The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-11-20
prtmn,.r ElectIon 80.

ta1r and Tree from the charge ~
fraud as possible. This is very i'm
portant. The last legislature failed
to pass the measure before it for a
SITE primary election law. Public
sentiment seems divided. II the
people want primary election la~
they should have It, and will carry
ont this sentiment of the people on
this question as embodied in the
next State Republican platform.
But whether we have this law or
some other, certainly we should
regulate by proper provisions the
nomination Of candidates whether
made by conventions or primary
elections, so that it win be free from
any allegation Of corruption and
fraud
Labor.
The rights and protection c. the
laboring men in this country demand
and should receive a large .eha; ~
governmental attention. Labor is Ut
the foundation of all our indus
tries, the source of national wealth.
1t is all important to the stabil: y
of free institutions that the labor
ing man be free, prosperous, con-
tented and happy, and this can be
the case only when he is treated
justly and fairly. l know the con
ditions and needs of laboring men
by experience as well as observation,
and l will do everything 1 can for
their welfare that is rigi.t.
Free Schools.
The educational system of this
State has made remarkable progress
during Republican rule. The annual
distributable school fund has grown
to three quarters of a million dol
lars and the length of the school
term has recently been increased
from five to six months, so that now
every person of school age In the
State has the advantage of a mini
mum school term of six months.
There is yet room for Improvement,
however. as too much cannot be done
for the education of the rising gen
Grafton. The boys and girls of to-
day are the men and women of to-
morrow, and the surest safeguard OF
good government is an intelligent
citizenship, and the surest way to
secure an intelligent citizenship is to
educate the people. l believe that
considering the ability required anc
the importance OF their w5rl- no class
of our citizens are so poorly paid as
our school superintendent and
teachers, and l am heartily in favor
of better pay for them.
Good Roads.
Something should also be done to
advance more rapidly the cause OF
good roads. a move in the right
direction was made by the last leg
islature when they created the office
of State Highway Inspector. Our
road system is Anticipated and should
he revised Good roads are bles-
ing to the people l will do every
thing possible to see that this too
long neglected question receives
more attention than it has in the
past. Linked to the question of good
roads and inseparable from it is the
question of agriculture. No inter-
ests in the State will be benefited so
much by good roads as will the agri-
cultural interests. The Board of
Agriculture has done much in the
last few years to advance the farm
er's welfare, and it should constant
ly be borne in mind that the pros
perity. of the State depends largely
upon the prosperity of the farmer.
Extraordinary effort should be made
to improve the roads and agricultur-
al conditions of the State. The
country highway is as vital to the
farmer as is the railway to the town
OF city.
Virginia Debt.
West Virginia has never repudi-
ataed debt nor an obligation. Our
record as a people is one of fair
play and square deal. West vir-
glnia has never issued any bonds
nor certificates of Indebtedness. and
as State. morally. legally and
periodically. we feel that we owe no
just share of the ante-bellum debt
of "old Virginia" and our stand has
been taken after painstaking and
competent investigation. The whole
question of the Virginia ante-bellum
debt is now before court Of com
petent Jurisdiction West Virginia Is
in the Union and abides by the laws
OF the Union always. We are Meth
er repudiationists nor "readjusters.
hut we could never in reason nor out
of reason admit that Virginia had