The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-11-28

HH"U AaAMoy kuEUuBu luo SVRte, DOLu
Of which will become leading thorough,
fares Of the country; and It Is earnestly
bopcd that another line running north and
south through the centre Of the State will
also DO built within q short time. Rail.
ways do not create wealth, but they stim.
ulate the production Of ali articles which
tho country 10 capable Of producing
through which they pass, BY alfordina
certain, cheap and rapid transportation "a
points where there Is q demand for them
at remunerative prices. Thus q strong
incentive Is offered for constant labor 10
all who deslre TO improve their condition
IN iiie, active business springs up, and
wealth gradually accumulates. But the
benefits Of these railroads are greatly cir.
cumscribed or limited, unless there are
good roads leading to them from the sur.
rounding country. In sections remote
from these railroads tho necessity for good
roads Is oven greater than In those lying
near them. And twill generally DO found
that the development OF o district OF coun.
try goes steadily on with the improvement
Of its public roads. The fact that We are
not able TO put our public highways In
complete order at once, ought not 10 deter
US from the effort to improve them grad.
ually. l, therefore, invite your special
attention to the law concerning roads,
with the view Of securing, IL possible,
greater efficiency in this branch OF the
public service. II the present laws were
strictly enforced great good would result
thereirom. As the labor is compulsorv
and without remuneration, surveyors Of
roads, from mere. kindness Of heart, exact
as little labor Us possible from their neigh.
bors and friends, and II one should re.
quFe more labor than another, he per.
haps subjects himself 10 tho charge Of
oiticlousness or petty tyranny. The result
Is, q too great relaxation Of the demands
Of the law, and apparent negligence on
the part Of the surveyors.
On the other hand, II q surveyor neg,
lects his duties, the only penalty is ii,
indictment and possible fine; but his
nelghOors are unwilling, from good feel.
Ing, to enforce this penalty by going vol.
UNFAIRLY before grand jury to procure
an indictment against him. Require
these surveyors annually to report to the
county court tho amount Of labor per.
formed on, and the condition and wants
OF their roads, with authority In this court
TO procure indictments against surveyors
who have been derelict 10 duty, and there
will be far less complaint about bad roads
IN the future. The county court appoints
the surveyors Of roads, and 1t should see
TO 1t that they do their duty. Under this
system surveyors would feel far less hest.
tatton In demanding from all citizens the
amount OF labor required by law, and the
people would cheerfully respond 10 the
demand; for no people in the world yield
a moro ready obedience to laws founded
on justice and equality than the people Of
this State.
AS general rule each county has one
or two main roads, or thorOughIares,
which are used by nearly all the people.
These roads are established not so much
for tho convenience Of the people living
near them, as to give an outlet to some
point In an adjoining or perhaps remote
county. From necessity they pass through
sparsely settled districts and over rugged
uninhabited mountains, and therefore
where the most labor Is required, there
are to be found the feweSt persons to per.
form the labor. Should II be your pleas.
ure to retain the present provisions Of the
law authorizing the levying Of taxes for
road purpose, does it not seem but lust to
require them to be appropriated mainly
to the improvement Of these main roads
! am aware that address myself 10 gen.
tlemen more familiar with the workings
or the road system than myself; l have,
therefore, reErained from making specific
recommendations, but have contented
myself with a few suggestions, with the
hope that they may call for reflection and
discussion that will produce good results.
FREE SCHOOLS.
Owing TO the want OF a report from the
Superintendent Of Free Schools, am IN.
able TO present an accurate account OF the
operations OF the free school system dur
ing the last year. The report has not
been made because, as l am informed, the
county superintendent of nearly one.
hall the counties in the State have failed
to make their reports, and as they consti-
tute the basis for the report OF the State
superintendent, the reason is at once ap.
parent why his report Is not ready. You
will see from IN examination OF the law,
that the trustees report to the secretary OF
the board Of education, the secretary to
the county superintendent, the county su.
perintendent to the state superintendent,
and finally, the state superintendent to
the legislature. All this machinery must
be put in operation to secure for you the
statistical Inflammation absolutely neces-
sHry for intelligent legislation. Let one
link In this chain be wanting, and the Of.
feet will be felt at once. Now there are
about $500 school districts in the State
each with three trustees, making in all
| 1880 trustees. There are l 800 townships,
each having three members of the board
OF education, and secretary, making
| 1900 additional school officers, then add
the tifty-four county superintendent, and
you have the sum total Of school officers
in the State, besides the State superinten.
dent, making nearly oneninth OF the vot.
ing population. When the duties and re.
sponsibllities Of executing the law are di.
vided up among so many persons, it is
easy 10 see the probability OF many fail
ures in this respect. Take any of Tho old
reports, and you will find that the State
superintendent complained Of the failures
of the county superintendent, the county
superintendent made similar complaints
against the secretaries of tho boards Of
education, while they in turn lodged their
complaints against their Gubordinates-
the trustees. l have been thus specific
not for the purpose Of eXcusing an appar.
rent neglect upon the part Of the intelli-
gent State superintendent; for I know that
he has made unusual efforts this year to
obtain reports from the several counties,
but to illustrate what ! conceive to be
the chiCt defect in the present law-its
completely. Ihave selected the llghtest
and perhaps the least important Of the
duties imposed upon the various school
ottlcers-that Of making reports. II they
4 4 At