Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-14

be maintained by law. Notwithstanding
this fact It affords me great pleasure to-
say that the conduct of the Guard has been
most commendable Its discipline has
been maintained; its efficiency has been
Increased: the military charter of the men
.as been promoted in every way: and the
5fficers have bestowed great deal of tims
and attention upon their duties.
In our State ii is absolutely necessary
that we maintain a good National Guard,
l do not mean for one moment to criticist
the character OF our population. Our
mining and railroad population is as in.
telligent and law abiding as that of anV
other State; but by reason OF the large
numbers OF new citizens coming into the
State. the constant opening OF many
mines, an the extension OF the railroads
we are confronted with conditions thar a
very few States are compelled to experi.
ence. The officers Of the National Guard
approaching this condition OF affaars haye
prepared a bill largely reorganzing tho
Guard The intention is TO approximate
the organization of the United States
Army so that one organization will be per-
fectly suitable to the other The bill has
been submitted 10 me and / have no cues.
ton as TO its efficiency in promoting thu
ends desired. / believe that the troops
should receive pay whilst they are in en-.
, campment. They are compelled to IN.
dergo loss of time and be subjected to the
hard work of drilling for week or mors
without any compensation.
In this connection | wish also to say that
| the conversation OF the troops In active
| service is entirely too low. The men who
are enlisted in the service OF the National
| Guard are men who are generally unable
to discontinue their wage earning and
leave home upon the meagre pay at press
! ent allowed to them.
am glad TO report that since my last
message I have been only once compelled
| to call out the National Guard. on tho
| first day of May. 1895. | was informed that
a strike was in progress upon the NorfolIc
and Western railroad. The mines at which
the strike occurred were situated IN the
Flat Top region. and l was informed thar
| IL was the intention Of the miners Of West
| Virginia TO cross into Virginia and compel
! the miners on the Virginia side 10 cease
work. This ! found 10 be groundess and
after making n most careful Investigation.
| ! found that a great strike was i'm prog
ress. but that the West Virginia miners
! had no intention Of violating the Law Of
| Virginia or of interfering with the peace
| full operations Of the citizens Of that State.
! Such being the case, / received a telegram
! from the Governor Of Virginia. asking me
to allow his troops. which he had sent TO
that region. TO cross into West Virginia
! and break up the meetings Of the West
/ Virginia miners. who were presumed to-
! intend 10 cross into Virginia. This request
of the Governor OF Virginia was courte-
ously but firmly refused. The condition
of affairs continued in this wise for some
! tine, and for a long time there was moth.
! ing to indicate a breach of the peace.
| After a time the affairs grew more threat
| ening and some of the miners began 10
carry arms. / went to the field myself
and also sent efficient aids / notified tbs
miners by public speech and personal ex-
precision that they had a perfect right i1
| strike so long as they desired II they used
| peaceful methods in enforcing their de-
mands. l also notified that the very mo-
ment they infringed upon the law, and
under the guise of a peaceful strike broke
the law that / would send troops to tho
field. At one time the situation Of affairs
was very threatening and ! was called
upon for troops by the operators I'm the
field. And upon the lIifoJ5-inIi.:S- ,s.. AL,
| deemed II wise to order out the Second RAG
iment for service These companies as
sembied ready for active service. bur
| trouble was averted 7 have no questions
as to the ability OF the Executive OF this
State to have broken the strike by send
ing troops to that field: and Il has gotten
to be very common 10 use the military Of
the State in destroying % strike when the
law has not been infringed upon I'm any
particular whatsoever. do not believe
I'm such use of the military and so notified
the parties concerned 1 think that by
the iudicious management Of the matter
thousands OF dollars were saved to tho
State. that bloodshed was averted and that
the law was peacefully enforced. ! think
that the action Of the Chief Executive
was approved in West Virginia.
The amount owing TO the National Guard
by reason of being called out is g. 1880 T.
hope il will be the pleasure OF the Leg
lature TO appropriate this sum. The mem
We're in active duty In their Itmory. taken
away from their work and 90 was iu a
time OF great peril to the interests n no
southern part of West Virginia.
VIRGINIA LAND GRANT BOOKS
At the Legislature of 1893 there WAS APP
propriated the sum OF $500 for the copy
ing OF the land grant books belonging 10
the State Of West Virginia These records
were at Richmond. in the State OF Viz
gnia, entirely under the juHsd ton n ,ts
State Of Virginia, and the only method ~
which a citizen of the State o' West Nir-
gnia could investigate the title 20 his hnt
was to undergo the great burden ard eH-
pcnse Of procuring a Virginia lawyer Or
by journeying IN person 10 the city OK
Richmond and there obtaiu' tho infor-
nation which should be within his own
State. As a matter Of fact, the books were
not cared for. and the foundations ot
every title within the State Of West Vir-
ginia depended upon the care u another
State. This situation OF affairs was noC
one to be tolerated. Vast interests in Wee
Virginia were at stake and the Lcgsla-
ture Of West Virginia for the session az
1898 appropriated the above sum for no
purpose OF copying these books. Cover
nor Fleming. my predecessor, made az
rangements with the Register Of the Liant
Office Of Virginia for the copying OF %
large part OF these grants. The state az
Virginia also passed an act allowing thf
work TO be done. The sum 1ppropri ttti
was insufficient for the work. I made
very advantageous contract ana "htH 'hS'
appropriation made by the Legislature
was expended about two-thirds Of lh'
work had been done and 10 lett me 9tal5
Of West Virginia with large sum ot
money expended which was OF very htt'