The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-02
GOV. MONTACUE'S
FINE ADDRESS
CONTINUED From First Page.)

|
which traverse our territory make our
| ports of world Importance. This is concIu-
+! sively shown by the fact that in 1850 our
exports were 50, 415,646, while In 1900 we
have the enormous gain OF s47.sil.4l9.
Half century ago We had llo plants
comparable to those Of our day for the
manufacture OF wood and iron anc for
shipbuiIding. Virginia nov has the laIg
| est ship yard and the largest dry dock
| in the Western Hemisphere. In the past
year we have put upon the seas the fast
| est battleship afloat, and we have
launched the two largest merchant v.-s-
sells ever built in America a new 7iant,
| but recently established by home enter
! prise and home capital, Is now not only
| building merchant vessels, but Is Sic
| cessfully competing with old yards in the
[ construction of torpedo boats aud tor
| pedo-boat destroyers, the most difficult
| and delicate of all marine WORK. m
| deed, in our various ship yards che value
OF work on hand Is, in round nImoers,
| s26:0o0.o00 giving employment to some Hire
| thousand laborers.
The extensive manufacture OF cotton
| and of machinery. and the construction
| CT electric plants, together with the in
| creased impetus in old and new fields of
| manufacture, are the indisputable evil
dences Of the new industrial life break
| ing in upon our people. 500
While the acreage of staple crops IS
somewhat less, due. perhaps, partially to
western competition. our large returns
from cattle and horses, and from truck
farming and horticulture. bespeak an as
sured prosperity for these forms Of in
dustry.
AWAIT THE TOUCH OF CAPITAL
Our prodigious resources Of field and
forest, Of mine and water, await the
| touch of capital and skilled labor for
their full development. Capital must
give the power ana educated labor must
broaden and build. With capital, and
Industrial skill will come immigration.
But what will bring capital? A govern
ment Of law and order, Of security for
life, liberty and property, and a govern
ment Of low taxes and small indebted
| ness. Taxes will waste within and debt
will bar capital and people out. So it is
of supreme moment that the tax rate
should be at all times commensurate with
economic government, and that our pub
lie securities be retired with all posi-
Bile expedition.
But what OF education? This is mo-
mentous question for the Southern States.
Republican government, founded upon
an electorate without intelligence is
house whose foundation is sand. The
predominant feature of the century just
closed IS the extension of free education
to the masses OF the people. and with
this extension goes hand in hand the
wealth-producing power of the people,
for the material advancement of State
is measured by the school privileges OF
It's people.
But one education differs from another
as one star differeth from another in
glory. There is an education of the
learned professions, statecraft, science,
and philosophy: and there is an educa-
ton of agriculture and the mechanic
wealth and comfort, ana 1t is laid in the
common schools.
THE AGE OF THE MACHINE.
The age Of the hand is past and the
age of the machine is come. It's mighty
power is at MAY in modern industrial
progress What shall we do with this
force? Shall we observe its march with
unconcern, or shall we command It to
our own uplifting? If SO, we must in
graft upon our common free schools
some forms Of industrial and mechanical
education.
In proportion to her prosperity vir-
ginia's contribution to public free schools
is second to that Of no State in the Union,
but 1t Is now to be feared that our free
schools do not awaken the enthusiasm
nor possess the full confidence Of our
people, in that they do not meet the ext
gencies of the industrial life which is
flowing across the threshold of the new
century. We Should not resist this
economic inpulsion. We should put our
selves within its sweep by the establish
ment OF a practical industrial education.
II is the bounden duty Of our State to
do this, unless we would withhold from
generations yet to come the simple dis
charge Of our patriotic duty.
lp1v-. r. 49,,
engaged in agricultural pursuits in the
State is both significant and regretable
Whatever may be the several causes,
one Of moment, venture to offer, Is the
condition of our public roads In many
of our counties from two to three months
In the winter season our roads are So
ciaI and industrial blockade. This block
ade should be raised. We SHOULD facili-
tate the social and commercial inter-
course of Our rural population. We have
spent in the past five years about s2101,.
600 upon the public roads; but this great
sum has been Of no apprecia Bile good
May not the failure be largely due to the
fact that our people do not sufficiently
realize what good roads are, and what
a contribution they make to mans COM
fort and wealth? We should at least
start good road in every county which
now has none. This viii at once prove
Of extraordinary educa tiona1 value and
when the knowledge of such benefits is
once perceived we need not fear for the
results. Words are inadeauate to express
my sense OF the Importance Of this sub
1ect. and simply suggest this. as I do
that Of Industrial education. for the pur-
pose Of inviting public consideration for
later entertain the hope OF presenting
my views nore concretely to the Legis-
lature.
COMMERCIAL SUPREMACY
n In the4race for commercial supremacy I
lkES.aa --------ss