The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1900-05-11
West Virginia's
Spirit Of Progress
contrasted With That of The
Mother State, by a Harrison
County Writer.

A prominent Harrison county re-
publican In the employ Of the govern
ment at Washington, upon request Of
the editorof the New York Tribune,
recently wrote for that paper the fol-
lowing very able article contrasting
the spirit of the two states, Virginia
and West virginia), and the results,
in whichit is logically shown that our
own little commonwealth has greatly
out-stripped the mother state in pro-
gress:
"To the editor OF the Tribune >
"Sir "A fine exemplitication of the
relations between politics and the
material progress of a people is being
furnished by the State Of West Vir-
gina. The State was originally set
tied and populated by pioneers of the
Daniel Boone type, by the younger
sons of Virglnians 1.-THE rule of primo
genlture then observed in the Old Do
minion practically driving West some
of its best materially, and by discharg-
ed soldiers Of the Revolutionary Army.
The native parentage is greater than
that of any other State, in ratio to
population.
"For number of years after the
war the new State did not advance
rapidly, being still under the control
OF the Bourbon element, politically.
and the recently established public
school system not having had time to
revolutionize, by education, the senti-
ments of the masses. AS the years
passed, however, a change came with
the advent Of new generation II vot-
ers who had received better educa tional
advantages than their forbears, and
who were in consequence, better equip
ped to study for themselves questions
of political economy. Democratic ma
jorities, yearly year. grew smaller and
beautifully less, and finally disappear
ed: the Conservatives were outnum-
bered by the Progressivists. The Con-
servative had looked upon strangers
settling among them with distrust !;
the Progressivlsts welcomed the mus
Gle and money that came into the
State. and repudiated the dogma that
citizen muStb be to the manner born
in order to entitle him to the highest
social and political precedence, and
enunciated the doctrine that, regard
of the birthplace of n citizen, he should
receive all the astounding progress Of
the State In the last ten years is ow-
ing to great measure to the outsid-
ers, who by fair treatment have been
induced to cast their lots with "The
Little Mountain State" and tobecome
loyal citizens thereof. In contradis-
tinction, glance at Virginia shows
an entirely different state OF affairs.
There the Conservative has sway and
the newcomer must not expect, OF
rather must not presume, to be con-
Sidered full social equal of the MEM
bers of "old families nor may he pre-
sumo to aspire to political honors. A
capitalist may move into the State
and invest large sums in its develop
ment, but he will feel that he Is there
on sufrerance. In conversation with
the natives he will discover that ASA
rule they take but languid interest in
the affairs of the world, which are of
date more recent than that Of 1.-THE
Surrender" The shadow Of the tree
OF Appomattox is over the land.
"West Virginia, vigorous, buoyant
and hopeful, is proud of past achieve
ments, but is more interested in the
present and future; Virginia, in BROOD
ing over the past loses the precious
time and refuses the opportunities that
would in a few years enable her to be-
come again one Of the leading States,
instead of being outstripped by her
Youngest daughter.
washington, April IL, 1900"