West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-05-05

Aadesses some Calm Words To the
Voters of AingNood District.

. - lN@ *AA NWAN INN WV hA~hAlNk aNNNs
We merely propose to discuss the Ques-
ton at.isSne In order that we may arrive
At the truth aud vote intelligent.
ly eu the question. All public eutei prisCs
have had TO contend with opposition. and
we presume they will as long rs people
are asking and by way Of taxation. All
Lahor-saviug machinery comes in for it's
full share and timo only will reconcile us
To its use. he tlrst saw.mill erected ere.
sted as great an excitement perhaps as
any labor-saving machine ever invented.
In olden times lumber was oil sawed by
hand. The log was placed on scafIold;
one man above and another below one
pnlling up aud one pulling down aud
history tells us that the people were ready
to mob the man that invented saw mills.
The threshng machine met the same or
position aud the same argument was
msde-use of II would be- DESTROYING
lSbor-the poor could no, live. can re
member when the large farmers 10 Penn
sylvania would employ some four hands
to thrash all winter in the barn, with
hail and 40 to 80 cents per day was the
wages paid. Men were expected To 40 TO
wcrk by daylight and work until dark
during the winter months; and in sum
meT, sunrise 10 sunset was required 10
make a dave work. How Is IL now
Can you employ hands who will 90 10
work before hreaE fast, or who will work
N ~
tind farmer who will not have his grain
threshed with macbiocS Can YOU find
one who will saw his lumber with the old.
fashioned whip-saw7 Can you find one
who has not got his cook stove sewing
machine, and ali other lsbor.saving ma
chines within his reach AJAX one of
them IL he would be willing 10 dispense
with any one of them.
speaking OF cook stoves, r peddler was
trying to eel one, and made the ar.
gument that it would rave one half the
wood that was consumed In the old fire
place. He was answered that II would be-
economy to buy two aud sage all the
wood
Forty years sgo or more, when "A school
boy in our neighboring State Of Pennsyl-
vania, the Il. & o. r. L. had charter 30
SO through that State. The charter re.
quired them To put the road under con.
tract against C rtsin time From some
cause the company failed TO 10 SO, and
thereby forfeited their charter. They ar
piled 60 the Legislature for renewal
The oScit, ment was Crtat,r Than a. Gny
presidential cleo ion since 1910 Therc
was not q school house In the State where
the question WAS not debated night after
night and week after week, until the DC.
cision was reached by tie Legislature that
It was not beneficial TO the people 30 huye
a railroad, and they refused 70 Tecb,rt,r
the present d s. o The company then
spilled to the Legislature Of Virginia, aud
got their charter, and made the Ioa5.
We wil now try to show you the mgu-
mcnie that were made use Of and which
defeated them in Pennsylvania. 1st. the
price Of horses would dcprecate go that
they would DOT be worth raising; oats
aud corn would he the same. Now. We
propose giyiag you some fscts and figures
Of prices In those days. O.ls were h,ul
I'd IN market to 3 miles ond brought 10
TO 20 cents per bushel corn, 81 cents:
GOOD horse brought $50; a good 3-ycar-
Old colt $40 Tuese were days when
there wls not railroad in the Uuiicd
States west of Cumberland. The great
c0Tn.helds OF the West were not supply
ing the world with corn in those DAYS AZ
they are now. If the price Is not eatisfac-
tory at home they find ready market
abroad. Corn raised in our extreme West
fnds it way to London, Paris, Liverpool
and all the great commercial centres OF
The Old world, and for years there has
been n continuous stTeam OF gold pouring
into the United Statee, making US a Ma
ton without parallel So the fsce OF the
globe for thrift and prosperity. 1t has
enabled US TO pay our war debt, and to re-
duce our rate Of interest TO a more Domi.
nal rate.
How could this change have been
brought about without railroads Cor trans.
portaiion? And with all their facilities
Of gettins 10 market, how much have
they reduced the price Of corn, horses,
ttle aud labor2 Pause aud reflect one
moment compare prices Of to-day with
those Of 40 years ago, and see IL railroads
have been any benefit 90 the country.
BOW desire 10 call your attention 10
the wealth aud population Of your OVID
county ns compared with MOnongalia
County, which hiss no railroad. SO far IN
the discussion Of tins subject, we hsve
been, as II were, away from home. We
now purpose 20 talk about things at home
where you can all see for yourselves. The
facts and figures are now matter Of his-
tory, ADD can be referred 10 by any one
Who will take the psins to examine them.
Let Ne begin At the first census after the
formation Of Preston in 1918, end note
the increase 10 population and wealth of
the two counties up 20 the present.
1920, population Of Preston, 3.422;
Monopgalia, II OGO; Monongal, over
Preston, 1858. In wealth, 90 this ported,
MonoDgalis, Of course, far exceeded VS..
1880, population Of Preston On round
numbers) 1900; Aonongalia. 10. 900,