Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-03-07
Virginla-Views of an Outsider.


Below we lay before our readers the |
views Of a gentleman of prominence, inf1u
ence and large means in New York, as to
the resources aud advantages Of Virginia,
and the retarding effect of our financial
squabbe. He IS known to us as a calm
and clear thinker, and states his views
concisely and well, and in doing so but re-
fleets the sentiments of the capitalists of
our sister states.
While we think and hope the financial
question will be permanently settled, and
probably before this issue reaches our rea-
ders, yet we hope the ideas advanced may
have their influence towards securing in
Virginia the development of her immense
resources, by the aid of foreign capital,
and the consequent rehabilitation of the
Old Dominion IN any point of view We
commend his letter to the careful consid-
GRAFTON of our people:
ELIIRA, N. Y,
February 28th.
N. III. HOTCHKIss, Esq.
My dear sir-The pamphlet prepared by
your brother, Maj. Jed. Hotchkiss, which
you handed me when in Elmira, embracing
a>review of the advantages peculiar to the
city of Staunton, Augusta county, Va,
and the surrounding country for the in
vestment of capital, &C., has been read by
me with interest and pleasure.
Its description of scenery together with
the embellishments with which the little
work is enriched refresh In my mind
pleasant memories of q visit to Staunton
and the famous White Sulpher Spring
few years ago under your charge, and sug-
gest thoughts with reference to the Old
Dominion, by one who desires most ear
| neSJly to see her rehabilitated in her for
| mer glory and advanced to the position of
prosperity and influence her favorable To-
| cation, tine climate and immense re-
sources-commercial, agricultural and
| mineral-So fully entitle her to.
| Of all the States of the Union, Virginia
! is pre-emlnently favored in possessing all
| the. elements OF greatness. Located mid
| way between the North and the South,
| easily accessible to the commercial and
| manufacturing centres of the East and
| North, it has the additional advantage of
| being the natural gateway to aud from
| tide water of the great Mississippi Valley
| Its climate is healthfuI, Its water excellent,
| while it's seasons are such as to grow in
| profuSiOn and ripen to perfection all the
| fruits and grain of the temperate zone,
| while its mines. are incomparably more
valuable than are those of any equal ex
| tent of country on the continent, when
| we take into account the advantages re-
sulting from the proximity OF its immense
| coal deposits to iron ore and lime stone
| quarries, all OF the best and rarest quail
| Ties. And, to these advantages are to be
| added the facilities for marketing the pro-
| ducts of the future furnaces, FORCES and
| rolling mills Of Staunton and vicinity, both
/ east and west of the Alleghanies and in
foreign countries.
f.. What Virg inla needs and must have be-
fore she can become commercially and In
| dustrially what her capabilities entitle her
| to become, is capital and population; CAPT
| tai to develope her great mineral wealth.
| and workers to cultivate her unoccupied
lands and the present seems to me a IA
vorable time to initiate measures for Sc
curing both. The demoraliZed coh dition
Of the iron trade in England, and indeed
| throughout Europe presents a favorable
opportunity for directing the attention of
that class OF manufacturers to the pecu-
liar advantages afforded in and around
Staunton for the establishment of that
branch of industry. Wnen the iron trade
revives it will tie hard work for the Eng
lish iron-master to compete with the pro-
ducts of this country. 1 Goubt whether
he will be able successfully to do so. On
the contrary 1t is the opinion of experts in
the manufacture of iron that the Ameri-
4 can products owing to the facilities for at
tain ing cheap raw material is destined in
the not distant future to substantially
| monOpollze the markets of the world. The
attention of foreign manufacturers of
} iron should be directly called to the ad-
vantages presented in your locality for the
prosecution of his business ovar that OF
any other Or all other sections of this
| country.
Then again the outflow of population
from Europe is likely to be large during
the next few years, owing to causes with
which every intelligent person is familiar
An organized effort on the part Of leading
| Virginians to secure a reasonable share Of
this outflow IF Europeans, would, it seems
to me, be attended With success. It is at
least worth combined and vigorous effort.
| But there is one dark shadow across the
| lace OF the picture l have drawn, that
needs to be removed before the works of
resusciation can be commenced with hope
of complete success. Of the causes which
retard the inflow of capital and population
| iEto Virginia, none operates more in
juriously, in my opinion, than the unset
tied and unsatisfactory condition of it's
finance. What the State debt is or Justly
ought to be considered is a matter of slight
Importance when compared with fixed
and settled basis of adjustment with cred
ltors and thereafter full and complete
recognition on the part of the taxpayers
OF Virginia of the obligation which her
state debt impares, with prompt pay
ment in future of interest thereon. These
conditions will surely tend to inspire con-
fidence among capitalists in search of new
fields OF industry, and tend to invite thith-
er an army If workers whose industry will
cause the now vacant lands of your great
State, so rich in undeveloped wealth, to
blossom with the fruits of their labors from
tide water to the summit Of the Allegha-
MES. The capital and labor that will be
drawn thither by placing the finances of
the State upon firm and recognized ba-
sis will make the amount matter of small
consideration as the influx of produces will
soon l!quidate the indebtedness, whatever
| it may be.
Let me here state lest my motives should
| be impugned that l am not creditor of
| the State of Virginia, and am not acquain-
| ted, so far as l know, with single per-
SOIL who is.
Very Truly,
HORTON TIDD.
INDEBTEDNESS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
FUND.-The Superintendent of Public In
struction, in response to resolution of
the HOIgo oa1Ijpo To- pf >rp hot