The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-01-14

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-~ and the ere willingifBo ! am in
armed. % have the law .fnodihed aud
,rslr contracts changed with such modi-
S.,tl5n al the law. This Is also my con-
yDs.5n after very careful Investigation.
5nIleye that the depositary system will
.,.,rk vast harm TO the etate, and am
more and more satisfied that II VIII be
he cause Of great loss 10 the school
rstrlns and the tax payersrof the entire
ssste There Is no call for the deposi.
,sry system. Experience OF other states
Mas been in that line. 1 am further con-
yirced that the system OF contracting by
he Legislature Is not a good one. It
',sds 10 charges of corruption.
THE National Guard has been brought
:, A high degree OF efficiency. The en-
,,mpnents have been very successful.
MIC Guard has been as nearly conform
ID 10 the Regular Army as II is possl-
Nc under circumstances. Every e1pen-
5ture has been looked over and a thor
,S,ch system has been brought about in
tbe Adjutant-Generals Office. 1t Is im-
nTssIbie. however. to attain high de-
rree Of efficiency under the present sys-
TEN.
message 1 have only been once COM
palled to call out the National Guard.
IN the first day Of May, 1886. was In
Snrfued that strike was in progress
men the Norfolk and Western Railroad.
went to the field myself and also sent
efficient aids. ] notified the miners by
public speech and personal expression
nat they had n perfect right tn strike
50 long Rs they desired II they used
peaceiul methods in enforcing their de-
hands I also notified thern that the
very moment they infrlnged upon the
law. and under the guise OF q peaceful
strike, broke the law, that would send
troops to the field. AT one time the slt-
nation OF affairs was very threatening,
and was called upon for troops by the
operltors in the field. And upon the in
formation that l deemed 1t wise to
order out the Second Regiment for SER
vica. These companies assembled ready
for active service, but trouble was avert
ed. ! have no question as to the ability
Of the Executive OF this state 70 nave
broken the strike by sending troops to
mat field; end It has gotten to be very
common to use the military OF the state
In destroying strike when the law has
not been infringed upon in any particu-
lar whatsoever. do not believe In such
use OF the military, and so notified the
plrtles concerned. I think that by the
iudlclous management OF the matter
thousands OF dollars were saved 20 the
state, that bloodshed was aYerted and
that the law was peacefully enforced. l
think that the action OF the Chief Elk
ecuilye was approved IN West virginia
Virginia Land Grant Book.
At the Legislature of 1898 there was
appropriated the sum OF $4,000 for the
copying of the land grant books belong
ing 10 the state OF West Virginia. These
records were at Richmond in the state
Of Virginia, entirely under the jurisdic>
ton of the state Of Virginia, and the
only method by which citizen OF the
state OF West Virginia could investigate
the title to his land was to4undergo the
grea. burden end expense OF procuring
= Virginia lawyer or by journeying in
person to the city OF Richmond and there
obtaining the information which should
be within his own state. AS a matter
Of fact. the books were not cared for,
and the foundations care otgeYery title
within the state of West Virginia de-
pended upon the care OF another state.
This situation OF affairs was not one 10
he tolerated. Vast interests In West
Virginia were at stake and the Legls-
Iaturr OF West Virginia for the session
Of 1898 appropriated the above sum for
the purpose If copying these books.
Governor Fleming, my predecessor,
made arrangements with the Register OF
the Land Office OF Virginia foe the copy
ting OF Large part Of these grants. The
state Of Virginia also passed an act al
lowing this work TO be done. The sum
appr5prlated was insufficient for the
work. 1 made o. very advantageous con-
trac. and when the appropriation MADE
by the legislature was expended ABOUT
tyo-thlrds OF the work had been done,
and it left the state Of West virginia
with a large sum OF money expended
which was Of very little use 70 the state.
because the work was incomplete and
part OF the books we're delivered and
part were undelivered. Therefore,
deemlng II OF great Importance, and be-
coming aware that the legislature OF
Virginia was about to repeal the act
under which we had had this work done,
and after consultation with number or
Urominent lawyers in this state, both
Republicans and Democrats, and a large
number Of the most prominent citizens
OF the state. deemed II wise to borrow
the sum OF 1851 72.Qncluding interest 10
February "a. 1871 10 at once complete
this work. This was done, the work was
c,,pnletsd. and we have to-day In the
AUDITORS Office OF West Virginia the
complete title, so far as the grants are
concerned, 10 every tract Of land within
Yves; Virginia. The total Gmount ap.
r-opriatel for this work was 5000, and
The cost has been sl2,695 OF, including IN
terest on borrowed money. hope 1t VIII
ne the pleasure 0f this legislature 70 re-
pay the money, which was borrower
upon my note, and ! hope it Will be me
pleasure OF the legislature TO pay me
sum OF 81, 1875 IS, now owing fer the worK
done upon the books.
regard this matter as one OF the most
important acts Gf my term, ana believe
II Il had not been done at that time That
we never again would have had the OPP
portunity OF procuring these valuable
munlments of our titles.
one nf the most vital questions Of this
state is the crying need OF good roads
The system in West Virginia IS an eX-
treneiy poor one and one that Is vastly
expensive. Within the state there are
comparatively few counties which have
decent roads Nothing is more absolute>
Iy beneficial to the state than goodroads.
Not even railroads will subserve tine IN
tere,,ts OF the states growth to a GREATER
cytent than gO1d county roads, The
states which have a good system OF
roads and have looked carefully AFTER
the roads under the system, ere always
prosperous. ,.,.,,
turc viii create the ONCE OF insurance
Of the state has Increased enormously.
and Is one OF the most Important ques-
tons to-day before the people. Every
citizen OF the state, rich or poor, y IN
tsrcsted in having an absolutely safe In
surance guarantee. / am informed mat
We arc about the only state in the Union
which leaves this immense business as
a mere appendnge 10 another office.
very earnestly renew my former
recommendations as to building and