Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-06-26
GOV. WILSON'S ADDRESS
In Response tn the Toast "West Sir'
CHINA" tO the Ohio Editors,

Mr.. Chairman and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
lust passed our twcnty-third year Of pohti-
cal liIr. On the 2Oth day Of June, 1858,
another star Shone upon the ensign OF the
Republic, and West Virginia, p%anOplicd
with all tho powcrs Ur local Se!f-govern-
ment. assumed the responsibility OF
shaping her own destiny ~ IL OF the
States of the American Union. Ii our peO-
pie were limited in financial means, they
were ready with the strong arm Of industry
to work. and the habits of iru%allty to gar
ncr. lfmorc than twO-thirds OF our 70
900 Suuarr miles of territory were still COW
cred with virgin forest, its millions Of value
could BE- appreciated in the immense use
and destruction of the hard woods, IN other
regions. and tho rapidly increasing demands
upon the manufacturer, while Il generous
and fertile soil awaited the settler and the
h~ushlndman. and an unrivalled, limitleSS,
vet ea~rth-lockcd wealth, invited capital to
n new and wonderful field for industrial
enterprise. ,
With the exception of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, travCrSin% the northern
boundary of the State to Wheeling, Snd the
branch from Grafton tn ParEersburg, the
Hcmpiield railroad in Ohio county, and the
Winchester and Potomac railroad, passing
through Jefferson county, we were without
the essential and mOJOn means of trans
portatinn. without anything worthy Of he
inc named a free school system, without
publir buildings or institutions, in fact we
we're to begin the organization and mantle
nance of State GiOyerRment, ut the very
h,Sr ur the foundation.
Recognizing the first great and indlSpen-
Sible requisite Ia Democratic Republican
Government, and To an enlightened, cndlr
i'm" and permanent prosperity, the Consti-
tution of lSG3, ~ rcOrlaincd by the COnstl-
tution of lS72. demanded the organization
unj support of a thorough and efficient SyS-
tenn of Tree schools 1t provided for the
creation of a permanent and 'lrreduclble
school fund to Ia invested IN solvent IN
trr,-,t bearin" securities of the United
States or of this State, = anu
the interest thereof To be annually applied
10 the support of free schools throughout
the state.
= = Z = = The following figures
I will exhibit a most remarkable annual an
crease in the amount expended for the
maintenance of the public schools.
The total number of school houses anu
! teachers and the general amounts collected
and disburScd from the State and dlStrlct
I lryirS ON building and teachers are rs FOL
/ Iovs. In Is65, 133 school houses, 43l
schools, 81 teachers, $67, $50, 900; 1870,
III3 school houses, 2,5lB schools, 2,Fn,
teachers, $40. 10 Is; 1915, 1851 school
boIscs. 32Bl schools; 3,l6l teachers
S7Es Sl2 II: lS~O. 3,357 school houses,
= Stl SehoolS, Abb teachers, S7O1, 1921
1SS1 Il57 school houses, ISL eacherS
Z SLIP, $50. 81.
There have been collected and disbnrSet
fnr The Rnilding and Teachers funds on
Estate and Local l~eyieS, from the yea
1855 to lSS5, both inclusive, Sl3,6SO,'
2g2.:4
The amount for the present year Will eN
coed 81 &1O. OOO. =
INDEPENDENTLY of all this, and supporte'
ont orthc general State fund, We have nv
! Normal schools. = = Z n a UnlNer
sity, receiving the generous encouraSemep
of our people.
The mother State had located at Weston
! Harrison county. a hospital for the Insane
and made laIge appropriations therefor
and which was in process OF construction q
the time of the separation. We have con
Melted this structure and believe 1t to b
the finest for the purpose within IN
United States. With this exception, moth
inc in the way Of u public building eNlSte'
within our limits in 1S6S. From 1854
! iSSq We have expended the following sum
20 E,r tbot narpOSp