proposed local-option license law, pending the result of the vote upon the referendum, Feb. 2, 1903: "The warrant of every town meeting to be held on the first Tuesday of March, 1903, and annually thereafter shall contain an article providing for a vote upon the question Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town?' The selectmen of a town voting in favor of license shall, upon the application of 6 voters, call a special town meeting to determine the kind of license to be issued."

The bill provides for 7 classes of licenses to be granted at fees ranging from $1,200 for a saloon to $10 for a druggist who can sell for medicinal purposes.

Political. Four candidates for the governorship were in the field-John G. McCullough, Republican; Percival W. Clement, Fusion; Felix N. McGettrick, Democrat; Joel O. Sherburne, Prohibition. A split in the parties was caused by the agitation over the new license local-option measure favored by the Republicans. Those adhering to the prohibitory law enacted in 1852 supported the candidacy of Clement.

The platform adopted by the Republicans at their convention recognized the fact that the enormous business of the country, in its various departments, can now only be done by combination, corporate or individual, and disclaimed a spirit of unreasoning hostility to such combinations, but favored the utmost vigilance-legislative, judicial, and executive in guarding the public abuse of combined power, the swift and sure punishment of greedy offenders of any sort, strict safeguards against overvaluation, issue of fictitious stock, and demanded publicity of exact and verified statements by the official managers of corporations and combinations that shall clearly show the public their exact financial condition.

The referendum resolution favoring a license and local-option measure to displace the prohibitory law of 1852 declares:

That the Republican party of Vermont adheres to its long-cherished belief that unrestricted traffie in intoxicating liquors is a public evil, and that the material modification of existing law on that subject should be made only after thorough discussion and mature deliberation by the people. And we request the State Legislature at its next session to make provision for ascertaining the will of the people by direct vote upon the acceptance or rejection of a license and local-option law.

The platform also favored a law regulating pri

maries.

A

At the State election in September the following vote was polled: McCullough, 31,829; Clement, 28,069; McGettrick, 7,252; Sherburne, 2,460. majority is 34,606, and therefore the election of Governor and Lieutenant-Governor devolved upon the Legislature. The remaining State officers received the full party vote. The officers finally chosen were: Governor, John G. McCullough; Lieutenant-Governor, Zed S. Stanton; Secretary of State, Frederick G. Fleetwood: Treasurer, John L. Bacon; Auditor, Horace F. Graham; AdjutantGeneral, William H. Gilmour; Superintendent of Education, W. E. Ranger-all Republicans.

VIRGINIA, a Southern State, one of the original thirteen, ratified the Constitution June 25, 1788; area, 42,450 square miles. The population, according to each decennial census, was 747,610 in 1790: 880,200 in 1800; 974,600 in 1810; 1,065,116 in 1820; 1.211.405 in 1830; 1.239,797 in 1840; 1.421,661 in 1850; 1.596.318 in 1860 : 1,225.163 in 1870: 1,512,565 in 1880; 1.655.980 in 1890; and 1,854,184 in 1900. Capital, Richmond.

Government.-The following were the State officers in 1902. Governor, Andrew J. Montague; Lieutenant-Governor, Joseph E. Willard; Secretary of State, D. O. Eggleston; Attorney-General, W. A. Anderson; First Auditor, Morton Marye; Second Auditor, Josiah Ryland, Jr.; Treasurer, A. W. Harman, Jr.; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Joseph W. Southall; President of the Supreme Court of Appeals; James Keith; Justices, S. G. Whittle, John A. Buchanan, George M. Harrison, and Richard H. Cardwell. All are Democrats.

Five of the State officers-Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth, State Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction are elected by the people. They each serve four years. The election for these officers took place in November, 1901. The Auditor of Public Accounts is elected by the joint vote of the two houses of the General Assembly, to serve four years. The Legislature meets biennially, the second Wednesday in January following the election. There are 36 Senators and 86 members of

the House.

Finances.-The following is a synopsis of the financial operations of the treasury for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 1902: Balance Oct. 1, 1901, $854,490.92; received in fiscal year 1901-'02, $3,795,093.42; balance Oct. 1, 1902, $739,392.72. The disbursements were: Literary fund, $291,215.57; interest on public debt, $843,896.37; sinking-fund, $1,077.72; Miller fund, $75,094.17; total balance in the treasury to the credit of the several funds, Oct. 1, 1902, $1,029,800.72. In addition to the above the United States direct tax fund has to its credit $1,162.74.

Population Statistics.-The Census Bureau reports that in 1890 there were 165,630 Virgin ians living elsewhere than in the State of their birth. The Census Bureau has compiled tablesone giving the number of black Virginians living in other States, the other the number of negroes from other States living in Virginia The tables show that in 1900 the total number of negroes born in Virginia was 878,988: living in Virginia, born there, 625,544; born in Virginia, living in other States, 253,444. Total number of negroes living in Virginia, 660.570-that is, in 1900 there had emigrated from Virginia 253.444. and immigrated to Virginia 35,026. In the dee ade between 1890 and 1900 the negro population of Richmond decreased from 32.330 to 32.230.

Resources and Products.-The Crop Reporter, published by the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture, gives the following statistics of the acreage, production, and value of the principa! farm-crops of the State in 1902: Corn-acreage. 1.879.348; production, 41.345.656 bushels: value. $21.499.741. Winter wheat-acreage, 637.806: production, 3,635,494 bushels: value. $2.872.040. Oats-acreage, 222.074; production, 3.886.295 bushels; value, $1.632,244. Barley acreage, 2655; production, 48,586 bushels; value, $26.236. Ryeacreage, 26,147; production, 251,C11 bushels; val ue, $165,667. Buckwheat-acreage. 20.862; produc tion, 346,309 bushels; value, $207,785. Potatoes

acreage, 50.531; production, 3.789.825 bushe's: value, $2,198,098. Hay-acreage. 472.913: production, 501,288 tons; value, $6.807.491. Tobac co-acreage, 182.359; production. 136.769.250 pounds; value. $12,309,232. The definite amount and value of the cotton-crop is not given in the report; but it is estimated that Virginia produs 248 pounds of lint cotton to the acre under el tivation. The average of the 14 producing Stats is 188.5 pounds per acre, and Virginia stands sixth in order of amount.

The Census Bureau issued a preliminary report on the manufacturing industries of Virginia. It shows for the State a total of 8,245 establishments in 1900, an increase of more than 39 per cent. in the decade. The total capital was $103,512,855, an increase of 63 per cent.; average number of wage-earners 72,527, increase 35 per cent.; total wages, $22,396,060, increase 41 per cent. The miscellaneous expenses were $12,258,244, an increase of 65 per cent.; cost of materials used, $74,762,749, an increase of 44 per cent.; value of all manufacturing products, including custom work and repairing, $132,735,620, increase 50 per

cent.

Education.-The Department of Public Instruction announced the apportionment of the State school funds for 1901-02, as being at the rate of 28 cents and 4 mills per capita of the school population. The whole amount apportioned is $196,325.23. This apportionment is made on account of the appropriation by the General Assembly under act approved March 7, 1900, and the accumulated interest on investments of the Literary fund.

The second apportionment of State funds for the public schools was made Nov. 1, 1902, the amount, much greater than the first, being $806,761.10. The per capita of school population was $1.167.

The State Board of Education declined to renew the contracts for two books on the publicschool list-namely, Fiske's History of the United States and Our Country, a history of the United States, written by Cooper, Estell, and Lemmon. This action is based upon the determined effort made for years by the Confederate veterans and others to remove from the public schools of the State every history that is objectionable to Confederates, their contention being that Fiske's history and Our Country do not represent fairly the war of secession. A large number of the teachers in the public schools are favorable to Fiske's history and also to Our Country for pedagogic reasons. They declare that these two histories offer more abundant material for classroom purpose, and present the subject in better form for teachers and pupils.

An address delivered by Gov. Montague at Charlottesville, July 8, before the Virginia teachers and superintendents, contained the following statistical facts, based upon Superintendent Southall's biennial report: Of 6,056 county schools for whites, 2,658 fall below the legal, required, average attendance of 20 pupils to the school. Out of 2,032 colored schools, only 498 fall below the required average. The Governor referred to the necessity of industrial training for the negroes. He said the wisest act of the State board would be to abolish the classical department at the Petersburg Colored Normal and create an industrial department in its place.

No ap

The following are among the provisions of the new Constitution relative to education: propriation of public funds shall be made to any school or institution of learning not owned or exclusively controlled by the State or some political subdivision thereof; provided, first, that the General Assembly may, in its discretion, continue the appropriations to the College of William and Mary; and that counties, cities, towns, and districts may make appropriations to non-sectarian schools of manual, industrial, or technical training. The appropriations for institutions of learning for the two fiscal years ending Sept. 30, 1902, and Sept. 30, 1903, were as follow: Medical College of Virginia, $5,000: State Female Normal School, $15,000 and $12,500 for new building;

University of Virginia, $50,000 and additional for amount expended on hospital, to be refunded to State; Virginia Military Institute, $25,000; Virginia School for Deaf and Blind, $40,000 and $20,000 for new buildings; Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, $25,000 and an additional sum of $25,000 for new buildings; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, $15,000, provided that it be converted into an industrial school; William and Mary College, $15,000 and $5,000 for electric-light plant; public schools, $200,000.

Penitentiary. -The report of the joint commission appointed to investigate the conditions existing at the Penitentiary contains the following statements: "Its condition (overcrowded) is almost inconceivable to the human mind, and it would be difficult indeed to conceive of any penal institution being permitted to continue under such intolerable conditions. Visitors from all parts of the country-from Florida to Maine have turned away from the contemplation of its sickening horrors in wonder and amazement that the State of Virginia would countenance the continuance of such dreadful conditions."

The report says the death-rate, as ordinarily reported, does not convey an accurate idea of the hygienic condition of the prison, as many are annually pardoned because of broken health, and most of them die soon after being liberated. The commission is of the opinion that it is absolutely necessary that the prison be removed to a place near a large city to procure ample protection against fire and to have the military at hand in case of serious trouble. On the subject of convict labor, the report says the consensus of opinion seems to be that it is better to have the men at some contract work in the manufacture of articles of commerce than to have them brought into competition with local State labor.

The minority report goes very fully into a penological discussion. It does not excuse the overcrowded condition of the prison, but it insists that it has not been so productive of evils as the majority says.

The appropriations for criminal expenses for the fiscal years ending Sept. 30, 1902, and Sept. 30, 1903, as reported from the House Committee on Finance, are: Transportation of convicts to Penitentiary, $6,000; expenses of juries, witnesses, and prison associations, $240,000.

Legal Decision.-The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Circuit Court establishing the responsibility of a railroad company for accident to a passenger traveling on a free pass, arguing that the company agreeing to carry the passenger came under the duty to transport him safely, and the agreement by which it undertook to relieve itself from the consequences of the negligence of its servants was void as against the policy of the State, which is to enforce with equal hand the performance of those duties upon which the safety of her citizen depends.

An interesting case in which an opinion was delivered is that involving riparian rights and the accretion of property as a result of changes in a river boundary. A lot in Lynchburg that was condemned for canal purposes in 1836 originally embraced about 2 acres. The changes in the channel of the river enlarged this to about 4 acres, when in 1896 the complainant sought to acquire title to the extra 2 acres, contending that the condemnation did not extend to the river. The defendant instituted chancery proceedings, setting up a title to the accretions and increment of land as well as to the tract originally conveyed. The Court of Appeals held that by purchase the defendant is a fee-simple riparian pro

prietor, empowered to take, jure alluvionus; and that the water-line of James river, however much it may shift, is the boundary of the property purchased.

Lawlessness.-Lynchings of negroes occurred at Leesburg and at New Glasgow, Amherst County, the victims being accused of the murder of white men. Satisfactory evidence was not forthcoming of the guilt of the man who was executed at Leesburg.

Political. The convention called to frame a new Constitution for Virginia completed its work, and on May 29 proclaimed it by a vote of 48 to 38, after it had voted down by decisive majorities propositions to submit the work of the convention to the present or full electorate and to the new or restricted electorate. Accordingly, Gov. Montague issued his proclamation on June 29 to the people of Virginia to recognize and support the new instrument, and also called the Legislature in extra session on July 15 to put the Constitution into effect. The following are the most important sections:

In controversies respecting property, and in suits between man and man, trial by jury is preferable; but the General Assembly may limit the number of jurors for civil juries in circuit and corporation courts to not less than 5 in cases now cognizable by justices of the peace, or to not less than 7 in cases not so cognizable.

Every male citizen of the United States, twenty-one years of age, who has been a resident of the State two years, of the county, city, or town one year, and of the precinct in which he offers to vote, thirty days, next preceding the election in which he offers to vote, has been registered, and has paid his State poll-taxes, as hereinafter required, shall be entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly and all offices elective by the people; but removal from one precinct to another, in the same county, city, or town shall not deprive any person of his right to vote in the precinct from which he has moved, until the expiration of thirty days after such removal.

There shall be general registrations in the counties, cities, and towns of the State during the years 1902 and 1903 at such time and in such manner as may be prescribed by an ordinance of this convention. At such registrations every male citizen of the United States having the qualifications of age and residence required in section 18 shall be entitled to register, if he be

1. A person who, prior to the adoption of the Constitution, served in time of war in the army or navy of the United States, of the Confederate States, or of any State of the United States, or of the Confederate States; or,

2. A son of any such person; or,

3. A person who has paid to the State for the year next preceding that in which he offers to register taxes aggregating at least one dollar on property owned by and assessed against him; or 4. A person able to read any section of this Constitution submitted to him by the officers of registration and to give a reasonable explanation of the same; or, if unable to read such section, able to understand and give a reasonable explanation thereof when read to him by the officers.

After the 1st day of January, 1904, every male citizen of the United States having the qualifications of age and residence shall be entitled to register, provided:

1. That he has personally paid to the proper officer all State poll-taxes assessed or assessable against him under this or the former Constitution for the three years next preceding that in which he offers to register, or, if he come of age at

such time that no poll-tax shall have been assessable against him for the year preceding the year in which he offers to register, has paid $1.50, in satisfaction of the first year's poll-tax assessable against him; and,

2. That, unless physically unable, he make application to register in his own handwriting, without aid, suggestion, or memorandum, in the presence of the registration officers, stating therein his name, age, date, and place of birth, residence and occupation at the time and for the two years next preceding, and whether he has previously voted, and, if so, the State, county, and precinct in which he voted last.

Any person registered under either of the last two sections shall have the right to vote for members of the General Assembly and all officers elective by the people, subject to the following conditions:

That he, unless exempted by section 22, shall, as a prerequisite to the right to vote after the 1st day of January, 1904, personally pay, at least six months prior to the election, all State poll-taxes assessed or assessable against him, under this Constitution, during the three years next preceding that in which he offers to vote; provided that, if he register after the 1st day of January, 1904, he shall, unless physically unable, prepare and deposit his ballot without aid. on such printed form as the law may prescribe: but any voter registered prior to that date may be aided in the preparation of his ballot by such officer of election as he himself may designate.

No person who, during the late war between the States, served in the army or navy of the United States, or the Confederate States, or any State of the United States, or of the Confederate States, shall at any time be required to pay a poll-tax as a prerequisite to the right to register or vote. nor shall the collection of the State poll-tax assessed against any one be enforced by legal process until the same has become three years past due.

Sec. 23 enumerates the persons disqualified for voting, such as obtain in most States with the addition of persons who, while citizens of this State, after the adoption of this Constitution. have fought a duel with a deadly weapon, or sent or accepted a challenge to fight such a duel, either within or without this State, or knowingly conveyed a challenge, or aided or assisted in any way in the fighting of such duel.

All elections by the people shall be by bailot: all elections by any representative body shall be riva voce, and the vote recorded in the jourLa

thereof.

The General Assembly may prescribe a property qualification not exceeding $250 as a pre requisite for voting for other than members of the General Assembly.

Every person qualified to vote shall be eligible to hold any office of the State, or of any county city, town, or other subdivision of the State, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution Men and women eighteen years of age shall be eligible to hold the office of notary public.

The legislative power of the State shall be vested in a General Assembly.

The Senate shall consist of not more than and not less than 33 members, elected quadrennially on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November.

The House of Delegates shall consist of not more than 100 and not less than 90 members. elected biennially.

The members of the General Assembly shall re ceive for their services a salary to be fixed by

ans except Rogers and Fox, who are Democrats; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, James R. Reavis; Associate Justices, R. O. Dunbar, Mark A. Fullerton, T. J. Anders, Wallace Mount, W. H. White, H. E. Hadley; Clerk, C. S. Reinhart-all Republicans except Reavis and White, who are Democrats.

State officers are chosen for terms of four years, at the time of the presidential elections. The Leg islature meets biennially in January of odd-numbered years. It was composed of 34 Senators and SO Representatives, until at the regular session of 1901 the number of Senators was increased to 42 and the number of Representatives to 93.

Valuation. The taxable wealth of the State for 1902, as equalized by the State board, is as follows: Land, including town and city lots, exclusive of improvements, $151,460,883; improvements on land, town and city lots, $46,740,031; land, town and city lots, including improvements, $198,200,934; personal property, $45,888,131; railroad-tracks, $16,851,073; total valuation of real and personal property, including railroad-tracks, $260,940,138. The board, at the close of its meeting. Sept. 22, announced the general fund levy, as fixed at 2 mills of the valuation fixed by the State Board. The military-fund, interest-fund, and school-fund levies are fixed by law at onefifth of a mill each for interest and military purposes, and 5 mills for school fund.

The total amount that will be raised for State purposes this year is $1,982,718, in addition to the amounts realized from interest on the permanent school funds, from the tide-land sales and rentals, and from 10 per cent. of liquor licenses. The amount expected to be raised for each fund is: General fund, $574,067; school fund, $1,304,701; interest fund, $52,189; military fund, $52,189.

Finances. The quarterly report of the State Treasurer showed a cash balance in his hands at the close of business, Dec. 31, 1902, of $986,742.17. Some of the principal funds into which this amount was divided were: General fund, $2,835.12; military fund, $98,106.48; school fund, $344,368.63; current school fund, $166,887.62; revolving fund, Penitentiary, $152,044.81: State Library, $20,446.55; Scientific School, $26,033.77; State Capitol Commission, $97,247.86.

The biennial report of the Treasurer, issued in October, shows that the indebtedness of the State of Washington has been reduced $131,496.34 in the past two years.

The following is the statement of indebtedness at the close of the last biennial period, Sept. 30, 1902: General fund warrants outstanding, $45,741.19; interest on same, estimated, $192,65; State bonds held by permanent school fund, $1,165,000; accrued interest on same, $78,092.68; State funding bonds outstanding, $60,000; accrued interest on same, $875.04; total, $1,349,631.56; less cash on hand in general fund. $5,161.62; actual indebtedness, $1,344,469.94; indebtedness reduced, $131,496.34.

The report shows that the greatest part of the indebtedness, which in 1900 was in general-fund warrants drawing 5 per cent. interest, which interest was paid to individuals and warrant buy ers, has been transferred to State bonds, which draw but 34 per cent. interest, and the interest goes to the permanent school fund. More than half of the State funding bonds, which were held by Eastern investment companies and drawing 5 per cent. interest, have also been wiped out.

The Commissioner of Public Lands, S. A. Calvert, issued a comparative statement of the volume of business transacted by his department, which discloses that during the past two years the

receipts from the principal money-producing department of the State Government exceeded the receipts during the preceding two years by more than one-third, the increase amounting to $300,000 in round numbers. The receipts for the two years ending Sept. 30, 1902, were $1,204,005.89. Products and Resources.-The Crop Reporter, published by authority of the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, gives the following statistics of Washington in acreage, production, and value of the principal farm crops in 1902: Corn, acreage 10,014, production 230,322 bushels, total value $149,709; winter wheat, acreage 308.315, production 7,923,696 bushels, total value $5,150,402; spring wheat, acreage 757,139, production 15,748,491 bushels, total value $10,236,519; oats, acreage 154,006, production 7,115,077 bushels, total value $3,486,388; barley, acreage 140,075, production 6,121,278 bushels, total value $2,815,788; rye, acreage 2,910, production 51,798 bushels, total value $33,151; potatoes, acreage 31,288, production 4,255,168 bushels, total value $1,616,964; hay, acreage 322,864, production 739,359 tons, total value $6,602,476.

On Nov. 29 State Grain Inspector J. W. Arrasmith presented his biennial report. It showed that in the period between Sept. 1, 1900, and Aug. 31, 1902, the number of cars of wheat inspected at the 3 points of inspection in the State Tacoma, Seattle, and Spokane was 37,541, or approximately 35,268,540 bushels; oats, 2,265 cars or 3,125,700 bushels; barley, 1,432 cars or 1,346,280 bushels; rye, 28 cars or 33,100 bushels; total amount of grain, 41,266 cars or 38,763,620 bushels. A revised bulletin of the Census Office giving statistics of manufactures shows that in 1900 there were in Washington 1,814 manufacturing establishments, with an invested capital of $25. 178,732 and a total value of manufactured prod uct for the census year of $40,645,726.

The Director of the United States Mint estimated the State's production of gold in 1902 as amounting to $434,100, and of silver $360,400.

Mining in Washington is slowly recovering from the depressing effect of the temporary diver sion of capital to Alaska. In the year ending Aug. 25 the Seattle Assay Office received the fe!lowing quantities of gold and silver from neighboring fields: Alaska, $3.476,759; Idaho, $5.670; Oregon, $4.904; Washington, $68,684: British Columbia, $627,678: Yukon Territory, $11,097,118.

The hop-crop for 1902 was estimated at 38,000 bales.

The value of the output of the fisheries indus try for 1902 is estimated by Fish-Commissioner T. R. Kershaw in his annual report at $6,730,870, including salmon packed, fresh, salt, and smoked fish, shell-fish, and all fish products. The number of cases of salmon packed in the year is given at 777.484. The commissioner reports that as a to tal this is under the output of last year.

The report shows that there is invested in the industry in the State of Washington the sum of $6,819,818, an increase of $2,457,348 in the past two years. There are 7,615 whites and 2,055 Chinese and Japanese employed in the industry, and their annual earnings are $2,502,550.

Possibly one of the most important subjects touched upon in the entire report is the declaratio of Mr. Doane, that the several years' experiments have developed the fact that Eastern oysters will not propagate in Washington waters under nat ural conditions. The Eastern oysters will spaw profusely, but the spat will not set or thrive. The greatest difficulty to overcome is the low tempera ture of the waters of the Sound. The averag temperature of the water is about 10° lower