The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-19

for public education. that the Democratic
party had founded and fostered the public
school system and that 1t was bringing
about reforms In this line every year.
He promised his best endeavors to see
that the party carried out it's pledges
to make the system even more efficient
than 1t is at present. He said the DEM
ocratic party had decreased taxes from
so to 10 cents on the 500 worth of prop
erty, and yet at the same time good
government had been dispensed to the
people; the interest On the State debt
was being met and q, sinking fund was
being piled up to meet the principal when
it should fail due.
He produced statistics from the United
States Census Department to show that
Virginia was far anead of her sister
Southern States in the matter or pupic
education, and then he asked if the he-
publican party paid the taxes for these
purposes or il they were paid by the
party which Colonel Hoge was denounc-
ing all over the State as being opposed
to public education.
He declared that it was the purpose CT
his party to introduce technical anu IN
dustrial education into the scnools oi
The State, and he himself favored these
reforms most heartily. He referred 10
the utility of the Mechanics institute
and said more such institutions were
the charge made by Colonel Hoge that
the party was doing practically nothing
for the old Confederate soldier, anu
showed that the State was contributing
$4,000 annually to the care and support
of the Confederate soldier. lie sald lhe
Underwood Constitution, Which Coionel
IIose said was the best one the State
ever had, disfranchised the Confederate
soldiers of the State and yet Colonel Hose
talked about the Democratic record on
pensions.
THE VITAL ISSUE.
Coming to the question Of suffrage, Mr.
Montague said free government was an
inherent right with the white people. 1t
was not so much with him a question
of disfranchising the negro as 1t was en-
franchising the white men of Virginia.
and that this happy condition could never
come fully and completely until the right
of suffrage was taken from the ignorant
and vicious negro which the Constitu-
tional Convention would do. without dis
franchising a single white man in the
State. He charged that deception had
been preached and practiced by the Re
publicans in regard to the suffrage, ana
when the Democratic party was strug-
Cling to lift this dark cloud from over
the people the Republicans. for politi-
cal purposes. were trying to poison the
minds of the white people with the SLAM
der that the right of suffrage would be
taken from them.
The speaker asked the audience what
they thought of President Roosevelt en-
tertaining q. negro at dinner and then
he called attention as along the same
line to the vile speeches of Messrs. Pedi-
so ana Summers in the Constitutional
Convention.
With uplifted hands the orator declar-
ed: I'VE do not desire to hurt the
negro but we declare that he shall not be
permitted TO hurt u.s. The audience rose
and shouted their approval and there
We're loud cries Of 'tgo on" when the
speaker said he was about to conclude.
FALSE STATEMENTS
Mr.. Montague took up the suffrage
plans reported and declared that prop
erty was not mentioned as a prerequisite
for voting, and that the attacks of the
Republicans upon them We're ISLANDERS
upon their trainers. He referred to the
charge that the Confederate soldiers
would be disfranclised under these plans,
and said il the first lines of all the
plans Confederate soldiers were allowed
to vote without even paying the capita
ton tax.
Continuing. he said: Mr.. Hoge says
he has been sober for eight years. There
would be some excuse for such state,
ments coming from drunken men, but
il is hard TO know how one in his sober
moments could SO far wander from the
truth as to make such a statement.
NO, my countrymen, the Democratic
party VIII never saw off the limb upon
Which it is sitting by the disfranchising
of any part of the white people OF this
State" He SAID he knew the men who
composed the majority in the Consti-
tutional Convention had the best inter-
ests of the white people Of the State at
heart. and it was all idle talk to say that
they would disfranchise any white man.
LIABILITY BILL DISCUSSED.
In discL: sing the employers liability