The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-11-13
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we.t Virsinia.

chat the national election IS owe
;,,sr,,t felt therein has sui
'D Ia1 the people of West Virginia nat
s'0I ~, ,rrn 70 the consideration Of loca
u'' r. ~ connection With their Stat
mr,ment. 1t will hardly be d0nie
", IN. policy of the dominant part
sDot fOstered West Virginia's groTt
and md prosperity with that success whlo.
:" hotL desirable and possible. wit
~ her natural facilities and capacit.
=, development, West Virginia is no
~ ar,reing with anything like the pro
,.s. Of other States less bounteoasl!
,I,ssed by the hand of Providence
Tb. people have been divided BY
discriminating course Of leglslat'oi
.n,, virtually excludes large class
- ~ .itizsns frsm participation in the
C,,.rpment which they are taxed tt
nnort The harmony and good feel
.srI necessary to the prosperity ofevery
o,munity 80 have thus been impaired
.J that patriotic desire for the public
~ol which animates all who dwell un'
wise laws aud generous Govern
a.ot is here lost sight Of in the bit
,.,osss Of a struggle, on the one hand to
rid of prescription and on the other
Dernptuate it,. Offices have been
no,,i,lied without apparent necessity
III top many instances their incum'
-, hay, been selected from the
cary worst material. Incompetent
Aords have had cOutrol OF local
os,irs in many counties, and so wretch
a b., becu their management that the
laws designed for good have been made
,bc Instruments of unmitigated evil,
The State, though rich in natural re-
.oarc,s, is poor in pocket; the meas
n.y.. needed 10 invite the capital aud
e,terurise which are requisite for pur-
ross. Of development have been entirely
omitf,l. The most essential measures
Of internal Improvement have received
little encouragement, and that wise pol
icy which aids all puplic enterprises, as
t,ra, may be consistent with justice to
,.. p,,pl,. has been overlooked i'll u
,r,,f,uud oLliviousnesS to the general
interest which ignores all legislation
heyopd 81 ction laws, registration laws,
and acts Tor the furtherance of schemes
ofiudiyrdual ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
We think that il is about time for our
law.makcrs to take some thought for
the material interests of those whom
they represent. Public prosperity we
cannot have without there is kindly
feeling among the masses of the people.
But that state Of feeling will not be
brought about by the continuanca OF
prescription and class legislation. Even
if the Republicans insist upon contlnd-
ing in force the present registratloh
law as they certainly will, they cannot
without great disregard OF duty retain
upup our stat.tu books the test oaths
for snitors, Jurors, lawyers aud teach
els, and other legislat' ION Of that class
These laws contribute little 10 the
strengtl of the Republican, party,
while they do produce feeling OF dis
satisfaction that eau bring no good to
the State.
4 marked reduction in the number of
officers now required to look after our
local affairs would uOt be without its
beneficial results. Our system of local
government would thus be greatly sim
plided, aud with simplicity would come
economy The public business would
be better discharged if cOniided to fewer
hands, and there would be fewer OppOr-
tunlties for cxtrayagance and leakage.
What is especially needed is the foS-
teriug of wise schemes for internal i'm
prO,cment; the encouragement of enter
prises for the development of the State.
We do not mean, of course, that
appropriations for such purposes
should be made by our Legislature,
but they should be promoted as
far IS possible by friendly legisla-
ton. The mineral and timber lands
Of West Virginia, fer example, may
be made Il source Of vast wealth to the
State. But to develop them, the aid of
foreign capital is needed. Would that
legislation be wise which would dis
courage such capital from coming among
asi An internal Improvement project
may double or quadruple the value OF
every acre of land which it touches
Would those laws be prudent which
should fett.r the progress Of that im-
F'oyement, cripple its energies and
Impair at once its prosperity and its
l'dulnessi : Would it not rather be the
part Of wisdom to foster such improve
ments, to aid them to enrich the State
aud TO assure capitalists, by every lib
etaI concession consistent with genera
justice, that West Virginia feels her in
'SresIs and theirs to be identical and
'aAt she is ever ready to cooperate with
them in enterprises of mutual advan.
iage.
Aysar ur two ago the Legislature in
Vo'poratcd q company for the improve
Ieht Of the Kanawha River, and con
'efred upon that company certain priv
"eSes and immnnities. Many persons
'nousht that the advantages given thu
Incorporation were excessive. Prob
|0'! III that particular instance, the
legislature was more generous than il
"eeu have been. Oi this we are not
''''an, but in all such cases it would
pS well TO remember that the general
OvuS"'s OF which ssch enterprises are
r,Vuu'''Se would not be enjoyed with
OUT then, and that the State loses moth
ing by liCeFality to Improvements that
Snlal|S S % tue value of property and de.
Velop the natural resoprsosr -.