Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-01
Virginia Has New Governor To-Day

! wv ESrMORELAND DAVIS to-day becomes
w Governor of Virginia. Choice OF tho
people OF the State. he takes his place i'll that
long line OF distinguished men who have
graced tho govcrnorship since the time Of
Patrick Henry. What they accomplished for
good or i'll is history. and to-day the admin
istration Of Henry Carter Stuart also passes
into that realm whose boundaries arc Of the
past
Perhaps no man has ever assumed the gov
ornorshp Of Virginia under more suspicious
portentS or circumstances more favorable TO
a successful administration of tho States
affairs. SO far as his personal and public
record is concerned. than Mr.. Davis Nor
has any man ever taken up the burden Of
this high Office facing heavier RESPONSE
bility and potential dangers than he.
Mr.. Davis comes to the governorship
largely an unknown quantity, from the
political standpoint. Never before has he
held public Office; never before has he gone
before the people seeking their suffrage.
His public activities have been varied. how
ever. and he already has done good service
for his State. But for his election to the
soyernorship he is beholden to
faction of men. He comes into Office
pledged and untrammcled. The political
slate is wiped clean, and what appears
thereon in the future will be largely of his
own writing. The framing OF his admins
tration policies will be his own if he cares
to make it SO. No one is in position to die
tate to him what he shall or what he shall
not do no one can tell him whom he shall
appoint to office or whom he shall not an
point So far as the public may know there
arc no political debts to be paid. His cam
paign was clean, and on his part at least
no political sores are left to be healed over
Above all, Westmoreland Davis is his own
man. As such. he is in position to be the
whole peoples Governor.
Only i'll general way the new Gov
ernors policies k1 own. He has been
retcent. and wisely So pending his actual
assumption of office. Such of them as are
known give promise of benefit to the State
An advocate OF good roads, he has promised
TO further that movement to the extent of
his ability; an ardent agriculturist. he was
pledged himself to continue his efforts for
the betterment of the States farming in
terests; local optionist, he has said that
he would rigidly enforce all prohibition
statutes. He has declared for an economical
administration and against the creation of
useless offices. These, in broad way are
some of the planks upon which he solidly
stands, and they bespeak his wisdom and en-
gender confidence.
10 the outgoing Governor Virginia is in
debted for a wise, businesslke administra-
ton OF its affairs. He has measured up to
every opportunity, and to-day he ranks
aiiiohS tHOsc VINO nave served their State
faithfully and we'll. In the span of his gov
ernorsaip Virginia has gone forward and
many changes from the old order have been
wrought During his tenure of office the tax
system was revoutionized and made accent
able to modern thought and methods. this
perhaps constituting his greatest single
achievement. Statewide prohibition became
reality, and for-ths he signed the enabling
act Moral conditions were cleaned up. and
iiopeweil and the jamestown race course
ceased to he blots on an otherwise fair name
10 nm also is due in large share the suc-
cessiul mobilization of Nirginias troops
when the Federal government called. and
ms was the creation of the Council OF De-
tense which did such splendid work in mt
ths the State on n practical war footing
MI stuart has been peoples Governor
easy OF access and ever ready TO listen win
sympathetic ear. His place in the States
affections and in its history will forever rest
OH a solid foundation of merit His homes
and his ambitions for the future are known
only to himself, but it may be safely pre
dlctcd chat the political chapter OF his career
is not yet closed
Tho City Boy Makes Good