Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-03-24
THE STATE DEVELOPMENT ASS0-
CITATION.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT.
The following letter in reply to an
article in last weeks HERALD ex-
plains itself. and corrects any wrong
impressions that may have been
made.
OFFICE: CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
WHEELING, w. VA, March 18th,
1883. Editor Martinsbury Herald. -
Dear Sir:-Yon will, am sure, par
don me if say to you that your edi-
torial article entitled "There are
Booms and Booms" in the issue OF
March 18th, is written under q SER
ious misapprehension, and / fear it
may prejudice your readers against
the cause in which the people of the
State are showing an unprecedented IN
terest. 1t is because wish for the
whole State the greatest possible out
come in this movement. and because
its success lies very near to my heart,
that venture to make some sugges-
lions to you, and if you please to your
readers, concerning the origin and aim
of the movement. I advanced the
suggestion through the Intelligencer ;
offered in the Chamber of Commerce
the resolution to call the convention ;
as the chairman of the Chamber OF
Commerce Committee had the gener-
al direction of all the perliminaries ;
and It pleased the Convention to
place me at the head of the organiza-
ton to carry on the work. I sum-
Marie thus briefly the important
steps in this movement to show that
nobody can know more of its intent
than do. 1t is not political 1t is
not sectional it is not in the special
interest of railroad owners or of men
who are prospecting to build rail-
roads; it is not intended to start a
fititious I" Boom it certainly is not
the purpose to encourage land holders
to put upon their holdings to prohibi.
tory prices. AS I understand it, it is
the effort of the people of West Vir-
ginia, to do for themselves
until the Legislature may be
induced to take hold, what it should
have begun long since by the action
of the Legislature. Do not under
stand me as criticising the Legjsla.
ture for this failure tG act in this mat
ter; for indeed it is the fault of US all
as well as our misfortune that we
have not moved sooner. The Legis-
lature / am confident, will move as
fast as the people desire it to move.
| think we need not be disturbed
by the active participation of the
prominent men of one or the other
parties. The call included all of the
men of the state, and under this pol.
iticians could not have been excluded.
It is true that there were more speak
ers of one party than the other, but
this was because we did desire to lei
the world know that our prominent
State officials and men of national re-
pute are taking an active part in the
general movement. These gentle.
men are not of the political organlza.
ton to which belong.but it gives me
pleasure to assure you that in that
great gathering of West Virginians
we did not think of politics there, SO
it is now in the prosecution of the
work. .,
But one man in our entire organi-
cation receives pay. This is the sec
rotary, whose salary has not yet been
fixed because we did not know at the
outset just what service would be re.
quired of him nor the salary we
should be able to pay. Notwithstand-
ing this the secretary has gone to
work serving the Board well.
/ understand how you fell into the
error of saying that Hon. Henry G..
Davis had sent his check for $500.
The fact is that Mr.. Davis subscribed
and sent his check for 500. The
Board has received from all sources
cash to the amount of less than $1,000.
But have no doubt that all subscrip.
tions will be made good. I earnestly
hope that we may raise the amount to
$4,000 within short time. $4,000
would not be beyond the require.
ments of an active campaign.
I have written you at this length
because believe you when you say
that you "do not wish to be under.
stood as desiring to discourage the
movement" and because know that
you will give credit to my statements
as to facts and as to the intent of those
in whose hands has been placed the
direction of this important matter.
Truly yours,
CHAs. BURDETT HART, Presd't