sion of a result which Judge Marshall deplored when he declared in the convention of 1829 that "The greatest curse that an angry God can inflict upon a sinning people is a corrupt, ignorant and incompetent judiciary." But it may be said that you will find many who will take the position at $1,600. You can, without doubt, and if you were to reduce it to $500, still you would be able to fill the offices; but can you get a competent man for these figures? Now and then you will find one who is willing to sacrifice himself for his country, and give away his time and his talent, but is not this too great a risk to undertake to fill such an office at so low a price? Then would it be right or politic to endeavor to fix the pay of this important office so low as to exclude poor men from aspiring to hold it? This surely could not meet the approval of any considerable number of the legislature. If you want able judges, whose decisions can be relied on, pay a sufficient salary to make them independent and to command the best talent in the State, and who will be able to devote all their time and thought to the business of the people. What I have said here is not intended to disparage the honesty or ability of the present judiciary of the State. It is designed as a practical suggestion for the future of that important department of our government. By increasing their salaries you will add to their efficiency, because their minds will be at ease, and their thoughts more entirely given to the business of their offices. They will not be annoyed and perplexed about a support, and they will also be able to provide themselves with the books necessary to keep informed as to the new decisions of the courts, and all of the varying changes of the law. To a man of means, who is a suitor, this is not a matter of so much importance as it is to the poor man, because he has money and can always employ the best attorneys, who can more readily influence a weak or an ignorant judge; or, if he fails, he can carry his case to a higher court. A poor man cannot afford to do this, and thus it may be that he loses a good case because of the improper decision which an incompetent judge may make, and he has no money to litigate further. This should not be so; justice and wisdom demand that the selection of every judge in the State should be made with care, and their pay should be so increased as to command the best talent, and such a sum should be paid for their services as will make them independent in their circumstances, and enable them to give all of their time and all of their thought to the responsible duties of their offices. Let no cry for a reduction of salaries cause you to neglect this act of justice to the bench, or this act of safety to the best interests of the people. The poorer the creator is for an honest and increase of the judges' salaries has been a subject talked of ars, and has been delayed because each party feared it would ed to their prejudice in the elections. Every man whose on is worth having knows that you cannot secure the best in the pulpit, in the medical profession, on the bench, or y responsible position in life unless you pay an adequate ensation for the work required. All through the business Te the best article will command the best price, and if the pay or the article will be proportionately inferior. There is no om in hiring cheap labor-a cheap lawyer, doctor or judge. State needs the services of the best and ablest men on the ch, and should be willing to pay the salary necessary to secure m. ELECTION OF JUDGES. at this session of the general assembly the five judges of the rt of appeals are to be elected for the full term commencing the first day of January, 1895. All of the circuit judges are be elected, and the judges of all the corporation courts. Some cancies have been occasioned by death or resignation in the lowing county judgships, which I have filled by assignment or >pointment: I have appointed Thomas J. Croxton to fill the vacancy in the the vacancy be filled. All appointments and assignments to fill vacancies are to expire at the end of thirty days after the commencement of the session of the general assembly. COUNTY ROADS. The advantages of good roads can be shown in so many ways that it seems useless to discuss the question. Every intelligent citizen believes we make no sacrifice when we proceed to build the country is ever to be built up, and the lands made valuable, them at any reasonable cost. Experience demonstrates that if good roads must be constructed, so as to make them accessible and convenient. 1 46 WILL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUILD THEM FOR US? This is not probable, because it is an undertaking too great even for the government to attempt, and it is adding too much to the immense patronage and power which the United States government now has. Then, again, there is no authority given by the Constitution to construct county roads, except for military purposes, unless you place the loose construction that some of our can be done modern statesmen do, "that whatever is necessary under the general welfare clause of the Constitution; but it cannot be said that these roads are necessary for the United States, although they may be necessary for the good of some of the counties in this State. CAN THE STATE BUILD THEM? No, because the State Constitution gives no power to the legis lature to make expenditures for this purpose, and declares that "the State shall not be a party to, or become interested in, any work of internal improvement, nor engage in carrying on any such work otherwise than in the expenditure of grants to the State of land or other property." (See Article X., section 15, Constitution of Virginia, Code of Virginia, page 47.) THE COUNTIES MUST BUILD THEM. The only way possible is for each county to build its own roads, and to build them in the way in which they can do it at the least cost, and they should do this whenever their necessities demand it. Power should be given by the legislature to the counties, with suitable restrictions, so that in a moment of excitement they may not be rushed madly into an expense which they cannot bear and thus embarrass their credit by a debt too burdensome for the people. Whenever it is demonstrated that in those counties made accessible by good roads, purchasers can be found for real estate and farms, on which the owners are making money by cultivating crops, because of the advantages of a cheap, certain, and accessible market, then will be learned a valuable lesson, which the most obtuse will understand, and the most incredulous believe. Our people must be educated up to this; they must be made to see and to feel that every interest demands that the county roads be improved. If this is not done, the county which ignores this fact will certainly retrograde, and will no longer be the home of a thrifty population, but will be left as an abode for the ignorant and thriftless. If your people are not ready for the move, do not hinder the Do not endeavor to force counties by any counties which are. to undertake great enter s of this kind when they do not desire it; let them learn by xperience of those who are willing to try it. All the couno not equally need a new system of roads; let those which them most first commence the work; the rest of the State will, ood time, follow, and then it will not be long before the ree places in the country will be opened, and the inaccessible s become rich and valuable by the industry and energy of people. HOW ARE THEY TO BE BUILT? The necessity for better roads is conceded, and it is equally e that the people cannot expect help from the Federal Govment, nor from the State government, and, therefore, they ast build the roads for themselves. Each county must select e way best suited for itself, and must make a temporary sacrie to do this work. If a county is not willing to bear the exense and a district in the county is, let the burden be assumed that district. This may, in the end, be best, because it will ring the expense nearer to those who are assuming it, and will ompel the contractors to be more prompt in its execution, and nore economical in expenditures. To do this work, you have inder the law as it now stands, two days' labor from all the men. n the county between the ages of eighteen and sixty, and a tax of from five to fifteen cents on the hundred dollars' worth may be levied on all the property in the county. The amount of tax can be fixed according to the necessity for improvement-greater in some cases and less in others-because of the difficulties presented by the nature of the ground, the value of the property and the number of the population. Then a small toll may be exacted from all those who pass over the road, and every newcomer, and the increase in the value of the land will serve to lessen the burden until at last the tolls collected will be all that is necessary to meet the interest, and perhaps no road tax will be needed at all. Make the calculation of how much you will be able to save in a year by being able to market your crops, whenever you desire to do so, without regard to the weather, and thus be able to utilize the days when you can do nothing at home on the farm, and what you will save in damage to your conveyances, in overworking your teams by pulling over the rough roads, and the advantages of the market, and you will find that the amounts you have invested in good roads will be the most satisfactory, and the safest you have ever made. HOW TO RAISE THE MONEY. The counties and towns which desire to do so should be allowed to issue bonds redeemable in thirty (30) years The amount THE AMOUNT WE CAN RAISE FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT. It has been asserted by a competent investigator "that the average expenditure for the past three years on the county roads in Virginia has exceeded $350,000 per annum in money and over $400,000 per annum in statutory labor." I do not believe this estimate is extravagant. We have not less than 300,000 persons who are required to give two days' labor to the county roads. We had in 1892 property valued for taxation at $399,585,447. The Code of Virginia, section 978, page 288, allows a levy for the purposes of the county roads of fifteen cents on the hundred Place the value of the labor at dollars' worth of property. seventy-five cents, which the statute fixes, and the tax on the property at fifteen cents, and you will see that the estimate of This sum of $750,000 then is the availa$750,000 is a low one. ble money we have for road purposes every year, and it is sufficient to pay the interest on a sum of $12,500,000 at 6 per cent.; divide it among the counties in proportion to population and wealth, and what an enormous amount you will have for road improvement. Take any county, see by examining the auditor's reports the value of your taxable property, and calculate what fifteen cents in the hundred dollars will amount to. Then take the census and see the number of persons between the ages of eighteen and sixty years; value their labor at seventy-five cents per day for two days every year, and you can ascertain what your county can rely on to borrow money for road purposes. These facts show the feasibility of permanent road improvement, if we will utilize the resources we have by intelligent management, and we can improve our roads without the help of the State or Federal governments. AN ENGINEER. The State should employ a competent engineer, who should locate the roads in the counties which desire to improve them, or build new ones, and he should superintend the construction of these roads and see that the work is done properly; that the ado is the best which the surrounding circumstances will best interest of the |