Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-02

require her citizens deriving benefits fror
the oyster bottoms ito contribute some
thing like an equivalent TO. and bea
something like their equitable share OF
tho expenses OF the State" He also re
commends that the laws be so amende,
as 20 require assessment to be made upol
the annual sales of all planted oyster.
In lieu Of the present system, and tn,
payment of an annual license tax OF 81
for every hundred feet capacity Of the
vessel or craft employed in soystering
Further. that a tax Of 3 cents per bushe
be levied on the capacity Of a vessel for
single cargo, or where the license is for
only one month. The constitutional
amendment referred to would involve the
/ striking out of Article III, section 10. and
the Governor emphasizes his recommen-
| dation that this DO done. On the whole,
we cannot but regard the Governors
dissertation upon, and recommendations
touching tho oyster interest as, for the
most part, loves labor lost and zeal
wasted.
The Governor points out that Lee Camp
Soldiers Home is taxed to its utmost
capacity to accommodate the present in
mates. and that many meritorious appli-
cations for admission that cannot be
granted are on file. Here he brings us
face TO face with a cruel dilemma. He
advocates a larger appropriation for the
benefit OF the home and for pensions.
and while he expresses his warm friend
ship for our institutions of learning. says:
II recommend reduction of the appro-
priations to our educational institutions.
Of the amount taken off to the usual ap- |
preparations TO pensions and to the Sol |
diers' Home" This recommendation. he |
explains in another part of the message,
does not apply to the Institution for the |
Deaf Dumb. and Blind. Nor is reduction
as respects the other in
stitutions If the pension and home APP
can be increased without
such reduction.
AS to election laws. the Governor disa-
Srees widely with himself. He recon-
nends material changes in the present
aw, and while admitting that this law is
better than the Anderson
Mccormick law, says: But there is in
he existing act provisions which make
raud easy and tend to cast suspicion
lpon the elections, as well as upon the
purpose of the act. SO. while the new law
las its advantages over the old law, it
las its evils, for it virtually dlsfran-
hises many and opens wide the door
or corruption and dishonesty. 1t has
roved a failure and should be
mended, retaining what is good and dis
arding what is bad in it." He recon-
lends an emblem ballot, after the style
the Maryland ballot.
AS the present law was designed to
leet objections urged to the original
Walton law, and is confessedly an i'm
rovement on that law, and as Governor
'Ferrail approved the present law, 1t
lay be interesting TO know what he
fought of the original two years ago.
In his message TO the General Assem-
y of 1855, Governor O'Ferran said:
1t the Walton law has surely secured
liet, peaceable, and orderly elections.
ne excitement, confusion and disorder o
ID the badgering. pulling, and hauling s
voters. that prevailed to such dis | c,
sting extent, have ceased. 1t has rem >
red the use of money impossible, for "
g Venal voter can no longer be led to | d
G polls by him who has contracted for | b
vote. 1t has certainly secured the | OF
e, untrammelled and unpurchased bal =,
OF every voter of ordinary intelli-
nee, for when he enters the booth he | VI
exempt from intimidation and the in
ence of money, class, and race. and di
ere prepares his own ballot with his n,
n hand, under his own eye, and none -
her. SO far, the effect OF the Walton ~
v must meet with the hearty support I'll
every citizen who values orderly cleo m
ms, condemns the use of money at the W
lis, and desires a free. untrammelled. =,
unpurchased expression of the will -
the people," ou
gain, in meeting the argument against IN
= one-constable feature of the Walton
:, he said: ne
Since its passage 0he Walton law ar
have had three general elections CO
ere are 100 counties and eighteen pr
es, and about / 400 voting-places in riv
State, and at each precinct there -,
$ a special constable at each election. o"
ave not heard of an indictment be- De-
found or even a charge preferred in as
m, against a single special constable del
any county or city, and this certain hol
speaks well for the integrity of the
'tions held under the new system UT
], If they have been free from cor up
ton and fraud. why amend this pro- Jal
on of the law? Striving to better. ma,
we mar what's WELL 1t may be
that the illiterate voter in the ma 'o
of things, could not detect fraud in cor
special constable. Detection is easy. jus
so vigilant have been the opponents str
he system it is hardly probable that -
: would have so utterly failed to find 81.
ngle case to present If the law had L
been honestly administered" rive
her quotations might be made from are
Governors message of two years trio
tending to show that he is now out of
harmony with the position he occu- as
then on this question. van
ter leaving. in his present message sur
subject OF elections the Governor in I
es number of suggestions on such II
tions as the Maryland and Virginia this
ldary line, cattle quarantine, super bers
N OF State banks, insurance compa- non
and building associations, deposits here
companies, direct tax, pub they
Olidays, etc. In conclusion he reviews not
decided dissatisfaction his own adj und
stration, stating among other things degr
'even the tongue of my most bit mon
and vindictive personal or political fact
", ever ready to censure, has never crea
ged me with dereliction OF duty or all