Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-11

Either the destruction OF the old Can
itol and tho building cf new ono in.
/ stead, or the addition upou the rlan
| adopted. was feasible; aud in doing
the latter both expense and historic
associations have been saved
Liberal appropriations should be
made for tho mural decorations CT Tho
! building, especially tho Legislative
| oalls and the rotunda. and In the dome
oil the latter | would suggest frescoes
F.; IMPLYING ono or moro historic events.
Bronze statues of some of cur early
and greatest men should also be nlnc.
co In tho rotunda from time 70 time.
These figures and mural pictures;
would make the sculptor servo an edu.
cationai purpose ncver before exer.
Cscd. The rotnnda would thus he.
COME 4 hall Oi fame unsurpassed hy
any State III tho Union. ami it would
be misfortune to withhold from our
people such inspiring lessons Of his.
,oric achievements.
l. IS also desirable that q terraco
walk or stairway should he constructs,
from tho portico of the Capitol 10
/ Bank street. The convenience. oigni-
! " and beauty OF the buildings and
. grounds would Thus be greatly onharc-
cd; and driveway from the avenue
al "omc point near the monument 70
| Hnd around rho portico and continuing
10 some point on the avenue near the
yard OF tho eXccutivn nansion to
Gethor with proper grading OF the
grounds 81 the south and eastern
sides OF tho Capi,ol. would accomplish
practical an6 artistic need.
Need New Dining Room.
The dining room CT tho cXecniivu
| mansion Is unfortunately in the hasc-
lnont. y wing OF ono story added 10
tho southern end ri this hnilding anil
preserving the prosenr style OF arch-
lecture. would give 4 private and pub
lie dining room on thr flrst Ac0v Of
the requisite dimensions anf ccnvc-
niencos.
The use az ccnyicts III tic Capl,o!
Square is poor economy. ann their
presence in prison garh. in ful! Wow
OF strangers and children, is Al once
forbldding and kumiliating, and loag
practice III this rcsp-ct shopld MOI
be invoked for continuance Of n cus-
tom SO revolving.
THE governor here points out tn
need for Il dining hall and an arnorv
for the penit9n'iary and a.lia for .s,i,.h
Legislation IS will Cnahio tho author-
ties to be periodically apprised CT tho
conduct Of convicts released on navn!.
pardonS.
The care Of CIR insane Is Il growing
problem. At the close Of the fiscal
year there were 3.i22 inmates in our
four hospitals an increase for the wear
OF 1SS, with i6 applicants awaiting va
cancies. Thus it will he seen that
additional accommodations must sOOn
he provided, Notwithstanding the very
necessary expenditure OF $4,000 fer
new buildings and additions within The
past four years.
Tho coplDeIsations OF the superin-
tendentS and assistants OF our insane
hospitals IS less perhaps than that az
any State in the Union. and we can
neither long retain our hest MEN or
hope 10 fill vacancies by good ones
ut the present rate of pay.
1.-THE governor rcnews his recon
mendation for a board OF charities and
corrections; asks consideration for the
proposition to establish n school fer
the cciored deaf and blind and points
out the need for rcformatory for in
corrisible girls. He declares that the
condition of or revenues Is growing
moro satisfactory all the time and IRE.
diets, from the estimates OF the first
auditor surplus over ordinary eXpon-
ditures Of $5.9.i6a. Pointing out the
needs OF educational institutions, good
roadS and various ether projects which
call npon the State Tor aid. the Gov
ernor thinks il Is idle 10 think OF =
reduction OF orr already low rate CT
IL, ~
mendations regarding The roorgan2a.
ton Of tho treasury department and
says he does not understand why tho
Commonwealth should have delayed
the Inauguration OF an efficient and
simple system OF Checks in that d..
partment.l
A Delicate Task.
Tho assessment - ,n,Cn. - is a
delicate and difficult lask uouc: any
form of government: but manifeStl.-
the simplest machinery for this work
Is preferable. Some years since the
State created officials called examiners
of records, and ono Of whom in each
judicial circuit must make assessments
OF all moneys. bonds, stocks ard every
species of personal property under the
control of the court. as well as OF ell
water-craft ever FIVE tons burden.
After making these examinations the
examiners OF records report them to
the commissioners of revenue, who
make extensions thereof on their
books, the state paying commissions to
both sets OF officials. There is hardly
any class Of property less difficult tn
reach and assess than that in question
and tho fact that the State should
have paid 10 these examiners of re-
cords alone the large sum of SlS2.-
770.67 in the past ten years for work