The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-14
THE NAME OF THE State.
Many Good Reasons for Chang
ing It and None for Not.
EXPRESSIONS OF THE PRESS.
The State While Called West Vir-
ginla Only n PortIco to the Old
Dominion--such Similarity of
Names Mistake.

The proposition to change the name
of the State Of West Virginia to "Kana-
wha" is, of course, revolutionary; but
it has been said that revolutions never
move backward, and to the man who
looks at the question in a broad and
practical way, the proposed change Of
name is revolutionary in the right di,
rection, and long step in advance.
Said leading citizen Of the State,
born in Old Virginia, to IN INrELLI-
GEXcER reporter yesterday:
"Whut reasons have you heard urged
against the change? Attachment born
of association to the old one? As well
might We stick to wagons instead OF rail.
roads, rush lights instead of kerosene,
kerosene rather than gas, gas to the ex-
clusion of the electric light; as well
cling TO wood and coal and reject nat.
ural gas, as cling to the name Virginia
because we are used TO it. What was
there TO recommend the name OF Vir-
ginia in the first place? 1t was in honor
OF British Queen. 'Kanawha' perpet-
yates the musical language OF the abort
gines, MS does Ohio. 1t is pretty
name, distinctive name, an historical
name. West Virginia is none OF these.
1t is long; Kanawha is short. l don't
know SOUND reason against the
change"
The press OF the country has taken
the matterup. The following excellent
argument is from the Cincinnati Times
Star OF Wednesday:
For their own sake as well as for the
sake OF the symmetry OF the list OF
States it is hoped the people OF West
Virginia will push the proposition for n
change OF name, even il 1t be nothing
better than Kanawha. These is no rea-
son in this country, rich in nomencla-
tnre and traditions, why old names
should be retained when some additional
word is necessary to distinguish them.
To have permitted two Carolinas, with u
"North" and "South" attachment, was u
mistake; it was greater mistake for the
western part OF the Old Dominion, when
it withdrew from its ancient alliance, to
bave retained the Virginia with "West''
made necessary to prevent confusion. To
have adopted Allegheny or Cumberland
or Jefferson, Madison or Monroe would
have been Just us easy and infinitely bet
ter. What is true OF West Virginia and
the two Carolinas the people OF Dakota
will find true in their history il they per-
sist in coming into the Union as Dakota
with North" and South" specitier.
The lakes and streams of that North
west country have in their old
Indian names u wealth OF suggestions
for new name for either the northern
or southern portion OF the territory. Old
Indian vocabularies common in Dakota
are full OF words rich in meaning and
as melodious as the song Of Hiawatha
Why not adopt some one OF them as did
the inhabitants OF Minnesota when they
named their State and half the counties
in the State? If an Indian name is not
desirable take the name OF Lincoln, the
greatest OF Presidents. Let the Dakota
remain, but permit no cumbersome at.
tachment like "North" aud South
Either is rs much to beavoided us big
or Little Nike" Long" or "Short
John"