The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-23
EDITORIAL
ASSOCIATION
in SESSION
Governor Atkinson Describes the
Glory and Grandeur Of West Vir-
ginia In an Eloquent Address.
win visit historical Blennerhassett
Island, and VIII Banquet To-
night-An Interesting Meeting.

Special Dispatch to the IntellIgoncer.
PARKERsBURG. WI Va, May a.
The eleventh annual meeting Of the
West VIrglnla Editorial Association be-
gan at the Auditorium here tonight,
with fair attendance.
Mayor Turner welcomed the members
in behalf of the city and L. Kent
Loomis, Of the Morning News, greeted
them in behalf Of the city press OF Par
kersburg. Senator Caldwell, Of Rom
ney, replied to the address of the mayor
ana u s. G. Pitzer, OF Mnrtlnsburg, to
that of Mr.. Loomis. The other addresses
Of the evening were delivered by Hon.
a. B. White, ex-presIdent of the Ma
tionaI Editorial Association; B. B. Her.
bert, editor of the National Printer and
Journalist, Chicago; o. s. Mckinney,
speaker of the house Of delegates, of
Fairmont, and Governor Atkinson. The
business sessions of the association Will
begin at O'Clock tomorrow morning
and continue until Thursday evening.
During the recess, to-morrow, the mem
bers will be taken to Blennerhassett
Island on the steamer Kathryns and In
the evening they win be entertained by
the local press at Terrlpi1 park. 1t is
expected that BY tomorrow morning
there will be over 200 editors and their
wives in Attendance !.
At the evening session. Gov. George
W. Atkinson was the principal speaker
responding to the subject, west Vir-
ginia's Present and Prospective Possl-
| blllties, and the Work OF the Press in
the Development and History OF the
State" His speech was well received
4 by the editors, and he was frequently
interrupted by applause. Governor At
kinson said
Mr.. President, Ladies' and Gentle
mem :-"When Pericles, who was perhaps
the greatest of the AtheniRn states-
men, stood in the suburb Of the Kera-
meikos to deliver the funeral grafton Of
\ the soldiers who had fallen IN the ex-
pedltion TO Samos, he made use OF that
memorable occasion to describe the
glory and grandeur of Athens. 1t was
/ the first year of the Peloponeslan war.
and he spoke particularly Of the Persian
conquests and the development OF the
culture and genius of the Greeks. In
that unparalleled grafton he depicted
in glowing colors the true sources Of
national greatness, and enumerated the
titles by which Athens claimed to be
the foremost city of the world. He
spoke Of constitutional greatness; of
democratic principles; of the suprem-
acy of law, and the march of human
| progress He spoke Of the elegance Of
| the private life of the people; the boun-
teousness OF their luxuriant surround
lngs; of their system of education; of
| their highly cultivated tastes: of their
| admiration and love of the chaste and
the beautiful, and Of their interchange
| of ideas and freedom of expression;
but above all he extolled the courage of
| the Greek soldiers in standing for prin
ciple, and In standing against all comers
for their own homes and their own fire.
sides"
Extended Into Wonderful Realms.
My fellow citizens, we may in many
respects adapt the expressions OF Per
icles as applicable to West Virginia and
her people to-day. II we cannot In
| everything measure up to Athens stan
dard under Pericles-whlch was indeed
| the golden age of Greece-in many
things we are far in advance Of her. In
general education, in morals, in religion,
| in literature, in territory. in natural
advantages and endowments, in the fer
| tillty OF her soil, In science-in short,
with the exception of the various de-
purtments of the arts, we have extend
| ed into realms OF which the learned
Athenians never even dreamed. The
whole world is now within our reach,
| and we have founded an empire within
| the limits OF state which fifty years
ago was practically a wilderness, and
we are now pouring fabulous treasures
| into the lap of commerce Ard not
withstanding all this growth, we are
now standing upon the threshold OF new
| discoveries, and are at the en-
trance Of an era of dazzling splen-
| dor which cannot fail to electrify the
human race The human race Is
therefore radiant with hope, and We
I should be happy that we are particl-
pants Of Its benefits, and happier yet
that we are to take part in transmsit-
| ting these benefits committed to our
| Keeping, undtmmed and unbroken, to
succeeding generations. Our pride
should be for humanity, and our joy
for the world. Therefore, amid all the
wonders of past achievements and all
the splendors Of present success, we
may turn with swelling hearts to gaze
| into the boundlcss future with the
| earnest conviction that II Will, sooner
or later, develop an universal brother
hood Of man.
Theme Worthy Of Consideration.
But my friends, l must connne my
self more closely to the theme assigned
to me upon this important occasion,
viz: West Vlrglnia's Present and
Prospective Possibilities, and the Work
of tho Press in the Development and
History OF the State"
That is great theme, and my only
regret Is that the time allotted for the
| discussion is too limited to allow me TO
enter into details.
We had In West Virginia June 30.
1899. 2,9G1 miles Of railroads in opera
| tion, which cost to construct them
more than sci. 100000. and the state re-
Ceives 100000 taxes from them every
| year. The fact is. my friends the
railroads pay nearly half the taxes OF
| the state There are now under con-
| struCtion In different sections OF the
state various railroad lines, which,
when completed, will add another thou
sand miles to West Nirginin's trackaEc.
| II Ia therefore safe to assume that With
| in the succeeding twelve months we
viii have 40OU miles of railroads Within
| our borders. But better still rs The fact
| that more than n score Of additional
railroad companies have recently been
chartered, and II Ia only question OF q
brief period Of time for every county
within our commonwealth TO bo tray
] q 81. Ia l,s.