Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1918-03-08

4
construction will necessarily be-
diverted from the farms. The
of food is being re-
stricted by the scarcity of labor.
Admitting, the desirability of
good roads, food is the essential
of essentials and certainly no inn
pediments should be placed to
still further add to the difficult
ties of the farmers in obtaining
labor.
am in favor of appropriating
sufficient funds to meet Federal
Road Aid for Virginia. Federal
Aid which It will be necessary to
meet in the next two years is as
follows:
(a) Funds already accrued s225, 900
10y 1918 apportionment 300, 900
(c) 1919 superintendent 440, 900
Total $685., 00Q
If provision is made for Fed
eral Aid, then in the next two
years the State Highway Com.
mission, including the sum which
will be appropriated for Class
CD Roads and the Automobile
License Tax, will have control
over the expenditure of over three
million dollars. AS an earnest
advocate OF the caus. of good
roads, | think that this sum is
all that can be expended efici'
eatly and economically under
|present conditions. 1, therefore
am unwilling to support the II
cents Direct State Tax for road.
to provide for the sum of 81 $50,
1000 yearly in addition to existing
appropriations, which, in my
Judgment, cannot no " be expend
ed with economy and efficiency
or without disorganizing the al
ready deplorable labor situation
The school question presents
different aspect. School fund
will not be used for construction
: purposes which will consum
labor and material, but will b
used largely to increase the sal
, aries of school teachers. Whel
it is understood that the averag
; salary for the twelve months
; period for school teacher
: throughout Virginia is only So
per month, no one can deny tina
as matter of justice as we'll a
of selfish interest, this compen
sation should be increased. Fur
tllermore. the education of schoo
!, children cannot be postponed.
1t is obviously to the interes
of Virginia to avail ourselves o
Federal road aid but until til
termination of the war no ney
funds excepting as necessary t.
meet the Federal aid should b
) appropriated for roads. III
school appropriation should b
all means be increased to pernli
a reasonable advance IN the sal
aries of school teachers.
Some provision should also b
made for the treatment aud Grad
ication of tuberculosis. II a sma |
direct tax should be necessary t,
meet these urgent needs believ
the people of Virginia would ap
prove.
| l do not believe the tax payer
of Virginia will at this time ap
prove of any appropriation no
imperatively needed and will mos
emphatically disapprove of an,
Expenditures for expansion o
Improvements which can b.
avoided.
| The imposition of the direc
taxes as proposed may we'll, il
addition to other Federal ant
Estate taxes, become excessiyel,
burdensome.
| For the reasons above assign
led, am also opposed to the pro
lposal to the Virginia Polytech
nic Institute for the sum o.
l$400, 900 for the construction OIL
new buildings and providing ad.
ditional equipment. This sun
is in addition to the appropria
tion ofS12O.OOO which is annual.
ly appropriated by the State.
While l appreciate the valuable
lservices that the Virginia Poly
ltechnic Institute is now render.
ling, no matter how urgent their
needs may be, l do not think
that this is the proper time to
issue bonds for this institution
to the extent of 100000 as il
proposed by the ADVOCATES OF
same.
l would be glad to hear from
my constituents regarding these
matters. H. F. BYRD.