Increase in pupils attending. 1885 IL
Increase In teachers employed. 1852
lcrease in value of school HI
property .............. SSS2, COZ So w
lcrease In State revenue...... $106, 40 20
You will observe that the statistics a;
one show remarkable growth in the 10
.ate's educational operations. Further
ore, during my service as State Super q,
tendent, State summer normal schools or
ere first organized, uniform examina-
ons for teachers certificates were In de
and many other Improvements IN
AIDE in the school system. History will 90
ow that Virginia has made more
ogress in education during the past r
n years than in all other affairs of 40
ate. The future must be studied for -,
suits" X. X. X. -,
YOUNG PEOPLE WILL COMPETE.