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 politie 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 people become the greater necessity there is for an honest and able judiciary.

An increase of the judges' salaries has been a subject talked of for years, and has been delayed because each party feared it would be used to their prejudice in the elections. Every man whose opinion is worth having knows that you cannot secure the best talent in the pulpit, in the medical profession, on the bench, or in any responsible position in life unless you pay an adequate compensation for the work required. All through the business of life the best article will command the best price, and if the pay is poor the article will be proportionately inferior. There is no wisdom in hiring cheap labor-a cheap lawyer, doctor or judge. The State needs the services of the best and ablest men on the bench, and should be willing to pay the salary necessary to secure them.

ELECTION OF JUDGES.

At this session of the general assembly the five judges of the court of appeals are to be elected for the full term commencing on the first day of January, 1895. All of the circuit judges are to be elected, and the judges of all the corporation courts. Some vacancies have been occasioned by death or resignation in the following county judgships, which I have filled by assignment or appointment:

I have appointed Thomas J. Croxton to fill the vacancy in the office of judge of the county of Essex. In Greenesville county there was a vacancy and Judge N. S. Turnbull, of Brunswick, was designated to hold the courts of that county until the vacancy be filled. In the county of Augusta, Judge Lyman Chalkley, judge of the county court of Alleghany, was designated to hold the courts until the vacancy occasioned by the death of Judge Stout be filled. In the county of Patrick, Judge Howard, of the county court of Floyd, was designated to hold the courts until the vacancy be filled. In the county of Roanoke, W. W. Moffett was appointed to hold the courts until the vacancy be filled. In the city of Roanoke, John W. Wood was appointed to hold the courts until 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 them at any reasonable cost. Experience demonstrates that if the country is ever to be built up, and the lands made valuable, good roads must be constructed, so as to make them accessible and convenient.

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 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?

can be done

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 counties which are. Do not endeavor to force counties by any general legislation to tax themselves to undertake great enter

prises of this kind when they do not desire it; let them learn by the experience of those who are willing to try it. All the counties do not equally need a new system of roads; let those which need them most first commence the work; the rest of the State will, in good time, follow, and then it will not be long before the remote places in the country will be opened, and the inaccessible farms become rich and valuable by the industry and energy of the people.

HOW ARE THEY TO BE BUILT ?

The necessity for better roads is conceded, and it is equally true that the people cannot expect help from the Federal Government, nor from the State government, and, therefore, they must build the roads for themselves. Each county must select the way best suited for itself, and must make a temporary sacrifice to do this work. If a county is not willing to bear the expense and a district in the county is, let the burden be assumed in that district. This may, in the end, be best, because it will bring the expense nearer to those who are assuming it, and will compel the contractors to be more prompt in its execution, and more economical in expenditures. To do this work, you have under the law as it now stands, two days' labor from all the men in 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

should be determined by the revenue derived from the road-tax on property, and the tolls collected from those who travel over the roads, and it might be well to put a small tax on all vehicles from those who live contiguous to the improved roads, or toll should be required.

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 dollars' worth of property. Place the value of the labor at seventy-five cents, which the statute fixes, and the tax on the property at fifteen cents, and you will see that the estimate of $750,000 is a low one. This sum of $750,000 then is the available 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 grade is the best which the surrounding circumstances will allow, and that the work is performed to the best interest of the counties.