Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1904-03-18
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SOME CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE

The General Assembly has adjourn
ed, having completed their work. The
session was in many ways a remark
able one-remarkable for what was
done and for what was not done. AS
usual, OF course, there will be criticism
and fault finding. No set oflaws pass
ed by any set of men were ever I'M
iversally commended or condemned.
1t is well it is so. The fear OF criticism
is as great, with some men a greater)
force than compliment and praise.
Better criticism than nothing-storm
than stagnation, n quarrel and n tur-
MOL than a peace and quiet indication
OF indifference or death.
Certain results and disclosures of the
recent session Of the lawmakers clear
ly indicate to many Of the good people
OF this state, that changes should and
will be made in the present existing
order of things. "There's a kick COM
ing" and its intensity will be determin
ed by the resistance with which it
meets.
One OF the changes, it is said.
that will take place sooner or later. and
1t is TO be hoped, sooner, is in the free
school and management OF the state
If the inefliciency Of the free schools
OF the state border on the disgraceful
1t is clearly not due TO a lack of either
men or money-cleally not the latter.
Large sums-so large as to be consider
ed by many, exorbitant, levied for and
squandered upon higher Institutions for
the education chiefly Of the sons OF the
well-to-do, and expositions, shows, and
celebrations OF past achievements.
glorifyirg fossiized traditions. and
starvation sums given TO the education
and uplifting of the great masses of
children in the state has been endured
with astonishing patience by n natural
ly patient and hopeful people too long
already. Robbing the children of the
masses Of our people in order to edu-
cate a few lawyers and physicians, OF
TO celebrate national and material pro-
gress when we are ashamed of our
niteracy and heathenism, argues that
we are either knaves or fools. or both
The taxpayers OF this state deserve
and demand ten months of good in.
struction from good teachers, in COM
Portable houses, accessible over decent
roads, and they demand it because the
demand is reasonable and possible if
our finances are rightly managed. A
change from the present mismanage-
ment is on the way, and if the present
managers Of the states affairs do not
bring 1t about there will be a revolt
and ought to be, and then" stand
from under.
Another change. Recent disclosures
clearly demand, that the Auditors
office in Richmond should be re-o1gan-
lied and renamed with new men.
Mr.. Griffith, of Russell, plunged a
probe into a fostering sore, and the
deeper the probe went the worse the
sore proved TO be. And whether Mr..
Griffith was moved 10y partisan selfish
ness or not, the fact remains.
Better for the Democratic party
that Democratic partisan dis
covered and opened up for disin-
lection, this well OF corruptIou-this
sink-hole, in which, it is believed and
said that perhaps as much as $780,
000. 90 has been los. within the past
thirty years, and the worst part Oft is.
that no effort seems to have been made
to recover the money.
During this same period several
defaulting county treasurers have been
proceeded against and defalcations
made good, though in the making
principals and sureties were wrecked
and'ruined. This scribe does not I'M
dertake to say whether these condi-
tons are the result OF wickedness. in
competency or carelessness 1t dosen't
matter The result Is the sanoa tba