The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-15
GOVERNORS MESSAGE TO THE LEGTSLA TURF

with fidelity and conscientiousuess.
ldoes work In the uplifting Of the
world that Is second only 10 that Of
Il the pulpit itself
Our children, need the very best OF
A teachers. and they are needed In our
common schools quite as much as in
our higher institutions OF learning.
4 The fact is. that the younger the child
the better should be the teacher. the
better the books, and the better ev.
erything which may possibly aid the
young learner. 1t is a great mistake
to suppose that anybody can teach
children, or that any book Is good
enough, or that any appliance will do.
and that something better may be
prepared for those of more advanced
years. 1t is the beginner who needs
the best aids. The common schools
should be our chiefest care in the
y educational system. They are the
all TO many boys and girls. What
they fail to get In the common schools
they will fail to get forever, because
many OF them never have an oppor.
tunity to attend any other schools.
Hence. the utmost Importance Of in,
creasing the efficiency Of these com.
mon schools as soon as possible and
to every degree possible.
Commission to Revise the MINING
!
Some months ago appointed such
commission, ard had hoped that
their report would have been ready.
so that 1t might have been printed
and sent you before you came 10 the
capital; but the printed report is not
yet in my hands. and will have to.
foreso any discussion of the work az
the commission and the subject Gov.
cred by 1t, until later.
Utility of Commissions.
It viii be noted that appointed two
commissions to revise laws and make
reports TO yon. have heard whispers
of criticism of the appointment of
these commissions; and 1t has been
said. perhaps somewhat iokingly, that
had a great bias in favor of commits
: sions. Some years ago I was struck
while studying some subject, with the
fact, stated in book of high author.
ity, that almost every important re-
. form in English legislation was the
result Of consideration and report by
|. commission especially charged with
the investigation of tine subject. I
have long since found that the opin-
ion of one capable man who has thor
oughly studied a subject is very like
~ to be worth more than the opinion
OF thousand capable men who have
not studied the subject. Moreover.
you gentlemen are pushed for want OF
time; so many subjects demand your
attention that It is very difficult for
you to give adequate consideration to
any one of them; the greatest nee,t
, you have is need of facts; these faces
very often YOU have no way to obtain,
: because you have neither the time
nor the means at your disposal to find
the facts-to make the proper inves.
: tisotion. Now facts, and the corela.
ton of facts and the logical deauc-
lions therefrom are essential enact
: ment Of law. The physician can not
! successfully treat the patient until
: he knows the nature OF his ailmeut;
: he can not apply the specific remedy
: unless he knows the exact cause Of
. the trouble. One Of the cardinal
trules for the construction of statutes
! is the entertainment of what the stat
ute was intended to do-the evil IL
). was intended to remedy. It Is diff
! cult for any man to write statute
concerning subject. especially II
! that subject as composed of many de.
: tails. unless he is the master OF the
subject in all its details: statute
e may read well. but when 1t is put into
u actual practice and brought into con.
Il tact with the nature Of the thing II
Is intended to operate upon. there Will
be found flaws. contradictions, and
{ consequet fnefticiency. I was OF the
! opinion that commission to revise
L the school laws and commission to
j revise the mining laws, about which
l. laws there was great complaint, and
J which, in my judgment, needed thor,
D iough revision, would be OF great as
II ststance to the Legislature; and that
s. these commissions would be worth
i many times the small cost to the
g State, II you should see ut TO pay the
h expenses OF the members thereof and
$ add anything for their services. Such
C payment, of COURSE. is entirely within
It the discretion of the Legislature, as
n have distinctly stated to the mem
n bers of these commissions that had
4 M authortrv To co1,oroit yor a,thar 10