Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-03-24

of the Blue Ridge upon land; showing a
difference Of $58,728 between the east
and west in taxes on land a small amount,
whichls few years will cancel, for the
lands in the Trans Allegheny, at the same
rate of increase in 80 years, will amount
to $225,ooO,oOO. The free white popu-
lation of the entire east Is 402, III /;
increase since the census of 1910, nine
per cent. The entire West has popula-
ton of 494, 1853 increase since the census
of 1910 of 33 per cent The slave popu-
lation in the east is 412, 72s in the west
it is 1924; making difference of 349,-
SD. e~@
The whole amount of taxes paid in the
East is 1886, 1856; in the west S904, 956,
making difference of $161, $50; the in
crease in the East since the last assess
ment has been SO, and in the west Sc per
centum. zero
find by the tables furnished that there
are, in the Commonwealth, 1896 poor
children, of which but 31,655 have been
sent to school, leaving 4l,32l uneduca-
ted; and presenting to the mind the de-
plorable fact that in this great Common
wealth of Virginia, the mother of States
and of Statesmen, there are, under the
operation of this governmental majority,
moro than ii 900 children growing up i'll
utter ignorance. We know what the cen
sus tells us with reference to the num-
Der over twenty years of age who cannot
read and write-only 1884 III The
neglect of the education of the children
shows how that result has been brought
about.
I wish to call the attention of the com
mittee in this connection, while looking at
the condition of the commonwealth, to the
amount of expenditures under aPpropria-
tons made by the legislature for works of
internal Improvement. do so from the
fact that we have been told over and over
again. that the west has plundered, and
desires to plumber. the eastern portion of
the commonwealth, in the form of appro-
priations for works Of internal improve
ment. 1t will be seen by the tables upon
the subject, that there has been expended
east of the Blue Ridge of mountains, &c.
4O5, 1894 18; west of the Blue Ridge,
81, 172, 581; making difference between
the east and west of $3.50, 813, 10
Now, we have been told that the eastern
portion of the Commonwealth pays all the
taxes, and that the great effort is on the
part of the west to control the tax-laying
and appropriating power with a view of
making large appropriations in the west
to the interests of the east.
It is true that the east pays the larger
portion of the taxes of the State but it is
certain that they have appropriated to
themselves much the larger portion of the
taxes their full share.
- What is the annual amount of taxes
paid by the east ?-$366, 1856. This ex-
cess, $5,172, 58t, of appropriation in ia
vor of the east over that of the west,
would exhaust almost the entire amount
of the tax paid by the east. But, sir,
take all the appropriations made in the
east, 9,4O5, 394 dollars, and the interest
upon that sum is 5G4, 323 65-almost
double the amount of taxes paid annually
by the eastern portion of the Common
wealth.
How is it with the west--with an ex'
penditure of 4, Ire, 591 dollars. the inter-
est on which is gao, 1874 dollars and Sc
cents The taxes, 2O4, 256 dollars
showing that their taxes are nearly equal
to the whole amount of the interest upon
the expenditure. So this outcry against
the west, of plundering and appropriating
the money of the east, is without founda-
ton. Now, l admit it is proper, in the
formation of q constitution of State, to
look to all the interests of that State, and
so to frame the provisions Of that instru-
ment that every interest may be protect
ed and secured but do not admit that
it is necessary, in order to protect the va
rious interests of the Commonwealth, that
should be an element of repre-
seutation. l concede frankly, and do it
without hesitation, that it is the interest
and duty of every well regulated govern
ment, to provide amply for the protection
and security of property; but must and
do protest against the necessity, in order
that property should be properly protec-
ted, that it should form an element of re-
presentation. l take the views of Mr..
Madison upon this subject-that repre-
sentation is an expedient by which the
voice Of the people is brought into the lie.
gislative hall, Each representative should
represent an equal number of people of
the Commonwealth. Whenever you de-
part from that great principle. you are
perfectly out at sea. Adopt this princi'
pie, and you nave well-defned landmarks
to govern your action; but the moment
you depart from it, you are perfectly with
ont rule or guide you may adopt one
rule at one time, and another rule at ano-
Their time-it may be changed or modified
to suit the interest or caprice of the party
in power. A great principle is gained by
adopting the suffrage basis.
What do these statistics show us? A
majority of something like 100000 free
white people west of the Blue Ridge
They show that the population and wealth
are all increasing rapidly in that section
of the Stata and station arv in the east