Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-05-07
Stanton Development.

MAINTAIN OUR POSITION FOR THE FUTURE
BY EARNEST, UNITED EFFORT.
The city of Staunton, associated with all
its trading country, has heritage worthy
of preservation. The considerations are
more than that. Noble, intellectual, and
progressive men when looking over the
field Of the present time and observing the
opportunities for action worthy of united
and systematic effort, do not forget the
proportions of the additions to the grand
old building which they are to enlarge and
adorn, nor fail to appreciate the solidlty
and strength of the foundation stones that
were laid, whereon the elegant structure
could stand securely in all time.
We have adverted in recent articles to
the early and rising position the advancing
young city of the central valley occupies,
and for the purpose of rallying all our
strength in accomplishing good work for
the present and the future, We could not,
if we would, disregard the past IN
moving up to the position of duty now
Search the records of legislation, note the
moving elements Of progress as Staunton
and Augusta county, through the action
and the strength Of their representative
citizens of all classes and all pursuits as
they occupied their respective stations. No
brighter or more enduring examples stand
out on the pages of history than are there
presented for emulation and encourage
ment in meeting the responsibilities of this
day and hour, full of consideration and
weighted with the highest duty.
1t was that gifted, chivalrous and
splendid Virginia statesman, Whitmell r.
Tunstall, who, when in the councils of the
State, leading the way in Virginia develop
ment, declared to the world that in educa-
tion, in cultured resources of mind, and
intellectual strength, in inventive genius,
and every impulse for noble deeds, Vlr.
ginians, in proportion to population, were
second to no people of all our country. His
words and his eloquence electrified legis-
latures and moved the people so firm, reso-
lutte action the greatest in the extent Of
territory it traverses, with commensurate
achievements in development, is the largest
railroad system in the Southern States,
and that he founded. His prime object
was to create instrumentalities that would
first develop the resources of South-side
Virginia and then lead up to that local and
Inter-States Commerce which is now en-
riching the South Atlantic and Gulf States.
Nor did he pause on that threshold of his
imagination-we should not say magma
tion-for one so capable of discerning, so
fruitful in far-seeing sagacity, and SO reso-
lutte and outspoken in waging the battle
against the strong anti-internal improve
ment party of Virginia, felt in his inmost
heart the inspiration of the great mis-
sion that fred his soul, that it was for more
than his own section Of the State-it was
for all her territory from the Atlantic to
the Ohio,-he accepted the gauge of the
fiercest of State contests.
Whilst this reference is made to that
great leader because of his efforts for de-
velopment, it is not proper to say that none
were his equals, nor that he alone blazed
the way for our future. A long roll Of
distinguished contemporaries, and from all
parts of the State, were equally conspicu-
GUS and equally able in the fifteen years
previous to 1S4S when the contest was won
and the policy of the State settled in
numerous measures of the internal i'm
provement policy, chief Of which was
boring the tunnel through the Blue Ridge
mountain at Rockfsh Gap. There were
Toler, Segar, Witcher, (whose logical mind
and reasoning powers Tunstal declared
were cast in a mould Ike that which
shaped those of Webster) Preston, Caper-
ton, Snowden, Faulkner, Dormar, Ander-
son, Peyton, Scott, Laidley, Seymour,
Edgington and many others, end among
the first in ability and strength were our
own representative men of Augusta. Of
all this bright galaxy Of the then living
statesmen who planted the banner of
progress on the outer wall and made the
assault and waged the aggressive contest,
but one, SO far as our memory serves, is
living-our own honored and distinguished
citizen, Hon. Alex. Fl. Fl. Stuart. He was
g member of the House of Delegates Com
mencing in 1856 for several terms during
the period of time adverted to when the
battle was fought and Virginia declared
for progress and development. Before and
after and ever since and today, though
beyond fourscore years Of age, his mind
and his pen and his counsel guide in the
way we should pursue with no less zeal
and sincerity than when Craig and Brooke
and Harper, Judges Baldwin aud Shelley
and others served their constituents and
the State with signal ability in laying the
foundation-stones of the edifce which we
are now enlarging and identifying.
This brief sketch of State policy and the
period and circumstances under which it
was established is directly associated with
the plans of our people at this time, and
especially so in shaping the leading railroad
lines FROM East to West. Centralizng and
cementing our efforts as they were invited
Or directed in the progress then commenced
and continued, most valuable manufactur.
ing industries have been successfully es-
tablished, chiefly employed in adding cur
enlarging quotas to the commerce of the
country from thu cereals Of soil-resources,
10 milling development, and in livestock |
raising and hay-production. Oar large
annual exports Of wheat, -four and hay, the |
c4iet important realization of our improved |
transportation facilities, form the basis of
a genuine growth, to which we will now
add the establishment of larger manufactur-
ing industries, which will prepare the way
for that accession of population which our
climate, location and advantages, so in
vitipgly recommend.
We have heretofore presented, and we
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