The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-06-19
$ success so much depends.


| The employment OF convir.s or ., q
puole roads Is now popular thing
TO advocate, but 1t was not always so.
hao the honor to introduce the first
resolution that was ever offered in the
general assembly Of Virginia on this
lsuoJect when | was a member of the
/ senate in lSSsS7. I spoke in advo.
cacy OF the adoption of the resolution
/ at tnat session and was one OF two
senators who voted for 1t. have
hVed TO see the day when practically
an agree that 1t is wise thing to
! 90 with our able bodied conytcts and
iimmeasura bly, one of the best WAYS Ia
accomplish the building of good roads
I in the state
+ stfatf devote my best energies TO
securing from our general assembly
ana the federal government all pos
slbie additional financial support for
/ our public highway commission in
us splendid EFFORTS to extend ana I'M
prove. our public road system.
Agriculture.
We have all rejotced at the won
aerrnl progress OF our agricultural in
tsrests IN the last ten or twelve wears
! Nirginia is an agricultural state. and
whatever helps the farmer ALWAYS
helps the commonwealth.
i PRESIDENT Wilson, in a recent pub
s A4NNAl'ait emphasizes Inc inD0rflreA
OF agriculture by declaring that ,1uon
the farmers of the country. in a large
measure. rests the fate of the war and
of the nation.
Agriculture Is the basis OF all
wealth.. and It Is most gratifying to
see the wonderful Improvement in the
methods employed in the last few
years brought about largely ), a,y. the
Work or our state agricultural de-
al b. H.
work of the federal government
The department OF agriculture has
steadily broadened it's scope of useru,
ness and has made it's influence felt
throughout the commonwealth It's
yearly handbook. monthly bulletins
ana annual crop reports are mailed to
thousands OF farmers. and las, year
me department answered more than
thirty thousand inquiries
Under the wise direction Of the
commissioner and the state board OF
agriculture. our agricultural inter
ests nave been so carefully fostered
that the price OF Virginia's land has
doubled within the last ten years. and
with the exception OF Texas. Virginia
is now the richest agricultural state
in the South.
vance the farming interests OF the
commonwealth
Bureau OF Labor.
Among my first efforts in the field
OF legislation was my advocacy or a
bureau Of labor and industrial sta.
tstics. and ! have watched, with in
creaslng qualification. the great ad-
vance made In the condition of labor
In Virginia and elsewhere
1t will be my purpose to aid in eyerv
way ! can In making the lives OF the
workingmen and women more happy
and prosperous and in securing for
them. as they deserve, d proper recos-
milton in the social fabric of our COM
monwealth.
Under the wise administration of
our commissioner of labor great good
has been accomplished. and especially
IN the protection of the children of
the state, and I will urge such adj
ditionai legislation as may be neces-
sary to better conditions in every way.
am heartily In favor of what is gen
orally known as the workmen's com
pensation act, and hope to see the
next general assembly provide for the
same.
Taxation and Economy.
Taxation affects every home in the
land and is the direct result of law.
therefore. we should see that no more
money is collected than Is absolutely
necessary for the proper and economi- |
cal administration OF the government /
and in raising this money the f1rst
great consideration should be fair and /
equal protection, so that all sub |
jects OF taxation should bear their lust I
and equitable proportion Of the bur J
dens OF government. and no more
than such proportion.
l pledge my most earnest endeavors
to secure whatever changes or amend
ments that may be found necessary in |
our tax laws to secure these objects /
Necessity for the due and proper
administration of our state govern
ment should fix the limit OF our ex-
action OF taxes. and along with this we
should consider and practice the most
rigid economy in public affairs. This
ia now made moro necessary than ever
by reason of the additional national I
burden we are called upon to bear in
the patriotic part we must and shall
play In the great world war, SO un.
happily thrust upon us.
Charities and Corrections.
Few things that the Democratic
party has done in recent years have
been more fruitful of good than that
accomplished by means OF the increas-
ed appropriations for tho charity work
Of the commonwealth. We have felt
that the increasinS completely OF our