The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-03

| the responsibility incurred and ser
| vice performed by himself and by his
necessary deputies and assistants. The
| excess, less a commission for its coll
lection. should. of course. be paid
! into the treasury. No plan should
| be thought of which would threaten
injustice to any class of officials or
any individual of that class.
Purity Of Elections.
| 1t goes without saying that the law
should guarantee the absolute purity
OF all elections. The primary plan
! OF nominating candidates. for Office lie
now a settled Institution and this be-
! Ing the case, legislation should be
promptly enacted which will throw
around It the same safeguards that
are designed to prevent irregularities
In general elections. thus relieving IL
Of the defects which now limit its
efficiency and placing the results of
its operation beyond Just controversy
and suspicion. In this connection, /
think that. among other things, pro-
vision should be made for party reg
| istration. IT seems clear that any ex-
pense incident to the primary plan
in any of its features should be borne
by the public to the extent necessary
TO enable men of small means to be-
come candidates ( r office without
making undue sacrifices. and thus af-
ford the widest range in the selection
OF our officials
Because OF its supreme Importance
to all the people. our system Of educa
ton should continue to have watchful
care and generous support. The COM
mon schools, through all the grades,
and which in many communities are
still most insufficiently developed,
should be the object of first concern,
for they constitute the source from
which the great majority of the people
derive their educational equipment
1t should be the duty and the pride
OF the State to assist In maintaining
! and advancing our higher institutions
OF learning. and to add to their num-
her an institution for the education Of
women. in such manner and mt such
time as may be practicable. 1t Is my
view that In much OF the business OF
government requiring the service OF
trained men the valuable assistance
which the university and the other
higher institutions could furnish II
called on to do so. should be awaited Of
In Onerfng this suggestion / have In
mind the example of other States
where 1t IS found that there are AL
ways, among the able and jealous
teachers in their educational institu-
tons. those who are thoroughly quail
he'd to render material aid In dealing
with the problems of government.
Agriculture Cooperation.
There should be unification. in spirit
and purpose of the State agricultural
department and the Agricultural col
lege at Black sburg for the advance
ment of agricultural knowledge and
training, to the end that by Joint and
harmonious efforts In their respective
and agreed spheres of action they may
teach more closely to the soil, and to
the needs of the man who lives on il
and from it. l am satisfied that the
agricultural interests of the State rep
resented by the thousands who are oe-
cupied in the cultivation and use of
the soil are in sympathy with this
view, and would prefer the abolition Of
either the department or the college.
TX 1t Is not possible TO eliminate dis
cord and bring about. wise and fruit
ful cooperation l favor vigorous
and business-like administration of
the lime grinding act. and the ulti-
mate utilization of all convicts In this
work. road work and other similar or
related work, so far as may be con-
sistent with prudence and safety. in
Fuealing with the various classes of con-
victs. l favor also an enlargement OF
the functions of the pure food depart
ment. so as to give Ii power TO protect
the public from spurious articles of
merchandise and harmful drugs, with
vigorous use of this power.
That better public highways would
be OF enormous advantage to the State
Is universally conceded, In a future
communication to the general assem-
| bly, l shall recommend some changes
in the present plan under which roads
are being built by the State and coun-
ties acting together, which has passed
the experimental stage, with a view
not only to enlarging it's efficiency and
promoting economy. but to Introducing
in the plan an element of fiexibility
which will make possible its applca-
ton In more or less isolated communi-
ties. where. while extensively con-
structed new roads are still QUIZ of the
question, nevertheless. substantial i'm
provement of the existing roads Is en-
tirely practicable. Meanwhile draw
ing upon my own experience and OBJ
servation, / wish to sound note of
warning against the spirit of en-
thusiasm so often manifested on this
subject being limited to raising money
for road purposes by the sale of bonds
and taking little account of the great
care needed to prevent its wasteful ex-
penditure in tho work of construction
or the loss of the investment which II
represents, by the failure to keep inl
repair the roads which 1t Is used in
building.
/ am heartily in favor of increased
and increasing recognition of the
sacred claims Of Confederate soldiers
and their widows.
Safeguarding Labor.
/ think that the Supreme Court of
Appeals should be given authority toI
promulgate rules Of procedure for all
courts. as recommended by the Vir-
ginia State Bar association, and en-
dorsed in principle, by the American
Bar association.
l advocate the enactment Of a rigid
requirement respecting the registra-
ton Of lawyers and other employed
In connection with the enactment Of
legislation, and the imposition Of al
substantial license tax upon that oc-
pcupation, There should be unity OIL
action in the general asembly--legisla-
tive team work, SO to speak--in the
consideration Of all measures. includ- |
ing the careful scrutiny Of every
proposition. In order that the public !.
interests may be guarded from selfish
and unworthy influences. whether ex-
erted to enact or defeat legislation.-+
Within the province OF the State Is |
the care OF the health and welfare of
Its children, SO far rs the same can be |
Justly promoted by legislation. Ia
vor legislation fairly limiting and con-
tiitiOning the cmployment Of any child
under the Agc Of fourteen years In
manufacturing and mercantile eatab- |