The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-18

JULY 18, 1913.
State. He has been q lawyer forty
four years. but dtdN't eia4rMate know
IT, MI. and thauKht h. would b Z
fool not to accept AID aapd advice
when the interests OF h people were
II stake.
Dcplores Fnctionaliesn.
The attorney general deptored the
fact that any sectional or fractional
questions had been raised in the cam
paign and he defied my man to say
that he had not been the representa-
tive in his Official capacity OF every
section and every citizen Of the Com
m~onweaith.
Referring t. his record on the
board of education, he replied to GER
tain criticisms, especially with refer
ence to school books. He stated that
there are now 267 textbooks on the
liA andethe board has been paying the
publishers their own price. II IL his
policy that 1t 10 not wise to have SO
many books nor to change Their SO
frequently, and further he proposed
that he beard adopt a more business
Ike system and do its own market
ing and get books cheaper. He had
also been criticized for having been
instrumental In aholishing the board
Of travelling examiners which was
costing the State $25, 900 a year for
which work the State 10Y pays 800.
He proposed as long as he remained
on the board, he declared, to work
for rigid economy. n to give the
children OF the State the bes. the APP
preparation afforded. and this despite
criticism past or future.
In closing Judge Williams referred
to. his record as a Confederate soldier,
and his service to the State in the
legislature, on the bench and on the
stump. at has been the unwritten
law in this Commonwealth. he said.
that when the attorney general de-
sired a second term, II he a been
a. faithful servant. the people gave 1t
to him. I ask that you give me four
more years. l shall be seventy then
and will retire to my humble home
with the approval of a work well
done. NV opponents are young
enough t. wait until that time. and
that will give them time to win their
spurs"
Commissioners Koiner's Claims.
| Commissioner of Agriculture Koiner
told his audience briefly the work he
is doing 10 stimulate successful agri-
culture in Virginia. II know you
business men are not interested in
practical farming, but you are inter
ested in successful farming. for sue
cessful business depends so largely
upon it." When ne first took charge
of the department twelve years go.
he said, the legislature was on the
point of abolishing it because it was
deemed of so little consequence, and
then he showed them by facts and
figures that Virginia has made greater
strides agriculturally in that time than
any State excep Texas. and, amazing
fact. ii hasn't cost the State a penny
the funds for the expenses OF the
department come out of the sale of
fertilizer tax tags, Commissioners
Koiner pointed out the fact that leg
~islation in the shape of pure seed
laws. fertilizer laws and other protec-
ton for h farmer had been enacted
during his administration. and told
the business men something about the
system of educating the farmers with
bulletins and the institute trains by
which the demonstration work Is car
ried to the farmers ron door. He
was the first commissioner in the
South to introduce this system. which
has proven invaluable. Further, as
an illustration, il the face of this
remarkable prosf IS, the State OF
North Carolina ppropriated 100000
last year for its agricultural work
while Virginia spent only $4,000.
Denies Browns Charges.
He denied emphatically the charges
of lack of cooperation brought by his
opponent as well as the charges con-
corning the system of bookkeeping in
his department. claiming that his de-
partment In every way possible had
sought to cooperate with the other
agricultural agencies of the State. AS
TO the finances. the system in vogue
was directed by the State accountant.
the law providing that the board of
agriculture should have absolute
charge OF the funds expended by the
department. The board audited all
the accounts three times a year, he
said, and they were again audited by
the State accountant annually.
Harry Al. Smith. Jr.. who asked
permission 10 speak in behalf of j.
Thompson Brown, said that he had
known MIR. Brown for some years,
having been at the University of Viz
gina with him and associated with
him for some time on the board OF
directors of the Virginia Polytechnic
institute. and he believed he would
make a good commissioner of agricul-
ture. His criticism of the present ad-
ministration of the office In that too
much attention Is paid to sending out
literature 10 the farmers. What is
wanted, he thinks, is demonstration
work, and it was the policy of Mr..
Brown. IL he is elected. to carry the
demonstration work to the front door
of the farm, and to have the agricul-
tural agencies of the State cooperate
to this end. He knew of his own
knowledge. he said, that the present
com missioner had not p0-nnnratP6
with the B~lacksburg institution.
John Garland Pollard sent a tele-
gram of regret from Roanoke, which
MaVor Ainslie read.