Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-03-11
Opposed 10 Capitalization


Hou. w. r. Lewis, Commonwealth
Attorney for Clarke county. whose name
was mentioned in connection with the
opposition to the repeal OF the Special
Road Law, in last weeks CoURIER. takes
exceptions to what was written and has
given the COURIER man an authorized
Interview ON the subject. Mr. Lewis
says.
Instead of being opposed to good
roads, A. you intimaied last week. am
m favor OF good roads. am. however.
unalierably opposed to the repeal Of the
Clarke County Road Law until some
better system IS advocated. as | am also
nnelierably opposed To- granting any
Increase of power to tho Beard Of
>np-rvi-ors In fact, | think the Board
now has has entirely too much power
and latitude in the matter of laying taxes.
/ This should be left in hands of the
people "a far as is eXpedieri-by direct
referendum If tie people vote 10 ievy
ten times as much taxes A. they now pay
/ for roads all right: bui don't want that
powervesied In the Bosrd of Supervisors
think ihc powers conferred upon all Of
our onicer,-from Governor down 10 the
/ lowest district oilicei-afe too great
absolutely ceay the righi O. any orc. or
/ two, men 10 tell me or direct me how
must vote upoa any question have
not ga employed a aitprne, hy anyone
20 oppose The repeal az the ~pcci } Rosd
Law. bu; have used m best .ifoit~ 10
pfeNrni THAT tepcal-5,cauee want The
/ Dad .GU 20 ienisiu as i' Is 1rtil as above
stated. You .ast week gHoi,.,i q ueuiie.
man. who says a, supported nc. ass Sat.
/ in- inst iir people will Q. -i-ior profess
. a-aiu~i Those VINO now oppose :ie repeal
I OF .e -iprial Road Las II I am 20 hc
/ toid tue sAaH vote as 81 public official.
'r r.b e. questions I would lot accept
4 the oiiier. ard insist ha' aIn free. aud
-hau scmtin free Ia u-c my best iudg
Enat iu subtle matters irrespective of
what oiheis may say or threaten 30 do.
f 10 itc ih- r-pcu. pf tLe ,laiSe County
i;uad Law i~ secuted. aud ihr County
p'Hc'd uad,r the general law. IL viii
tnNe thc Supervisors free TO adopt any
-pecia laN now in force io any County
ol thc State, which might result in the
adoption of some law that We do not
want Ia h'i.f. my positions i this:
oppose ihe repeal of the special road law
because J do not want such power con
ceHira,ed iu the hands of the supervisors
a. ;he laws you advocate give; | want
their present power curtailcd instead Of
Increased wish 10 state further that
il YOU will recall a conversation with me
on the street of Berryville, possibly two
or three weeks before the legislature met
that You suggested 10 me that Clarke
County would not get its proportion OF
the appropriation that tie Legislature
might grant for road improvement if We
remain under the special road law.
" hen | went To Richmond about the
time the legislature first met land I will
say that il was on other business and not
on road business, because ii was down
there that l learned from Capt. Parks
that one of the Board of Supervisors had
requested him to repeal he law / spoke
20 Speaker Byrd with reference 10 what
you had told me- He stated that he did
not think you were correct, and referred
me TO Senator Robt NJ. Ward of Fred
erick County saying at the time that Mr.
Ward was on the road Committee, and
] 4 f;,, Il, I.,T
Mr.. Ward upon this subject, and he as
sured me that there was absolutely moth
ing in the position that Clarke County
would getnothing from the appropriation
Of the State, because it was under tn,
, Special Road Law. He stated further
r that his County and Shenandoah also
which he represnts, were working prac
tically under our road law, and that IN,
Board of Supervisors of each County ha,
directed him not 10 interfere with IN,
5 special road law. For five years Their
: has been a statute authorizing the Count,
of Clarke, or either of its Ma. isteria
pose of raising the revenue for goo,
- roads, and | am under the impression
that YOU were informed of this fact loni
- ago. state these facts for the purpos
OF expaining my position in this matter
believing that | had perfect right t
> depend upon Senator Ward and Speake
Byrd's statement? | have been recent
/ told by the Hon Marshall McCormic
(and he has authorized me TO quote him
. that, in an interview with Senator Park
and Senator Ward within the past tw
weeks, he WAS assured that Clarke Count
wculd not lose its proportion of III
State appropriation because of the fac
of its being under the special road Law
1t is reported by some newspaper this
the repeal has alresdy passed the Senate
and il looks as if the advocates of repea
/. ing the same woulD be victorious, br
q let me say that in my judgment when III
n voice of the people is raised because {
a this incubus 10 be placed on their shoul'
ers that ii will not be the man who OF
posed the repeal, but the fellow WI
advocated il, that will have to look
his lauras here, but as stated take 4
stock in those who use such base methC
II 10 brow beat officers of our county b
q cause they exercise the views of free bon
81 American citizens, and it strikes me IN
I one who really respects himself WOu