The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-02-20
Various rhlnEs From a,lIoundsyille
Man.


AIouSDsvlLLE, February 10.
Editors IutGllIgencer.
Everybody seems impressed with the
idea that the great business Of these latter
days, these days of common schools and
newspapers, is to write. Imay as we'll put
in my oar, or pen, II you please, and have
my say on matters before that body Of
wise mon, yclept the Legislature Of West
Virginia. One cry after another goes up
about convict labor, contracts, reduction
OF salaries OF judges, abolition OF county
courts, &c. In the matter of Commission
ers Of the County Court, is it to be sup
posed that gentlemen with cold Virginia"
blood flowing in their veins will loan their
brains to their respective counties for the
paltry sum Of two dollars per day? This
sum would not pay Peanut Scott for the
use Of his brains in the trade which he
carries on on the stairways OF the Capitol.
Just think Of a iirst.class Judge OF the Cir
cult Court being put on the same footing
Us to salary with a one-horse Judge OF a
County Court! Are brains at discount
in the West Virginia market? To come
down to a practical comparison, is there
no difference either in quality or price be-
tween one Of 5. A. Cockayne's best rams
and u ram OF the common stock?
Speaking OF rams reminds me OF the
eternal fitness OF things" in the appoilt-
ment OF "uncle" Joe Gist Us Chairman OF
the Special Committee on Ventilation.
Uncle Joe unders ands the importance OF
proper ventilation when many "Bks." are
housed together. look at the appoint
ment as compliment to his experience.
By the way, what has become OF Mr.. &. Is
greenback proclivities.
Here is solution OF the conyict-labor
question. Lock 'em up; feed them on rich
food, such us six and quarter cents per
day per head will buy, and see il you
don 7 have them all going about on trestle-
work with the gout or roaming around as
raving lunatics. Some say put them to
work on the "Kings highways" Then
our citizens from the Emerald Isle" will
squeal out, "Shoot the bloody hathens
wid the stripes on"
To treat the matterseriously: this howl
about convict labor has been loading the
air for years and yet the wisdom OF legis-
laturcs has been unable 10 devise any bet
ter plan than now exists. don't think
there is any special fountain OF wisdom
from which West Virginia legislature
can get inspiration above that Of their
compeers in other States, for the solution
OF this knotty question. Suppose they do
abolish the present system, what will come
OF it except increased taxation upon the
people? How. much influence had the
Webster Wagon Works in breaking down
the manufacture OF farm wagons in your
city? 1fyou will go TO several dealers in
your city who sell Indiana and Michigan
wagons you will find the answert to the con-
undrum and the Webster Wagon Works
will have no part in the solution. The
fact is that those great factories in the
region OF the finest timber in the
world for wagons and all the wood work
OF agricultural machinery, have broken
down competition everywhere east OF the
west border OF Ohio. Not even the PEN
itentiarles, with their cheap labor, can
compete with them. They have an end
less variety Of woodworking machinery,
much Of which is exclusive by reason OF
patents They are constantly acquiring or
inventing new improvements, which con-
stantly reduce the amount OF labor,
whether skilled or unskilled, necessary
to carry on the business, to a minimum.
l rejoice, and We all rejoice, in the Won
dcriul inventive genius Of the American
mechanic, and yet l believe that when
the true source Of the destruction Of many
avenues OF employment is discovered, It
will be found in the Patent office, and
not In the employment Of convict labor.
The great sin Of the American people IS
their herdinG together in cities and towns,
the population Of which Is far in excess OF
aproper relative proportion to the popula.
ton OF the agricultural districts. The re-
distribution Of population which has been
active for the last two or three years needs
to be vastly extended. Either this or the
industries 81 the country must be relegat-
ed to the condition OF 0 half century ago
before the surplus Of labor In the country
can be turned into channels where thrift
follows industry and economy.
OCCASIONAL.