The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-26
YEGREAT LILLlpUT.


10 SO much of Mr.. William Z. Arnold :
letter published in our paper of the
18th inst, as urges the Incorporation
Of provision in the new Constitution
fnr tue building Of good roads through
ont the Commonwealth at the States
expense. 1t bases its opposition to the
measure on the ground that Ohio
county might be taxed to help build a
road through Braxton, Gilmcr, Nicho.
las, Webster, Tucker or Mcdowell
some of the small tax-paying counties
Of the State, and the monies thus cx-
pended would be of no ddc0ut"ge to the
people of Ohio county, and for that
reason calls upon the people of that
county to rote og1iaa a Convention.
What disinterestcd patriotism and
what practical craftsmanship for the ed
itOrs of the leading organ ofthc Rcpub-
lican party Of the State to urge upon
the consideration of their readers.
What if the discoveries of.his continent
and the statesmen who have guided the
ship Of State of our National Union had
been governed by the same selfish mo-
tives, what would be the condition Of
this country to-day?
Ohio county has The good fortune Of
having good roads checkcring her
territory from all points of the compass,
made either by the National Gore'N-
meHt, The Old State, or By some foreign
corporation. And now that she is out
of the woods, and the editors of the In.
telligeacer seated in their easy chairs,
her good people are urged to turn their
backs and close their doors against their
ncldy and less fortunate naighbors, who
SO generously rushed to her relief in
her need, when she wanted help in the
better days of the Commonwealth.
Ohio coGnty prosecutes t'ceaty crimi
nails al State expense where each of the
aforesaid counties do one, yet all contri.
butte to the due administration of pub.
lie justice, and the faithful execution Of
the laws against all offenders for the
general welfare and protection of the
citizens of Ohio county, without once
inquiring into the expenses incident
thereto.
1t is admitted that Ohio county pays
into the State treasury annually large
amount of money in taxes; but be it
remembered that her people have be-
come wealthy-her lands valuable and
her growing city, lot which we in the
interior and back counties are oil proud)
the commercial manufacturing mctrop-
oils of our young State, and this too
mainly on account Of the good roads
and easy and quick means Of travel and
transportation Of goods and tonnage
through every part of her county. We
may say with safety that no county in
the State has been so enriched and
otherwise improved in material wealth
and prosperity as Ohio county, and
surely none has been so highly favored,
in heir building by governmental and
outside aid.
A majority of the good people Of Ohio
county have always been noted for their
justice and liberality, and we do not
believe (now that they have been built
up and made rich by wise and liberal
system of inter nal improvements, } that
they will turn a deaf ear to their old
friends, and deny to other sections Of
the State the means to improve their
condition too; nor will they be misled
by the unkind allusion of the Inielli-
gcncer that the making of good roads in
certain counties are to enrich certain
individuals.
We have beech taught that the peo-
pie of the State aggregated compose the
State, that the counties Of the State are
intregal parts of the State, and what
benefited one county or several coun-
ties, does to some extent benefit the
whole State, and not as the h,telligen-
Ger would have it, only few indiyid-
uals.
The Democratic party of West Vir-
ginia is pledged to broad and liberal
line Of policy which will infuse life, en-
ergy and M iuhood into every one Of
har citizcns-be he rich or poor-and
at the same time the enactment of such
laws and the adoption ofsuch measures
as will promote the best interests of the
whole people of the State. The inter-
nal improvement question is of great
and vital importance. Indeed it is the
great overshadowing question Of the
day with the people of the interior and
border counties. 1t is no party issue,
but all are turning their attention to
the subject. They know their young
State, without a wise and liberal sys.
TEN Of internal improvements, aided
BY her credit, must. remain and be
classed along with the poorest States
in the Union. Whereas, with wise
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