Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-07
ROOSEVELT'S VISIT
SEEN SIGNIFICANT
Appearance at Virginia A.
fairs Institute and Town
Stirs Political Talk.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY,
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, July I,
Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt of New
York, today is touring among the holy
hock-fringed gardens of the historic
country estates along the James River
while the possible political significance
of his three-day visit to Virginia is the
chief topic of conversation at the Instt-
tute of Public Affairs here.
He was the speaker at the open-air
meeting here last night after a visit
to Monticello. the mountaintop home OF
Thomas jefferson overlooking Char
lottesville and a succession Of affairs
in his honor during the day. Among
those present at the Institute yesterday
who listened attentively to Gov. Roose-
welt was Josephus Daniels, former
Secretary Of the Navy and leader of
Southern democracy.
This New York Governor left early
this morning for Richmond where he
was the guest of Gov. John Garland
Pollard of Virginia who accompanied
him on the James River estate tour
which ended with visit TO Brandon,
the home of Robert Daniels. wealthy
New Yorker. He will leave for home
tonight by train.
Speaks on Government.
Gov. Roosevelt last night addressed
the Institute on the excessive cost of
local government a field in which he
has been able to bring about consider
able reform in his own State. Much of
this is due, he said. TO the survival of
governmental units of the "oX-cart age"
into the present with the result that
there is needless duplication of services
and costs.
Il forcsee in all the States" he said,
"a progressively STRENGTHENING move
ment for reform in the local COVER
mental scheme. 1t has been much too
long delayed and this has cost us many
an unnecessary dollar in taxation and
deprived us of improvements and SerV-
ices in the way of better protection OF
our lives and property and better facill-
ties for orderly, happy living that we
might have had with the same expendl-
lures.
Much OF the increase in the aggre-
gate of governmental expense has been
inevitable and necessary. The Govern
n1ent has been quite properly called
upon to assume an increasing number
Of responsibilities that once belonged to
the individual and the family. In the
same way the larger units of Govern
rnent have been forced to assume func-
tions that cnce belonged to the lesser
units. The demands of different sort
of civilization and a different sort of
national economy have forced US to re-
distribute the burdens which the pub
lie service imposes.
Roads Expanded.
Roads are no longer merely local
facilities. They are channels of neces-
sary commerce between all communities
of a State. So we have been compelled
to build them on a greater scale and
find new ways of meeting and distribut-
ing the cost We face the question
OF education and find a mandate from
the State as sovereign that the children
of all shall be given opportunity to
learn The States responsibility for
education cannot be escaped by pass
ing it on in one case to a city of teem-
ing millions and in another to a dozen
farmers scattered over miles of coun-
tryside.
we are beginning to recognize that
the public health is more than a local
responsibility. Disease knows nothing
about town lines and bacilli do not
inquire about local Jurisdictions. Their
carriers are on the public highways and
riding In the railroad trains. If We
care nothing about the fact that the
farmers children are dying of NAL
nutrition We can still give some thought
to the weaklings and sufferers we may
have to support SOME day.
Crime adopted a Statewide and ma