The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-04
our INTERIOR.
Editors IntelLtQencer

OUR INTERIOR.
Editors InteLLi0encer
Some persons in looking at our State
and its interests seem to forget the flu
ture in the present; that legislation is
for the whole State and those who are
to come after us. Voting for the loca-
ton of our seat of government at that
point which will give the most money
or land is one way of demonstrating
this forgetfulness. This may be done
on the plea of economy by some who
desire to act wisely and prudently, but
1t is surely very bad economy; and if
80 located without reference to accessi-
biltty or Improvement, the people may
very soon change its location and tax
themselves to pay for new public build
| ings elsewhere. 1t is but reasonable to
expect such a result. and such has been
the experience of other States. If the
people would investigate these things
for themselves, they would see that it
is neither justice nor economy to in
struct their representatives to support
any other than location likely to be
permanent, and which will contribute
most largely to the development of the
entire State.
Most of our public buildings thus far
der. Vote for the Capital on the ''great
monopoly" of which so many COM
plain, and the Baltimore 81 Ohio Rail-
road becomes greater monopoly still,
Vote for 1t on the Ohio river, and more is
done to build up another State than our
own. The interpreting of such voting
might be: "We will lock up the great
interior of the State with her timber,
and her minerals, her fertile hills and
richer valleys, her water-power and in
ternal wealth. And our children shall
point to US and say, 'hoW short-sight-
ed! they had it in their power to open
up the way for us to grow into rich
and prosperous commonwealth, had
they but looked to our interior, planted
centre from which would have radi-
ated to all parts of our territory those
things we all so much desire, so much
need.'"
Where is that centre2 or how many
OF these points are there? One circum-
ference can have but one centre.
The centre OF population is talked of.
we would ask, is not more than three
Iourths of the population of the entire
State south of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, and still larger proportion
of the counties and a vastly larger pro-
portion of the territory?
OF the topography and real value of
this territory strangely mistaken idea
prevails, an idea which is encouraged
py some for narrow purposes of local
interest, which, had they an influence,
would be to the detriment of the filling
up and growth of our State, which
should be the first and paramount OBJ
Ject of every true West Virginian,
To be rid of these false Impressions,
people need only to look at facts; but
to fully appreciate the great interior of
our State it must be seen, its pure
bracing air breathed, and the limpid
waters that trickle from every hillside
and sparkle in every vale, be tasted.
Those rugged mountains" of which
strangers may have heard, challenge
the world for timber both in variety
and quality, and when robbed of their
prlmeVal forests vie with those of anv
country for the production of fruits,
grains and grasses, and the minerals so
abundant that those hills must needs
be PIed up to hide them, only awaiting
an outlet to equal, if not surpass, any
mining or manufacturing district else
where. Those "swamps and bogs,"
which may have frightened the tourist
from the most desirable and attractive
portions of our State, are in feality the
most fertile and beautiful valleys, af-
fording splendid sites for cities, towns
and villages, as all who have seen them
can testify. Everything of richness in
material and grandeur in scenery NAV
be found in our State. But these ma
tural advantages are not confined to
any particular locality OF the State,
and yet the best portions are mainly
unimproved and but little known I'M
TIL recently, by those whose capital and
enterprise would be likely to develop
and utilize and open these internal
store houses of wealth. ..U-
Some may say "the Capital is not
worth much, 1t will not build a rail-
road, its point of location is of no great
Nj tor 10 IL
cally or financially" ~ - -
But reason and history teach other
wise. Moving State Capital as other
States have been compelled to do. on
account Of short sighted legislation, is
no small affair. The construction of
new public buildings is no light task,
a. rev years ago Michigan found it
made difference where her State Capt.
toll was situated, and moved 1t up into
tnelnterior, then wilderness country,
sixty miles from any railroad, What
was the result? 1t soon became a center
ofrailroads, and easy ofaccess from anv
part OF the State on account of its To-
callty and the eight railroads running
TO 1t, and developing the whole State.
being thoroughfares which have omen.
ed up and unlocked the resources and
largely enriched the whole State from
regions which otherwise would have
been a wild and almost unknown will
ueEnssS IO-uay. ySuch was the natural
and inevitable result of the wise legis-
lation which did the work their prede.
cessors should have done. : -
With discreet legislation our little
commonwealth may look forward
to bright and glorious future. everv
portion of it is we'll adapted to the
supplying of some great demand.
Every act should look to the inter-
esta of the whole State, to the future as
well as the present, that burthens NAV
be lightened and justice done. ar
Our legislature is largely composed |
of honest and farseeing men. we
believe the right thing will be done, that
the wants and interests of the great CEN
tire, which are really the true interests
ofthe whole State will not be,ignored for
local or sectional preferences, that lib |
eral and statesmanlike views OF every
legislative measure which shall effect |
our prosperity should be taken.
t.-,- q. ..'...t %. f-,.s,,, VoX PoPUL1.
AYER's AMERICAN ALMANAC, for
1868, has been received by T. II. Logan
& Co., for delivery gratis, to all who
call for it. This number contains
proofs to show that some of the stars