The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-20
THE CAPITAL.

change list has served to show us any
thing reliable upon the subject oi remov'
ing tho State Capital from the town ol
Charleston, we may fairly conclude that
there IS prevalent desire for such re-
mOval among the people. The most Of
thejournHls that have given expression
to the public sentiment Of their separate
localities on the subject are explicit upon
this single point, while they do not indl.
cate prediction for any particlar point
TO which the removal shall be made.
They care not whether the new location
be at Wheeling, Parkersburg, Clarks'
bnrg or Grafton so that It be point, as
the Grant Co Examiner says, that can
bO reached without traversing the globe
and to which business letter may be
sent without waiting two months for q
reply.
Itis evident that there Is a deep feeling
upon this subject among the people.
Whether this sentiment will find effective
expression in the coming session OF the
Legislature depends upon the character
OF the men whom the people have chosen
to represent them. Il they prove TO be
men who consider that the paramount
duty Of legislative body is to subServe
the best interests Of the people, the ques.
tion will be seriously considered. II the
majority should prove, as they too often
do, to be men animated by selfish inter-
ess, the subject will be mere shuttle
cock, knocked about by selfish and cor
rupt cliques for the attainment personal
and corrupt ends, and when those ends
are once attained the question will be
delivered over to the tender mercies oi
some general or special committee TO be
strangled.
We believe that Ohio county has select.
ed delegation who, in the approaching
session Of tthe Legislature, will, so far as
lies in their power, urge tho question Of
removal upon the early attention Of that
body. II Is an absolute necessity that
the capital should bo located at some
point 10 which men Of intellect, capable
OF representing the best interests Of the
tax paying communities Of the State, will
consent togo.
Such men will not consent to go 10 a
point out OF reach and out ol hearing oI
the great outside world where their busi-
ness and their families become to them,
for the time being, non.existence
So long as the Capital remains in the
happy Valley Of the KAnawha, the pro.
portion OF first class men who will
make sacrifice to do the State
some service by going to Charleston
will grow less and lees until finally State
legislation will be given up to horde o:
professional political schemers and pur-
chasGsble party hacks.
1t would have been well II by some means
there could hava been an expression Of
public opinion as unmistaksbly as to the
place where the Capital should be, as it Is
upon the propriety Of it's removal from
Charleston. Such an expression explicit.
ly or even preponderatiDgly In favor Of
some one point would have greatly sim
plidGd the duty oil the Legislature and di.
vested the question Of every chance for
the quibling snbterfuges by which
cunning tricksters will seek to drag it
through the entire session, holding 1t as a
checkmste to necessary legislation, or per.
hsps 10 the election Of United States
Senator. II there is 10 be any efficient
action taken in the matter OF removal,
those who arc willing to listen to the voice
Of the people and wish to carry out the
desire Of their constituency will have to
look to it that the question does not be-
come the foot ball Of partisan cliques.
They will have 10 introduce the PROPOSE
tion early and demand action upon 1t prior
to and independent Of all other questions.
There are more good men, honest and
true, elected to the coming Legislature
than will be again if tho Capital is SUI
fered 10 remain in Charleston.