The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-05


stiles and Resources OF West Tir-
s1nia.
Editors ItsteLkgeneey= $50
| 1 have read with much interest and
pleasure, the very suggestive commu-
nicatious upon the resources and legis-
lation OF West Virginia, published in
3 the lNTELLIGENCER, over the sigma
lures of .tDaddow," Sc. p" and
( "OhiO,' and hope ! NAV not appear
egotistical in saying, that feel highly
Z encouraged TO see the suggestions of
my Official writings for the last three
! years, confirmed and endorsed by such
weighty and intelligent authorities.
| The question now arises: VIII these
I repeated and public spirited appeals
! be needed by "whom II may concern?'
I VIII the present Legislature be made
10 feel that there are public interests
more vital, and more clamorous for
J their attention than the logrolling for,
and distribution OF public buildings?
When We contemplate the eXiSuitV of
our educational fund, the wretched
condition of our roads, our destiturion
! OF leading internal improvements, and
the Sparkeness OF our already tax-rid-
] den population, does not this reVelry
/ of speculators in extemporaueous
/ town lots, and of contractors for public
jobs, remind US distantly, if not OF Nero
hddliDg when Rome was in flames, at
: least, 10 use a less classical illustra-
! ton, of putting the cart before the horse?
Would not wise and patriotic legisla-
/ ton, especially IN a newborn State,
/ first seek to establish the conditions of
its growth and prosPerity--Iidy, Of ITS
VeTy STATE existence, upon a permanent
basis? Before voting expenditures of
doubtful necessity, which will double
or triple our tdzeS, should not Justice
! 10 the people and the tirst rudimeuts of
public economy suggest TO them to in
he kngsV- =
enhance the VGitte OF taxable property
by fostering enterprise and immigra-
tion? And Is the example of more remote
and naturally less favored States,
whose wealth and population Is in
creasing as II by the wand of magic,
forever TO remain without fruit among
US?
Complacent talk about our undevel-
oped resources, and looking over the
hills and across the borders of sur
rounding States for something to come
along and pick us up, will never make
West Virginia what she was ex pected
TO be, once freed from the long com
planned of maternal tyranny. l even
venture to state that her prospect for
rapid growth is not now equal TO what
II WAS three years ago. Already the
influx OF foreign capital has decreased.
Many enterprises and improvements
enthusiastically projected some time
ago. are now gradually fading into OBJ
livlOn. If we intend TO stop this fatal
reaction, IL Is the highest time we were
putting ali hands TO the wheel. While
we slumber, other States are hard at
work, not only for themselves, but
against us. Ever since we set
up for ourselves It has been their
policy to underrate our claims TO for
elgn capital and immigration; and in
further delaying the steps TO secure
these advantages, we wuntonly justify
the additional charge already brought
against us, of keeping a know-noIhing
lodge, in which no stranger is welcome.
Now, or never, is The time to hang the
latch string outside the door,
The Universal Exposition of the re-
sources OF all nations, to be held at
Paris next season, will bring together
observation-disclosures the restroom ey-
cry corner of Europe, whose reports at
home Will decide the location OF new
homes 1or millions of their country
men contemplating emigration. Eigh-
teen or twenty States of the Union,
including newborn Nebraska, have
appointed from one to three commits
siOners each to represent them on that
unprecedented occasion, with ample
provision for the widest circulation of
information in regard 10 their respec-
tive attractions. What has West Vir-
ginia done to promote her interests in
this matter? Nothing at all, as usual,
benefits of the Exposition, she will owe
to the humble efforts of the writer-in
spite of herself.
1 fully concur iIr Prof. Daddow's
suggestion, that popular work de-
scriptive OF our State is needed for gen
eral circulation, but beg leave TO differ
with your correspondent "Ohio" as to
the time of its eXpediency. That rime
IS JIOtC, and always has been. When
a current of emigration has once
assumed the intensity of that which is
daily passing westward by our doors, |
II requires years of persevering labor
and no small display of ingenuity, to /
divert any portion of it into a new |
channel. The reasons for this ] have
repeatedly set forth u my memorial OF |
1864, and subsequent official reports /
Perhaps your estimable correspondent |
is not aware of what has already been |
accomplished in that line. have now !
distributed over 5000 copies of nv /
eight page pamphlet descriptive of the |
State, principally in the German Ian /
guage, and several thousands of other /
kindred documents. All these may be |
found disseminated in those sections OF |
Southern Germany, Saxony, Austria |
and Switzerland, whence the most de- |
sirable class of emigrants may be OBJ /
tained. From immigrants already /
landed here, and from my rapidly in |
creasing correspondence with those 1
L lGdTu W est lfE1nla I
Is slowly but surely gaining ground. |
Ny agents there, in official and other /
influential positions, constitute adyau-
tages enjoyed By few American agents |
abroad, and bat for the JEALOUS, and in /
many cases entirely disinterested CO.
operation from those sources, l could |
have made little or no impression |
abroad with the paltry sum appropria-
ted for my official expenditures.
The call Is now for book on West 1
Virginia more full and practical in de-
tail than Iny official pamphlet, though 4
less voluminous in statistics than the /
popular work of Mr. Dodge. The intend /
ed emigrant wants a handbook" which |
he may consult for many purposes even |
after his settlement upon our soil. The /
materials for such a work are already /
IL my hands, and the time when the /
book should be ready for distribution
the opening of the Worlds Fair, lis al /
most upon u.s. But who is to assume !
the task of compiling and translating, |
and the cost of printing and distrib1- |
tlng2 In all conscience, after my sac /
rihces in that line up TO date, this can
not be expected of the most oyerworked I
and only unrewarded officer in the
State.
The conflicts of land titles alluded TO
by your correspondent, though serious
" objectionable as a State feature, are
not so general as to necessarily delay
the introduction of immigrants under
official protection. In the central and
southern portions OF the state, more