Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-10-12
HE WAS CORRECT

he WAS CUhkeCI.
In a recent speech Mr.. ]. L. Gleaves,
who is campaigning for the Republican
party, said:
"Why the Democrats are opposed to
popular education, l do not know, I'M
less greater intelligence makes fewer
Democrats. "
The Roanoke Evening World denied
the justice of any such statements, and
in lengthy editorial tries to make its
readers believe that to the Democratic
party is due the restoration of the free
schools to condition of usefulness. In
that editorial the World said:
"The Democratic party wrested the
control of this State from the Republi-
can party after four years of misgov-
eminent, and rescued the public school
system from threatened destruction,
and under the sway of the Democratic
party the school funds have been in
creased and longer school sessions Sc
cured"
There can be no better evidence Of
fered to prove the correctness Of the
theory of Mr.. Gleaves than the above
assertions of the Roanoke World. We
are reluctant to believe that the World
would utter statements that are so far
from the truth, except ignorantly. For
what it claims for the Democratic party
in connection with the public schools Is
not supported by the political history OF
this State during the past quarter of a
century. Upon the contrary the facts
are precisely opposite to the statements
of the World.
1t is also true that the Resdjuster-
Republican party not only did not mis-
govern the affairs of the State, but ac-
complished more for the good of the
people in a period of two years than
was ever done for any State by any
party in the same length of time. or
in quarter of century.
The Readjusters and Republicans at
the session of the General Assembly
held 1882 passed the Riddleberger bill
and certain auxiliary measures that set
tied the public debt of the State on an
equitable basis and saved nearly fifteen
millions of dollars in principal, to say
nothing of accumulated interest.
They also passed a joint resolution to
submit to the people the question of re-
pealing the poll tax qualification for
voting, and the people voted for its re-
peal by an enormous majority. They
rescued the schools from destruction by
adding Is per cent. to their allowance,
passed the Grandstaff Act, and re-
stored to the schools over million
of dollars that had been diverted from
the school fund by Democratic legisla-
ton. The Readjustera and Republicans
reorganized the charitable institutions
of the State and paid off over one hun
dred thousand dollars of the floating
debt of these institutions that had accu-
INFLATED against them under Democratic
management. They took the many poor,
unfortunate lunatics from the jails,
where that had suffered by delayed con-
inement under Democratic rule, and
put them in the asylums for the insane.
The Readjusters also increased the ap-
preparations to the charitable institu-
tons for the first time since the much
abused days of reconstruction, giving
all that was asked for the support OF
the unfortunate insane, deaf, dumb and
blind. This is not all. When William
E. Cameron was inaugurated Governor
of Virginia he found less than fifty
dollars in the State treasury
turned over to him by a Democratic adj
ministration. When Cameron retired
from the gubernatorial chair he left to
Fitz Lee, his successor, over a million
and half dollars in the State treasury.
When the coalition Republican-Read-
juster party came into power they
found the credit of the State reduced
to the direst extremity and the teach
ers in the public schools shaving the
warrants they received for their salaries
to merchants and brokers at discount
of from twenty-five to fifty per cent.
They restored the credit of the State