Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-12-03
a, TUESDAY,, DECEMBER g.. 1879

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slant and remunerative To effect these
changes money was needed and money flowed
in TO meet this need. Allthese things created
demand for labor and capital; and some of
our most active and energetic people respond.
ed to the demand by emigrating from their
old homes among us, carrying with them the
wealth here accumulated, to our. more enters
prising sister States They emigrated not in
a mere restless spirit for the sake of change,
but with the expectation of finding advan-
tages or means of acquiring wealth which
they had not at home. How much of the
wealth and enterprise of the great West has
been contributed by the intelligence, energy
and resources of. former citizens ofthis State
would be a difficult problem to solve, 1t is
the province of the present generation to en-
deavor to revise the old order ofehings- TO
retain our own population and wealth, and to
turn the tide of emigration from other places
toward US. We must either keep pace with
the Improvements and progress made by our
nelghbors, or content ourselves with occupys
ing relatively an inferior position, notwith>
standing we have equal or greater natural re-
sources. What do our rich lands, heavy for
ests and inexhaustible coal deposits avail, if
the lands must remain uncultvated the for
ests in their primitive state, and the coal de.
posits untouched simply for the want of
market for their products? Markets, how-
ever, are not to be found at every man S door,
and unless facilities are afforded for reaching
them, practically the effect is the same as if
we had none of these resources. The State
| cannot engage in the work of internal in>
provemcnt for she has not the means of doing
so. and the disastrous experiments of other
States ought to deter her from undertaking
them. Private enterprise however, has con-
structed two lines of railway through the
| State, both of which will become leading
thoroughfares OF the country and it is earn
esty hoped that another line running north
and south through the center of the State
| will also be built within short time Rails
ways do not create wealth but they stimulate
the production of all articles which the COINS
try is capable of producing through which
they pass, by afording certain, cheap and
rapid transportation to points where there is
| demand for them at remunerative prices
| Thus a strong incentive is offered for constant
labor to all who desire to improve their con-
| dition in life, active business springs up. and
wealth gradually accumulates. But the bene
fits of these railroads are greatly crcumsc1ibed
! or limited, unless there are good roads
| leading to them from the surrounding coun.
try. In sections remote from these railroads
! the necessity for good roads is even greater
! than IN those lying near them. And it will
| generally he found that the development of
district of country goes steadily on with the
Improvement of its public roads The fact
that we are not able to put our public high
ways in complete order at once ought not to
deter us from the effort to improve them grad
ually. !, therefore, invite your special atten-
tinn to the law concerning roads, with the
view of securing, if possible, greater eff
cheney in this branch of the public service
a L.,
good would result thcrefrom. As the labor
is compulsory and without remuneration. sur
veyors of roads, from mere Kindness of heart.
exact as little labor as possible from their
nelghbors and friends, and if one should re-
qn're more labor than another, he perhaps
subjects himself to the charge of officinusuess
or petty tyranny. The result is. a too great
relaxation of the demands of the law, and ap-
parent negligence on the part of the SURVEYORS.
On the other hand, if surveyor neglects
his duties, the only penalty is an Indictment
and possible fine; but his neighbors are un.
willing, from good feeling, to enfoIce this
penalty by going voluntarily bcfnre grand
jury to procure an indictment against him.
Require these surveyors annually to report to
the county court the amount of labor per-
formed on, and the condition and wants of
their roads with authority in this court to pro.
been derclict in duty, and there will be far
less complaint about bad roads in the future
The county court appoints the Surveyors of
roads, and itshould see to it that they do their
duty Under this system, surveyors would
feel far less hesitation in demanding from oil
citizens the amount of labor required by law.
and the people would cheerfuIly respond to
the demand for no people in the world yield
more ready obedience to laws founded on
justice and equality than the people of this
State.
As general rule each county has one or
two mdin roads, or thoroughfares which are
used by nearly all the people, These roads
are established not so much for the conveni>
enee OF the people living near them, as to give
an outlet to some point in adjoining, or
perhaps remote county. Fron 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
perform the labor. Should it be your plea
sure to retain the present provisions of the
law authorizing the levying ofstaxes for road
purposes. does it not seem but just to require
them to be appropriated mainly to the im-
provemeut of these main roads l am aware
that [ address myself to gentlemen more
familiar with the workings of the road sys>
ten tnan lnysel nave therefore retralned
from making specific recommendations, but
have contented myself with few suggestions,
with the hope that they may call for rcfec-
sion and discussion that will produce good
results.
FREE SCHOOLS.
Owing to the want of report from the su-
perinteLdent of free schools, l am unable to
present an accurate account of the operations
of the free school system during the last year.
This report has not been made because, as ]
am informed, the county superintendent of
nearly one>half of the counties in the State
have failed to make their reports, and as they
oonstitute the basis of the rennrt of the stata