The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-02-06

increasing the revenues OF the State. Is
If right that foreign corporation (tne
annual receipts ofwhich amount to mil
lions of dollars) running through the en-
tire length of the State from east to west,
should be exempt from taxation IL ID
a great privilege, and the corporators
should be willing to pay something LOT
il The millions of dollars which are
now being realized by the oil hunters
and speculators should be made to con,
tribute literally to this greatly neeaeu
road. A moderate tax assessed upon JUG
gross receipts of the Baltimore and ONO
railroad and upon crude oil would RAISE
at least two hundred thousand dollars
revenue to the State Forty cents on
the hundred dollars value on other Taxa
BILE subjects and property, and the rev,
| enues of the State might be lncreaseu
without public detriment, to one anu ~ q
half millions of dollars. Add to TINS,
economy in the administration OF Tue
nnhlic expenses, and the State couio very
ssfsiv subscribe one million OF dollars TO
to tbs West Virginia Central railroad,
onS still have left in the treasury sum
sufficient to aid minor improI ements
and meet the ordinary expenses OF gov
eminent. IT.. -,
An annual appropriation OF one MIL
lion of dollars would give such an ear
nest to the work that by the aid OF our
own citizens the road could be built In
four years; and four years from tna1
ti0e, with proper management "oulu
witness it returning large revenue 10
the State The vast, unproductive min-
| eral wealth which now lies buried in the
valleys of the Monongahela, and the two
| Kanhawas and their tributaries, To-
cether with the immense bodies OF valu,
able timber untouched by the hand OF
industry, would be eagerly sought after
and find a ready market at remunerat1ve
prices. And the thousands of acres OF
rich. uncultivated lands would soon be
| thickly settled up by Industrious enter
| prisiug emigrants. AS a consequence,
additional subjects of taxation would
spring into existence. money become
more abundant, wealth more generally
diffused, and the burdens Of government
greatly lightened. Such an improve
ment would give new impetus. TO IN
dustry, and open up new fields OF enter.
prise for the profitable employment Oh
capital and labor. Besides which IL
would connect the great northern ana
southern railroads, and furnish the
shortest line of travel in the United
| States from New Orleans and the South
| TO our northern cities, and out rival all
| other roads in its freights and travel
| Combine all these elements OF wealth.,
| civilization and power, and we ght
very Justly anticipate that it would IN a
| short time reimburse the State for the
costs of construction, and contribute
largely towards the payment OF the pub
| lie expenses. For the purpose OF I'M
| locking the doors to these profitable
| fields of employment, and developing
| the vast hidden treasures which now
lie buried in the bosom of our infant
State, for the want of an adequate out
| let to market, we are sure our peopse
| would he willing to bear, for time, the
| necessary increased taxation, Inc sell
| Fl sh and contracted policy which coii-
trolled the legislature of Virginia in the
internal development of that State, and
operated so iniuriously TO herI growth
and prosperity, should not tail to elicit
inst consideration, and be studiously
avoided by our legislature.
The people of Virginia now see the
error into which they have fallen, and
deplore it when it is too late. BY the
memorable logic of war, we have been
severed from Old Virginia, and made
the architects of our own political DIES
| tiny. To avail ourselves of the adj
| yantages of our new situatIOn, our repre-
sentatives should inaugurate an indie
pendent, enlightened and liberal poll,
CIV. To them the people now lcok
| with intense solicitude. The future OF
West Virginia has been contided to
them. Their legislation is expected to
conform to the changed condition OF
affairs, and the patronizing demands OF
of the country. We have bright exam
pies before us in our sister States, North
and West of us. Their rapid growth
and increasing wealth mark the liberal
policy and statesmanlike legislation, by
which they have been governed. Their
strides have been so rapid and giant
like, that they bewilder and amaze all
outsiders. Surely, the people OF West
Virginia cannot afford at this late day
to be idle and Indifferent spectators
to the vast march of improvement, to
be seen in these States. Much is ex-
peCted at the hands of our Legislature
at the present session. The people feel q
deep interest in the development OF
their State, and should the Legislature
fail to make the needful appropriations,
they will be greatly disappointed.
WM T. Arnold