The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-01-04
GOVERNOR NoNTAeuE'5 INAu iuRAL
ADDRESS.

Wv 60NkA AAkAN az v - - AAfAAS ~ ~
ADDRESS
The inaugural address Of Gov. Monta-
que, j., in part ~ follows:
In 1850 our population was LID
3lG. aud Notwithstanding the TACT that
in 1890, the only year for which accurate
figures are obtainable, 80 per cent. of
the people born in Virginia were living
in other States aud Territories, our
present population il ,SJ4 1874 In
1850 our taxable values. excluding
slaves. railroads and banks, were. in
round numbers. $500 600 900. while
similar assessments are now Si39, O6l,-
$50. which our railroads and banks in
crease 10 grand total Of S5l3, lJ1 $40.
In 1880 our railroad mileage was less
| than 800 miles. rs against /. 100 miles in
| 1900. the Inter nOteXceeding the former
more in length than in mechanical i'm
provcments. comforts of service and
value At the former date our railroads
were chiefly engaged in interstate COM
merce. whereas now the five trunk lines
| which traverse our territory make our
ports OF world importance. This IL CON
clusively shown by the fact that in 1880
our exports were S3.ll5, 6i6. while in
1900 we have theenormous gain OF S41,-
S7C,419.
INDUSTRIAL Development
Hall century ago we had no plants
comparable to those OF our day for the
manufacture Of wood and iron and for
shipbuilding Virginia now has the
al md lao Arvin slr
ia the Western Hemisphere. In the past
year we have put upon the seas the
fastest batteship aiOat, and we have
launched the two largest merchant
vessels ever built in America. In our
various shipyards tie value OF work on
hand il. in round numbers. $26. 600, 900.
giving employment To some 5000 labor
ers.
CAPITAL MUST BE INVITED.
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 and educated labor must
broaden and build With capitol and in
dustral skill will come immigration.
But what will bring capital, A gov
eminent of law and order Of security
for lite. liberty and property. aud gov
crnment of low taxes and small in'lebt-
edncss. Taxes will waste within and
debt will bar capital and people out So
it is of supreme moment that the tax
rate should he at all times commensurate
with economic government, and that
our public securities be retired with oil
possible expedition.
EDUCATION.
But what OF education? This is a mo
memtous question for the Southern
States. Republican government founded
upon an electorate without intelligence
is house whose foundation IN sand.
The predominant feature Of the century
inst closed is the extension Of free educa-
tion 10 the masses Of the people, and
with this extension goes hand in hand
the wealth-prOducing power OF the
people. for the material advancement oil
State il measured by the school privi-
leges Of its people.
But one education differs from another
az zone star difiereth from another in
glory" There is an education OF the
learned professions. statecraft. science
and philosophy; and there il an educa-
ton of agriculture and the mechanic |
arts The latter is the foundation OF
wealth and comfort, and is laid in the
common schools.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS.
The age OF the hand il past and the
age of the machine is come. Its mighty
power is at play in modern industrial
progress What shall we do with this
force? Shall we observe it's march with
unconcern, or shall we command it to
our own uplifting2 Ii so. we must in
graft upon our common free schools
some forms of Industrial and mechanical
education.
BETTER PUBLIC ROADS
The decrease in thenumber of those en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits in the
State is both significant and regrettable.
whatever. may be- the several causes. one
of moment, venture to offer. Is the con-
dition OF our public ronds In many Of
our counties from two TO three months
in the winter season our roads are n
social and industrial blockade. This
blockade should be raised We should
facilitate the social and commercial in-
itItDuIrc VI OuI Iuldi popOidbiOu. VIC
have spent IN the past five years about
$2.100,000 upon the public roads; but
this great sum has been OF no appreci-
able good. May not the failure be large
ly due to the fact that our people do not
sufficiently Lrealize what good roads are
and what a contribution they make to a
mans comfort and wealth? We should
at least start good road in every
county which now has none.
vIRGINIA's PRECAUTIONARY.
Weshould notforget our Tercentenary.
We have long been too Indifferent TO our
history and this occasion will impress
upon the world that jamestown was
the first permanent Anglo-Saxon settle
ment in America. and that Ia years be-
fore the landing at Plymouth Rock the
colony at jamestown had plowed the
iurrow and sowed therein the seed Of
this mighty Weste civilization. There
fore, let us make this occasion a great
historic episode.
TRIBUTE TO VIRGINIA.
revere the old Virginia: the Virginia
of simple living and high thinking; the
Virginia Of sacrifice, OF patriotism and OF
courage; the Virginia az n leader OF the
armies of the American Revolution and
the maker OF the American Union; the
Virginia under fire and sword and surg
ing squadrons; the Virginia in the agony
of her struggle for the resumption oil