The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1891-10-17
TIMELY TOPICS
Thoughtfnlly Discussed For Careful
Readers.

which attention was called to the
fact that the famous Cath" Chiefly
of Cincinnati Enquirer notoriety
had spent several hours in Morgan.
town, but had come and gone so
quietly that but two or three people
knew that the distinguished gentle
man was within the city gates.
1t is to be hoped in the interest of
accuracy and truth that he is secus.
toned to form a more general ac-
quaintance with the people and sur
roundings placed at the mercy of his
ready pen, than he saw fit to do on
this expedition.
His recent account in the Enquir-
err of his trip would be considered a
success if viewed from the humorous
standpoint occupied by Bill Nye, but
as serious piece of journalism it is
ridiculous tumble of mis- statements
of which scarcely "primitive"
school boy in West Virginia would
be guilty.
We are told that along the Balti-
more d Ohio from Fairmont to Nor
gantown Few improvements were to
be seen of more than the simplest de
scription, except the coke shaft, for
this mineral (charcoal) is in request
all over the country for steel making
and for smelling ores"
1t is fact that there are few pala-
tial residences among the coke ovens,
and we can scarcely hope to arrive
at the degree of refinement of which
George Alfred Townsend seems to
approve, for we persist in living just
as far back from the ovens as we can,
even though in that way we may not
fall under his approving eyes.
AS for the coke shafts, and the
mineral charcoal so much in de-
mand, he could not have been half
so amusing if he had tried, and pos
sibly he might not at any time have
been so entertaining if accuracy were
his aim.
lie found very communicative
railroad man also, and between them
they have originated something more
unique than coke shafts. 1t is this.
mot upon this world, not even in
Mexico among the native Mexicans,
is there such contented, do. nothing
race as the West Virginians. They
are opposed to taxes in the first place
That is their first principle in poll
tics and morals. If anything is de
vised to be done they do not want it,"
*~*
We are told that West Virginia
was settled only by convicts and ne
groes. That Morgantown being the
Oldest town west of the Alleghenies,
time has had an opportunity to sof-
ten down the peculiarities oftbe early
emigrants and their descendants are
in partially reformed state, and
that now good order prevails, al
though ga good deal of faction ex.
lists there" still and jealousy is YER
satile," which remarks are about on
par with his mineral charcoal"
oh, ye aristocratic ancestral shades
that haunt the homes of Morgantown
Gath finds you not so interesting as
the early convicts and negroes with
which he fills your places.
We are further told that the only
hope for West Virginia, the only
thing that will bring it into the spirit
of the times is for it to be filled up
with strangers who have means and
know something" but that such PEG
pie will meet much opposition from
the primitive" inhabitants.
1t is fact the world over that the
people ''who know something" are
likely to meet with opposition. 1t
depends so much on what sort of
people and what sort of knowledge
it may be.
Nv
Fairmont is recommended as a
thriving little town, and we congrat-
ulate our neighbor on the contempla-
ted establishment there of the State
Normal School. Really, Gath must
have fancied he was writing up the
Indians. He writes as though we
were in far off corner, and as if in
telligent people knew as little about
us as though we lived in the centre
of Indian Territory. However he
gives us some encouragement when
he says that portions of our "primi-
tive population" have lived long
enough in the vicinity of Ohio to be
partially reclaimed from the error of
their ways, and he finds evidence of
our abandoning the old life in the
sign, New DOMINION store which he
discovered. He says that good looking
people are to be seen in Morgantown,
and that the Wallace House is a
"clean institution" built for the ben
EFT of the students, just as ne might
inform US that some big, blanketed
Indian had more intimate acquain-
lance with soap than be had antic-
ipated. His patronage would be more
acceptable if he had given US any in
telligent indications of his right to
bestow it.
~
A long interview with Senator
Wiley is, I suppose, reasonably cor
rect, at least, it is sensible, and pre-
sumably for the reason that the Sena-
tors ideas are used instead of Mr.
Townsend's.
However, there is one part of an
interview with DR.. Morris which is
quite remarkable He is reported as
saying that Morgantown us near
enough the Pennsylvania line for the
women to have formed habitsofin
try,and man who gets good wife in
Morgantown gets prize. She can
make poundcake, she can cook oys-
tiers, she can make her own dresses.
she can play the piano. She shows
anywhere for well-bred, self reliant
woman" The doctor pats us on the
head as though he too would encour-
age the wild Red men.
The ladies may feel like making
their best bow to him and they NAV
not. The majority of them will doubt
less think they did not need to 90 to
Pennsylvania for lessons in industry.
However, we are glad to find that
there was something sufficiently
praiseworthy discovered in West Vir-
pinians for both Ohio and Donns,,l