The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-27
ELOQUENT SPEECH
OF Congressman Warren Miller Mt
the West Virginia Banquet.
DESCRIPTIVE OF THE STATE
And It's wondcrfuiRe Fact.
and Figures About Our Nntara, Wealth,
and the Possibilities that the Future has
In store Tor the commonw -slE-
nineant Companions.
spoeIal Corresponding.

lowing Is the full text OF the speech de-
livered by Congressman Warren Miller
at the banquet given by West Virginia
residents OF washington In honor OF
the West virginia congressional dele
CATION, n report OF which has already
appeared in the Intelllgencer:
at Is not my purpose TO indulge in
rhetoric ON this occasion, but to briefly
state some facts concerning the state OF
which 1 am an humble citizen, and
which I have the honor TO represent in
part 80. 49,
Virginia was admitted as a state OF
this union, and her star then took Its
place on the flag OF our country, where
II is destined 70 become one OF the
brightest In that American constella-
tioH. Born IN the midst Of war, while
her territory was occupied by the con-
tending armies, in that great struggle.
she has been apply called the child oi
the storm" OF her then population OF
1856. $50, which included those who had
cast their lot with the Confectionery. she
sent into the army In defense OF our
country 32,06S rs brave men as ever
carried a musket or kept step to me
music OF fife and drum.
"oE those valiant mon. thousands
gave their lives on the battlefield, .hG:
freedom and Its Institutions might live.
Hundreds OF them, wounded and d!s-
elsed. yet survive, and appeal TO the
government which they, with others,
preserved intact,not az mendicluts. but
as patriots, for pittnnce to save them
from death in the aims house and burial
IN n potter's field. VIII the Republic
In this behalf prove to be ungrateful?'
West Virginia. sometimes called the
Little Mountain state, Is O great COM
nlonwealth, erich beyond the dreams
OF avnrioe." Bordering for nearly three
hundred miles ON the Ohio, the mOSt
beautiful river on the continent. her
busy cities and towns and we'll cuitivo-
ted farms present scenes OF industry
and thrift nowhere surpassed.
Glowing from the mountains to the
Ohio, and bearing upon It's waters eaeh
year millions in commerce, the products
Of our forests and our mines, is the
Great IEnnawha. Upon Its banks Is
the capital Of our state. surrounded by
picturesque hills and lovely valleys
Along this river the LANDS are produc-
tive and the climate inviting. thts
section has been described as the land
Of PERENNIAL summer" ,,
We now have population OF $4,000
In the year 1900 we will number sS0,OOR
Fifty years hence. nj our present rate
OF Increase. 100000 OF people Will be
within our borders.
Our area Is 3f,6f5 square miles. We
are larger than Vermont, New Hamp-
shire and Connecticut together we
have three times us much territory as
Massachusetts possesses, and almost
tYenty-lour times as much Us the state
OF Rhode Ialpnd.
exhaugtIbie deposit OF coal Of the finest
quality. or this valuable product the
state has 1900 square miles. 5.l0o
square miles more than England. 5000
square miles more than Pennsylvania.
and 1000 square miles more than OHIO.
II has been declared by Geotogtst OF
national reputation that the qunrtlly
OF coal in West Virginia Is sufficient To
supply the whole world for five hundred
years, we Will soon be the greatest
coal producing state In the union.
We have the greatest and the richest
oil fields and the most lOundantly pro-
ducfng of wells In the world. FRsH-
luus fortunes are there mndc In day.
Iron ore OF the richest Kind Rbounds on
every hand. Nature seems 10 have ar
ranged the coal in the mountains IN
the one side. the iron ore ON the other.
and the outlay where on may be bullt
the furnace between.
Our hlil8 are yet covered with the
most valuable timber. Nine millions
OF acres Of It remnln untouched to-day.
After its removal nature has adapted
the lands TO grazing tutlcr proper
protection no Industry would be moro
profitable than wool growing in West
Virginia.
we owe no state debt. We are bound
by no state bonds. We are controlled
by no syndicate BY wise provision
In oHr constitution We cannot Incur
state Indebtedness except In few in-
Stances. Unlike the general govern
meut our state c1unot mortgage the
property and Industries OF it's citizens
fOr years to come.
We are not as large In arcu as Maine;
our lands are not as fertile Us those
OF Iowa; we are not az Important polit-
lcully as Ohio; We have not the imam
clul wealth of New York; we have not,
M vet, "a pronounced candidate fer the
presidency, yIt VIC are able 10 present
n follow citizen for that high oilire vito
70 the peer OF any man IN any OF the
great stutes have named,
Many OF our people have recently cS-
pressed q determination to sever their
rOriner political ties, and to affiliate
with the party OF human liberty and
industrial progress. They believe that
the foreigner who completes with the
American markets should contribute 10
the expenses OF this government thu
difference between the cost Of his goods
md the cost Of similar goods made by
A Ill takN al
tive wages.
Our sheep farmers require that the
Australian and other foreign wool
growers ghnll pay TO this government
the difference between the cost Of the
production OF his wool aud the cOyt Ot q
like grade grown by the American huS-
bnndmnn. before lie shall sell his wool
IN American markets. Our coal pro-
durar5 demand thRt the coal baEaRs Of
the British provinces, before competing
with US. shall ray duty equal TO lhh
difference in the cost OF their coal.
mined by cheap labor and transported
in cheap bottoms, and :hc cost Of OUT
paid labor aud carried to Our markets.
over our lines OF railway. Tho owners
OF our timber ask thnl our Canadian
nelEhbors shall not make sale Of their
lumber and timber III the United States
urtit they, too ahaH have paid such
duty as viii make the difference be-
tween tho cost OF production and the
cost OF like m0tcriai5 supplied By our
people who pay living wages.
This policy win btlill railroads; will
open mlnes: win cause furnnrcJ and
coke ovens to be erected; VIII make
good prices for our timber; will bring
our lands Into market; will cover our
hills with docks; Will enhance thr val
revenues, national ana state: Will cn-
able us In West virginia TO build more
and hctter school houses and open aud
keep In raEair better hlghwnys,