Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-03-13

on at Moundsville. In my Judgment
it is blot on West Virginia's good
name that she has no one duly au-
thorized to give his undivided time to
the moral and spiritual natures Of the
men confined in that institution.
These criminals are entitled to our
careful consideration We are dere-
lict if we fail to do anything and ev-
erything in our power to reform and
regenerate these unfortunates.
Another of these suggestions is
an exact geological survey of our
State Such survey is the only means
Of giving to us thorough knowledge
Of our great natural resources, and
will enable us to prove authoritatively
all that we claim for our State.
Another of these suggestions is
the complete equipment Of an immi-
grafton bureau, by which alone we
can. by the authority Of the State,
present all Of our natural advantages
to those who are seeking homes and
who might come among us and cast
their lots with us, if we can hold out
proper inducements for them to come.
II am unalterably and forever OPP
posed to everything like sectionalism.
am Virginian, but, at the same
time, am an American. In my es-
tirnation the nation is greater than
state. l stand for the United States
first and West Virginia next. | yield
to none greater admiration for my ma
tive State. but with me it is always
the United States first and West Vir-
ginia secondly. The whole is greater
than a part The general govern
ment is bigger than any one of its
constituent parts. trust | will al
ways be big enough and broad enough
to see beyond the integral of the
whole.
II am sincere, my fellow citizens,
when say that believe West Vir-
ginia is entering on new era of un-
paralleled prosperity. With 1900
square miles of the best coal territory
on the face OF the earth; with oil and
gas deposits thus far unequaled; with
forests superior to those of any of our
Commonwealth; with a climate that
cannot be excelled; with scenery for
beauty and grandeur unsurpassed;
with school system as good as the
best; with courts fearless in the en-
forcement of the law; with churches
full abreast of the times; with as no.
BILE a class of natives as any on
which the sun has ever shone, and
with railroads building in, through
and across our borders; with all of
these advantages, why mayI not con-
clude that there is great future be-
fore us as people and State?
From our developing resources we
may look for money enough for all
our needs, and with which we may be
able to lift all our public institutions
to higher plane of usefulness.
West Virginia has not always had
big treasure chest overrunning with
gold, but as her resources increase it
would be folly for her to be contented
with the methods that were absolute
ly necessary in the past. Internal i'm
provements, we'll patronized and sub
sidized schools, carefully provided and
thoroughly equipped penal and char
ableinstitutions good roads, bridges
and all things of that sort not only
add to the comfort and incite to the
development Of the State, but they
pay for themselves every day in the
conveuiences they afford. The
Mountain State started out in life
with little heritage, but boundless
loyalty and broad acres. she is max
ing progress as fast as she can, with
the assurance that every year will
be better than the last.
my fellow-citizens, approaching
fully the responsibilities you have
placed upon me by your suffrages,
and asking from one and all your aid
and your sympathies to enable me to
discharge my public duties faithfully
and well, and invoking the Divine
blessing upon all of us in our public
relations, am now ready to take
upon myself the oath of Office and as
sumo the responsibilities and bur
dens as the chief executive of our
State"