The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-12-30
FROM
JUDGE SINS
He Outlines His Course In State
Senate.
Subjects Of Legislation Which vii Receive Dis
Special Attention Schools and Roads.
Louisa, Va, Dee. 2sth, 1908.

To the Citizens OF Stafford, frederlcks-
burg, Spotsylvania and Louisa:
Iii such action meets with your APP
prevail. my purpose is to do what may
be in my power To obtain the following
legislation, ut the approaching session
OF the legislature:
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
$500. coo increased State appropria-
ton. To I've distributed over the whole
State. in accordance with school pOpu-
lation, for increase OF salaries OF teachers
longer sassiOns &C., Oi primary Schools
and for Increase of number Ol graded
and high schools.
Supplementary to present school sys-
tenn. and allowing that To stand just as
it IL as far AZ it goes
The division of counties, (not affecting
the cities). into school sub-dlstricts,
separate for white and colorcd), with
but one school house in sub-dlstrict
with power in taxpayers, male and
female. of each school sub-dislrlct, To
vote additional school tax in aid OF their
particular school, and elect three school
directOrs-chairman, clerk md treasurer
OF that particular school with certain
administrative powers with respect to
that school, all supplementary To the
present school laws and officials, aud 80
a. To operate in harmony Herewith and
subject to appeal thereto-thus giving
the patrons OF each school more direct
and immediate interest IN and proper
control over the particular school TO
which they commit the training of their
children; and at the same time giving to
the State school authorities a proper
supervisory and positive control over
the number Of schools to be established.
40 as to avoid needless multiplicity Of
the number of schools.
FOR PUBLIC ROADS.
5000 900 state aid To be divided loo
tween all the counties OF the state IA pro-
portion 10 their respective aras, and t0
be expended after the general plan adopt
in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
and Ohio. supplemented 10y the working
of convicts. alter plan adopted IN North
Carolina and some other states. The
whole road system to be- under the gen
eral supervision of "A state engineer EN-
ployed and paid by the state. Road
construction OF "A permanent character To
be left to contract, 10 individual cOntrac-
tors or to the respective counties. STATE
10 bear three-fOurths and counties. dis
tricts and road sub-districts the remain
ing one-fOurth of cost OF such permanent
road construction. Maintenance oi
roads to be- all borne by counties, districts
and road sub-districts.
All public roads outside OF cities and
towns. To be divided into sections, and
the territory tributary thereto 10 he de
signated a. road sub-dlstflcts, with
power in the taxpayers OF each road
sub-distrirt TO vote additional road tax
for the benefit of their particular ropd,
and elect three road subdiStrict officers.
chairman, secretary and treasurer-and
one or mora road surveyors for their par
ticular road. The road surveyor To have
certain defined duties, To be- paid Tor by
road sub-district, by contract Orby daily
compensation, with respect To frequent
going over and doing certain work ON
his particular section OF road, such az
freguent Use of drag or rut scraPr on
clay roads: keeping roads smooth, well
drained. free OF shade, &c; and the same
man TO he used by the county aud dis
trict for certain work, 10 be paid Tor by
the county aud district all under the
general and final supervision ol state en-
gineer aided by present road authorities,
consisting OF boards of supervisors and
county aud district surperinteudents OF
roads. so as 10 be- all supplementary 90
the present road laws and officials and
so az to operate in harmony Herewith,
but with more system and far less waste
than at present, thus giving the more
immediate users OF particular roads a
more direct and immediate interest III
and control over the same, and at the
same time providing the most thor
ough and inexpensive system OBJ
tainable for continuous patrol work
on all of the roads OF the
state, by sections, which all the exper-
fence OF the past in this and other coun-
tries shows To be essential to any work
able aud efficient system of maintenance
oi public roads. Aud
Bringing all the legitimate pressure to
bear that eau he brought on Congress
to give national aid to our public roads.
had hoped to get over the Thirteenth
Senatorial District after the recent cleo
ton and before the assembling OF the
Legislature, to further consult directly
and personally with it, officials and
citizens with respect to the above men,
toned subjects; but illness has cut my
time too short for that. /, therefore,
take this method Of reaching you and Of
further apprising you Of the measures !
have in view, which measures seem to
me to embody what gathered in my
recent canvass TO be your wishes on
these subjects; and | ask that the rep
resentatives in the House OF Delegates,
the present school and road officials,
and all the citizens Of said district who
feel an interest in these important sub
ects. will between this and January 10
next write me freely, whether they ap-
prove or disapprove OF the above outline
and making practical suggestions there
on. | also invoke the aid OF the press OF
the district i'm arriving at what il practi-
cal and best, and what legislative action
is desired by and what may be for the
best interest OF the people OF the whole
district and of the state at large on the
subjects mentioned.
Respectfully,
Frederick Wilmer Sims.
MASONIC