The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1906-03-23

CAMPAIGN PROMISES AND PARTY
FULFILLMENT.

fULf lLLMLNA
Two things were promised 10y the
Democrats in the campaign last fall
the improvement of the public schools,
especially in the country districts; and
some action looking toward the inn
movement of our roads. Did the
Democratic party, i'm the recent Gen
eral Assembly, "make good ON these
promises?
Some people even some editors
think, or appear TO think, that the
mere act Of themeeting together Of the
representative i'm the Assembly can at
once call into being better school
system and better highways. Time
is not am element in the calculation.
And So some of our esteemed contem-
poraries notably some of those with
sore toes-are declaring thatthe recent
General Assembly was "dO-nothing
body, and failed utterly to fulfill any
of the promises made in thecampaign-
Three public schoolmeasures passed
bv the Assembly should, and Will,
make that body memorable in our ls-
gislative annals: First, the extra APP
preparation Of $4,000 to the State
school fund; second, the High School
bill; and third, but equally as impor-
tant as the others and by many
thought TO be the most important
measure passed-the bill allowing
district school boards to borrow mon
ey from the Literary Fund TO build
good school houses, the money TO bear
four per cent interest and TO be repaid
i'm ten annual installments.
II the Assembly had done only these
things it would havemOre than "made
good" in its promises as TO the public
schools. But it did much more.
Among other things 1t gave = 500 for
public school Libraries, it gave $1,000
for summer institutes, and under the
new law at least eight Of these will be
held in the State, 50 that the country
teachers can attend them at small
cost. II passed a law enabling school
boards to purchase school furniture at
greatly reduced rates. 1t passed a
bill fOrbidding the State Board Of Ed
ucatiOn from contracting for any
school book at higher price than the
same book is sold to any other State,
county, district, or individual in the
United States; and fOrbidding school
publishers from making a contract
with the State of Virginia to sell any
such books alta higher price. 1t cut
away much red tape from our school
laws. DO these measures justify the
charge that Of a "dO-nOthing' policy
was adopted by the Assembly?
Public roads, when built badly or
built well, cost money. If the Gene
raj Assembly had voted a million dol
lars for good roads, this immense sum
would have in large measure been
thrown away. Governor Swanson
did right i'm recommending that a
State Roadway Commission be APP
pointed TO investigate the whole mat
ter OF State roads thoroughly; to find
out the kinds and quantities Of road
material i'm the various sections and
counties Of the State; to find out the
cost Of quarrying and hauling the
same; to map out an extensive plan of
road improvement under these inyes-
legations; and TO report back to the
General Assembly two years from
now.
What man Of intelligence doubts
the great wisdom of this safe, bust
ness like recommendation of the Gov
ernor? And who can honestly criti-
cize the Assembly for adopting this
recommendation?
We predict now that the report Of
this Commission will be Of the great
est value; and that under its illumi-
mating recommendations the state Of
Virginia will, two years from now,
begin a system Of road improvement
that will be sound and progressive,
far-reaching in good and capable of
infinite extension according to the re-
sources Of the State and Of the local
communities.
In our judgment the General As
sembly has done well. 1t had only
60 days Of time and was fearfully ham
pered by the red tape thrown around |
il by the new Constitution. But with !
all these handicaps 1t has passed some |
splendid laws, which will be Of the
greatest benefit to the material, moral |
and educational welfare of the Com
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