The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-14
JUDGE Mann TO
RICHMOND men.

told recently that lands were more valua-
BILE than in any other district, and the
reason therefor was that this district
spent more money for good roads and
schools and had more rnacadamized roads
than any other district. He declared that
unless some systematic plan Of road i'm
provement were adopted all the talk on
the subject would prove nothing but hot
air. sd
The speaker then took up the finances
OF the State and the increase In reve-.
nues in the last four years. to show that
the State was no longer too poor to
spend more money for better schools
and for good highways. The franchise
tax, the per cent. tax on the capital
stock OF corporations, the large increase
in revenue under the operation OF the
Mann bill. the charter tax and the
saving in criminal expenses gave a total
additional revenue Of 100000. compared
with a few years ago. With one single
exception, the realty in the counties has
been augmented in value. He estimated
that the revenues Of the State would
afford more than million dollars for.
the year 1906, which could be expended
for roads and schools. There had been
some heavy expenses in recent years
that would not have to be taken out o (
the revenues again. among which he
mentioned s275 900 for the State Capitol;
more than. s20O,O0 for the penitentiary,
and 10000 for the Jamestown EXPOSE
ton. and others aggregating about one
million dollars.
The States per cent. bonds were
about par and its credit excellent.
EFF am elected Governor (and I be-
&lieve from present Indications am go
ing to be). would recommend the ex
pendtures of $4,000 for schools and an
adequate sum for the Improvement of;
the public highways" Great applause.)
Wouldn't Lease Convicts.
Il Judge Mann emphatically announced
his opposition to the lease Of convlcts'
to the Davis Shoe Company. and de-.
clared that the 1850 convicts in the
spenitentiary should be worked on the
public roads.
The speaker declared that he had no
idea Of running for Governor until cer-y
tain newspapers began proddng him
about the Mann bill and the response
&bility for 1t. He expressed the highest
regard for his competitors saying:
They are both my friends, and I have
a high regard for them. The only thing
have against them is that they are
after me too strong" Naughter.) He
quoted Mr. Willards statement about the
bad roads between his home and the
railway station at Fairfax, and told his,
hearers that recently he had told Mr..
Willard not to worry about that: he
&(N1ann). when elected Governor, would
see that these were improved Speaking
OF the '1audable ambition" Of his oppo-.
nents to be Governor. he remarked laugh
gingly that some 10000 men inHVirginia
were In the same condition. His, oppo-
nents had charged that he was a man
y I. =, -. L.
nouncemept. they changed and charged
that he was trying to write the party's
platform. AS matter Of fact, he had
made no issues. Issues make them
selves whether person favored them
or not An issue that affected every
household in Virginia could not be kept
down.
M Taking up the poslton ~ his oppo-
nents on the Mann bill, the speaker.
charged that Mr.. swanson's answer to
the question meant merely that he would
keep his oath of office. Mr.. Willard
favored the Mann bill when It regulated
the liquor traffic, and opposed 1t when
It operated to prohibit 1t. He attacked
Mr.. wizards claim that there was no
right Of appeal from the Judgment Of q
court by an applicant for license. and
declared that If appeal were allowed. the
applicant would have to wait until the,
time for which license was wanted was
ma ssed. AS to the charges that the bill
was indefinite, there were thirtv-one sa-a
looms In the territory affected by the
measure and 1857 were for rent closed
by wv,
Didn't Mean to Reflect.
Judge Mann went into some detail In
telling how he came to draw and offer
the Mann law, It grew out Of court
decision Involving q, liquor license appli-'
cation, IN which tho courts had held
that they had nothing to do with ~
moral question. nor the question Of pub
lie policy, He discaimed any intention
to reflect on the judiciary, and laugh
ingly declared that no usually thought
a judge was right when he decided In
his favor and wrong when lie did not,
hut that he did not think the judge
was corrupt or bad because his ruling
was adverse Tho germ OF the bill
was to give the courts the right. and
even to require them. to pass upon q,les-
lions of morals and public policy He
referred to the introduction In the Leg
isature Ola bill to permit women to
carry pistols, and deprecated conditions
that made even such q suggestion posi-
BILE Since the Mann bill became q law,
there had not been to his knowledge
criminal assault in the territory where
the Mann bill is operative,
The address OF Judge Mann was Illus
trated by several anecdotes. all effec-
lively told and very laughable, In con-
Guiding his address, he reviewed his ca
reer to refute the limitations by some
that he was not q Democrat, He de-