Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-11-07
HUGE MAJORITY SWEEPS
STATE FOR GOOD ROADS
Virginia Canvassing Board Will
Tabulate Returns Here on
November %.
SEX COUNTIES OPPOSED TT
Shenandoah Polled Largest Vote
Against Mcasurc-Murphy's Ho-
tel Will Continue rs Hcadquar-
tiers for Highway Association.

State constitutional amendments
perhiitting Virginia to Issue bonds
for road building received an enor.
mons majority at the hands Of the
voters of the Old Dominion in the re-
cent election. This was made known
yesterday by the Office of the Secre-
tarS OF the Commonwealth. which
however, is not permitted to make
known the figures until the state
Board OF Canvassers shall have met.
On the face OF the returns re-
ceiyed-and Approximately three
fourths OF the returns arc in and
tahulatcd-all the amendments have
carried. but the relative standing OF
Tho .propcs tious is not known. There
are several counties that are known
to have voted against the roads mat
ter but these appear to have sup
ported all the rest OF the amend
ments.
The State Ecard OF Canvassers will
meet Monday. November 30, at which
time the official figures will be an
nopnccd. If there is to be any con-
tess for airy OF the places to be
filled following the election. the fact
is not of record at the Office OF the
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Reports received from twtnty-siX
counties show that twenty voted for
this amendment, which permits the
Legislature to issue bonds for road
building, by large majorities. Six
counties voted against the amend
mont, but the opposition votes In
most cases barely surpassed tho votes
for ;the amendment.
Sbrfolk returned n majority OF 6.000
votes for the amendment, Lynchburg
majority OF 1000. Alexandria l.G0o.
Roslnoke $500. Danville 1850, Bristol
500! Charlottesville $50 and Clifton
Forge ESQ., In Alexandria 1000 votes
wire pollcd in favor Of the amends
mont and 263 were registered against
1t. This seems to have been about
thc;ratio of victory In all OF the cities
OF the State from which returns have
-been received Richmond returns
have not been announced. &. 1t II
thcugnt that the majority for the
amendment VIII be about 10000.
Returns from eleven scattered
counties show majority for the
amendment of 5000 votes. These
counties include those in which
opposition was keen and do not In
clude any Underwater or Piedmont
counties. which voted almost unani-
mcnsly for the amendment. II is
thought. The counties Of Southwest
Virginia, which returned substantial
majorities, are: Tazewell, Pulaski.
Montgomery. Roanoke. Craig. Voters
in iWythe, Floyd, Augusta. Page,
Shenandoah and Brunswick voted
down the amendment by narrow
margin. 1t was pointed out yester-
day by those familiar with highway
conditions in the State that this was
probably due to the fact that these
counties already had good roads and
were not sufficiently interested In the
highway development OF the re-
mainder OF the State to vote for tho
amendment.
Southwest In Line.
Many cities and towns in South
west Virginia ratified the amendment
with good major!tics. These Include
Bristol. Pennington Gap. Norton.
Eagle Rock. Gala. Clifton Forge. Gov
ington. Buena Vista and Roanoke. The
largest vote polled In opposition to
the amendment was in Shenandoah
County In the heart of the Shenan-
doah Valley. There the majority
against the amendment reached l,SoO
votes
Officials CT the Virginia Good Roads
Association. WHICH, waged an active
drive for the passage OF the amend
ment. have been receiving congratula-
tions from many sources. General c.
c. Vaughan, Jr.. OF Franklin, Is presr-
dent OF the association: ,. ID. Ryland,
OF Lynchburg, Is sccretar. and treas
urer aud V. u. !. Robinson is execu-
tive secretary. Headquarters OF the
association will continue to be main
tanned in Murahy's Hotel.
In speaking OF the passage OF the
amendment By such large majority.
indicating that the people OF tho
state are determined to put bad roads
in Virginia AZ an end. officials Of the
state Highway Commission hold
that the amendment only gives the
Legislature the power TO issue bonds
Tor constructing or demonstrating
roads. AMI does net order a bond
issue. They state tina, II the building
of. the State Highway System Is t.
be- done IN period OF six years. a.
Highway Commissions. Coleman has
indicated. the Legislature must issu,
bonds TO carry out the construction
program and that the people, through
the; Legislature, will really dictate the
ROAD building policy CT the state.
HARDING TRAIN IS