Evening star., 1901-08-15

| a hundred times by tie state. and hum
/ dred times needs the state1s.aid. It is OF
| more importance. to any hamlet in this
state to have an nSnesas non n eaear headed eonr- r.
right sort Of man aS President Of the
United States. The just, wise and economi-
| cal administration OF local government is
| than the successful administration OF tie
| foreign policy of the republic. The sup
| preston of crime, the maintenance of law
| and order, the adminis fation Of Justice as
applied to the many ghts fnd duties Of
| home citizenship, the upbnild4ng Of popular
| education the care of our eleemosynary in
| stitutions all demandythe sacrifice of the
| first and best fruits OF our citizenship. :.
We must realize our state has entered
| upon an era of material. commercial and
| educational advancement; and our people
| must be congratulated that the democratic
party will guide and administer our gov
ernment as it proceeds upon career of
such potentialities. Indeed, 1t is essential
that our party shall administer it, for it
cannot now be safely administered by any
other hands.
Demand for Better Roads.
The demand for better public roads is
heard throughout the commonwealth. The
state is growing SO rapidly in riches and
power that she can now undertake this
great work. 1t may not be expedient to
provide an elaborate system at once, but q
system can be introduced which will give
hope that in due time our roads will be one
of the greatest factors in our Industrial
progress ! shall no, not aas advance arguments
our present needs demonstrate the, neces-
sity for the Immediate Inauguration Of q
policy giving our people greater facilities
| for the transportation of their products to
the highways of commerce, and for the
promotion of social intercourse and domes-
tic comfort.
Our party has been the faithful custodian
| of nIlhlic free school SVSfen Wo hov
done the best we could with the means at
our command and within the limitations of
our constitutions; yet many realize that the
| system cannot be greatly improved until
| our school terms are longer, our school
| laws wiser and better educational advan-
tages are brought within the reach of our
| children. Moreover, it is essential that this
| system shall be so conducted that the peo-
| pie may know that the public free schools
| should not educate our children away from
| labor, but toward labor. Our children must
| be taught to coin their thoughts into work
| no less than into words Therefore, our
people hope for, and will energetically de-
| wise, at no distant day, some means where
| by we may begin a wise and efficient sys-
| tenn of industrial and mechanical educa-
| ton. When this is done we can utilize our
l wealth of water, of forest, Of field and of
mine. We need not then sell abroad the
crude products of our forests, fields and
mines, and buy back the articles manu-
factured therefrom enhanced in value forty
I fifty and hundredfold. We need not then
| back brain. We will then develop our own
| resources, make our own wares build up
| our own people in thrift, in intelligence, in
| comfort and In happiness. 1t is, therefore,
our duty to foster and improve our system
| of public instruction, for the cause of true
| popular education and free government is
one and the same.
Attention to Agriculture
In the nature of things agriculture. the
Oldest and most indispensable of all arts.
will continue to be the chief occupation Of
the people of Virginia.: and as such 1t
| should be to the democratic party the OBJ
)ect OF the most Jealous care. Within the
past two years, as the result of demo-
cratic measure, the revenue derived from
fertilizers has provided means not only for
the analysis of fertilizers and for experi-
ments In scientific farming, but also for
the establishment of farmers institutes.
which are now disseminating among our
farmers the most approved agricultural
education. And now, when ali arts are
making marvellous strides our state should
omit nothing which will keep this great
| Industry in the van of modern Scientific
knowledge and progress
Larger and better tfangs seem In store
1or our commonwealth. "A new constitu-
ton, now framing by our abest and besr
men, gives every promise of meeting the
hopes and needs of a progressive and pa-
tl1otlc people Under This instrument must
De established and operated. an economical
ana efhclent government, which will fully
protect the rights of man and of nronertx,
which will invite immigratfm7and capital.
al anu whlcn WIZ at the same time enable us
to care for our disabled and needy confed
crate veterans and our eelemosynary and
educational institutions. Under such an or
sanic "a, m law, . constructed upon the fundamen-
tai hnes or free government, the pathway
OF our future will be luminous with ne,cc
prosperity and glory
MY own views upon the subject of demo-
cratic craft primaries are too well known to
I
democratic brethren that in the selection
OF state officials and United States sena
tors primary election system should be
adopted. Ihe safety of the democratic
In politics of the mass of voters. The
welfare OF the state depends not SO much
upon the few who take an active part in
poiltlcal aHalrs as upon the thousands of
uhoDtruSlVe citizens who never appear
| upon SO conspicuous field, vet who never
IAN 10 perform with consecrated patriotism
| nundreds OF lesser duties; citizens who
CuID thelr own passions. who follow the
nght or their own consciences and who
know their own duties as we'll as the rights
| OF others. Such citizens form the basis of
the progress and the perpetuity of free in
stltu.!ons' s,' and to secure their active par
tlcipation IN the management of party af-
| Ialrs should be the duty of parties and of
| statesmen. For 1t must not be forgotten
| .nat PAD government is due not so much to
the energy or ability of bad men as to the
| inactivity or neglect Of good men.
Sketch of Mr.. Montague.
andrew jackson Montague was born Oc-
tober 3, 1862, in Campbell county, whittier
his mother had refugeed by reason of the
| naval operations upon the waters Of the
fappahannock in Middlesex county, where
the nome of Robert Latane Montague, his
! father, late president of the secession con-
ventlon, and then very prominent mem
per or the confederate congress, was in
| constant jeopardy from the shells of pass
ing gunboats of the Federal government.
| MI montague educated himself, having
| borrowed money to attend college and the
| university. He Is and has always been a
he received his education at public and
prlVate schools In Middlesex until he en-
| tered richmond College, sessions 1880 and
| 1867 Here he Won the medal for improve
ment In debate the first session and was