The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-05-27
AN ADDRESS
To The Voters or MononuaIia
County.

You will be called upon to exer-
else the privilege and duty on the
10th day Of June, 1882, a day that
will be memorable in the history of
the county, of determining the
question of making a subscription
to railroad to traverse the breadth
of the county on some route here
after to be designated. as practical
bility, economy and public conven-
fence may require or dictate. A
few suggestions in regard to the
question that will be before you,
are thought to be appropriate and
are here respectfully submitted for
your consideration; together with
a brief explanation of what is in
volved in the movement that will
eliminate by your action in the
premises.
Among the first propositions
that arise in the mind, in consid-
ering this question by every intel
ligent Voter, is that Of the
! DESIRABILTTY OF RAILROAD
1t is confidently believed that
the number of voters in this staid
old county who will conscientiously
say that it is not desirable for
railroad to be constructed through
the county is SO small that but lit
tie need be said on this branch Of
the subject. The citizenship of
this county has always been held
in high esteem by all Of the coun-
ties now composing the State of
West Virginia. And this has been
largely owing to the degree Of in
telligence that has pervaded the
mass Of our people, in addition to
the sterling qualities of integrity
and virtue that have characterized
them on all occasions that have de-
handed an exhibition Of genuine
American manhood. Therefore
it is thought that no argument is
necessary to convince our people
of the benefit to be derived from
the construction of railroad in
our midst; inasmuch as every en-
lightencd man must see that the
business and commerce of the Re
public depend almost wholly upon
the presence Of railroads-what is
meant by this is that the develop
ment brought about by railroads
is SO colossal in magnitude and
marked in detail, that no commun-
ity that is not in possession of the
facilities afforded by them, can
hope to advance with the spirit of
the age in all its quickened activi-
ties, and keep pace with the bust
ness life Of the country in general.
To the most superficial observer,
indeed. this must be apparent. No
better illustration Of this is found
than in the fact known to all, and
felt deeply by many, that the
young and vigorous and inquiring
Of our own homes early discover
that the place Of their nativity is
SO far in the background, that it
cannot even furnish scope for their
untried powers, or even room for
that honorable struggle which they
are to enter upon for competence
and fortune, and hence every year
witnesses hundreds Of partings from
friends and the scenes of child
hood, for other and more enterpris-
ing localities.
To every business man, or per-
son Of reflection, when a PROPOSE
ton for a scheme Of enterprise is
presented, such is the force Of the
elements that together form all
that aggregate of human life in this
age, which we call civilization, that
the first question. perhaps, which
arises in the mind is
! WILL 1T PAY2
In the question which is to be
decided by the voters as above in
Dictated, this inquiry is the chiefest
and embraces all others. 1t may
be stated in this form: Will the
advantages to be derived from the
construction of the road counter
balance the cost to the people Of
the subscription, and if SO. to what
extent? To enumerate all the adj
vantages to be derived to the
county from this source is a her
culanean task indeed, and is quite
impossible in the limits of an ad-
dress of this character. Aside from
that quickening Of thought in every
avenue of human inquiry, which
invariably follows the opening up
Of new channels of activity and en-
deavor, and the multiplying of ia
cilities for such inquiry. it can be
safely said, in general, that rail
roads, according to the verdict o.
the philosophers and thinkers o.
the day, add greatly to the happi
ness of the moral nature Of men, as
they certainly contribute to theil