778 



VIRGINIA. 



turn of revenue up to Sept. 1, 1885, with hardly 

 more than half the collections yet reported, 

 amounts to upward of $26,000 paying largely 

 more than all the expenses of the service." 



Education. An examination of the school sta- 

 tistics for 1883-'84 reveals that the educational 

 inequality between the two races still prevails 

 to a considerable degree, although lessening. 

 Amelia, Appornattox, Brunswick, Campbell, 

 Charlotte, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, 

 Pittsylvania, and Prince Edward Counties con- 

 tain one sixth of the whole colored population of 

 the State, and one fourth of its colored school 

 population. In Amelia County 52 per cent, of 

 the white school population is enrolled, but 

 only 28 per cent, of the colored. In Appo- 

 mattox County the proportion of enrollment is 

 50 per cent, for the one, 33 per cent, for the 

 other. In Brunswick the proportion is 61 per 

 cent, and 49 per cent. ; in Campbell, 70 per 

 cent, and 46 per cent. ; in Charlotte, 67 per 

 cent, and 36 per cent. ; in Halifax, 50 per cent, 

 and 33 per cent. In Lunenburg County the 

 proportion is the same ; also in Mecklenburg 

 County. In Pittsylvania County, on the other 

 hand, the proportion is 37 per cent, for the 

 white school population, and 22 per cent, for 

 the colored. In Prince Edward, 52 per cent, 

 for the one, and 34 for the other. Striking a 

 general average for these counties, we find that 

 55 per cent, of the white school population is 

 enrolled, but only 41 per cent, of the colored. 

 By the last reported school census, that for 

 1880, there were 240,980 colored children in 

 Virginia of school age. Of these, 103,310 were 

 enrolled at the end of July, 1884 that is, 43 

 per cent, of the whole. On the other hand, 

 58 per cent, of the white school population 

 was enrolled that is, 184,720 out of a school 

 population of 314,638. There was in 1883-'84 

 a school for every 70 white children, but 

 only one for every 128 colored. In five years, 

 the number of colored children in daily aver- 

 age attendance has trebled, while the number 

 of white children has only doubled. There 

 has been an equally notable increase in the 

 number of colored teachers. The chief normal 

 schools for the education of colored teachers 

 are the Richmond Institute, the Richmond 

 Normal, the Boydton Institute, the St. Ste- 

 phen's Institute, the Petersburg High-School, 

 the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, 

 and the Hampton Normal School. 



Political. The Republican State Convention 

 met in Richmond on July 16, and nominated 

 a ticket as follows: John S. Wise, for Gov- 

 ernor ; H. 0. Wood, for Lieu tenant- Governor ; 

 and Frank S. Blair, for Attorney-General. It 

 adopted a long platform, declaring in favor ot 

 the following among other things : 



For the free ballot, against the Bourbon ballot- 

 killer. 



For free schools and .increased appropriations for 

 the enlargement and extension of the system, against 

 the Bourbon hostility to free education. 



For the enforcement of the Readjuster settlement of 

 the State debt as covering every dollar of Virginia's 



equitable share of the debt of the undivided State, and 

 the highest rate of interest that can be borne. 



For due compensation for all labor impressed for 

 public service, whether on public roads or otherwise. 



For biennial elections, so that our State, county' 

 city, and other elections may all occur together. 



For the protection of our "oyster-beds and fisheries 

 from non-resident invaders. 



For every possible encouragement and aid to pro- 

 mote the construction of railroads and other facilities 

 to open up the immense mineral and other resources 

 of the western, southwestern, and other portions of 

 the State. 



For money-wages for labor against the Bourbon 

 store-and-order system. 



For eight hours as a day for all labor employed on 

 public works, and in mines and manufactories/and by 

 corporations, with weekly payments. 



For a State Bureau of Labor Statistics. 



For a legal provision securing to all mechanics, la- 

 borers, and otner workmen the first lien on the assets 

 Of employers where they are forced into liquidation. 



For a local-option prohibition law. 



The Democratic State Convention met in 

 Richmond on July 29, and nominated for Gov- 

 ernor, Fitzhugh Lee ; for Lieutenant-Governor, 

 John G. Massey; and for Attorney-General, 

 Rufus A. Ayres. Mr. Massey had been a prom- 

 inent Readjuster. The following are the prin- 

 cipal points of the platform adopted : 



The Democratic party heretofore pledged its final 

 acceptance of the settlement of the public debt known 

 as the " Riddleberger bill," and its opposition to all 

 further agitation of the question. 



The question of the State debt has ceased to be one 

 of dollars and cents. It has become one of State sov- 

 ereignty. 



We renew the pledge and avouch the fact that within 

 the last two years, under Democratic legislation, 275,- 

 000 of arrearages to the school fund have been paid. 



We favor the furnishing of free books to the pupils 

 of the free schools. 



In providing wisely for the instruction of its citi- 

 zens and generously for the afflicted in mind and 

 body, the Commonwealth should respect the sacred 

 duty which it owes to its needy Confederate soldiers, 

 disabled by wounds or disease. 



We recommend to the General Assembly to pass 

 such laws as will permit each county or district to 

 determine for itself whether the sale of spirituous 

 liquors shall be permitted within its limits. 



Public policy requires that convict labor should not 

 be brought in competition with free labor. 



Eight hours a day for labor upon public works ; op- 

 position to all discriminations unjustly bearing upon 

 labor or capital ; the enforced payment of money- 

 wages by corporations and the first lien to employe's 

 upon their assets ; the establishment of labor bureaus 

 for the collection of statistics. 



We are unalterably opposed to mixing State with 

 Federal elections, whereby such interference as has 

 been experienced in the past under an ill-advised or 

 corrupt Administration might be possible. 



At the election on Nov. 3, the Democratic 

 ticket was successful. The total vote for Gov- 

 ernor was 289,071, of which Fitzhugh Lee 

 (Democratic) received 152,544; John S. Wise 

 (Republican), 136,510; scattering, 17. 



The Legislature consists of 30 Democrats 

 and 10 Republicans in the Senate, and 70 Dem- 

 ocrats and 30 Republicans in the House. 



Crops. In the State the corn and tobacco 

 crops of 1885 were fair, hut the wheat-crop 

 was poor. The peanut-crop amounts to about 

 2,000,000 bushels. 



