West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-09-11

Change Of Social Conditions.

Jonathan Fish aud His Neighbors." Hu
Maxwell's latest book This is no, a fish
story, IL We excep, First Impressions. II
deals with West Virginia conditions at the
outbreak Of the civil war It's short stories
are the facts IN the life of her people just
prior TO the birth of the new State. very
greatly relished the reading Of these tales.
Where Maxwelrs History of West Virginia
are used in school. the parents and children
could psoiitably read of nights Jonathan
Fish and His Neighbors. The book would
supplement the history. 1t pictures the
early neighborhood life and shows the home
as |, was in ante e-bellum days I, is better
than an old musty albums Of photographs
and sceues. Ills pictures talk and think
their thoughts, thoughts we now think odd.
The hook incidentally furnishes a study in
socialoloey and economies. We see the
old-iimer in his backwoodsy ways and labor.
So different, we think, from the newer
conditions we nov know. Aud yet does II
no, cccar to us that the years will see much
of our supposedly aImos, perfec, modern life
and industrial conditions changed. When
Jonathan Fish fitted from one piece of land
TO another, land was comparatively free.
The same state Of land-holdiug prevailed as
that in earlier California days. which fur
nished the facts, facts upon which Henry
George based his theory of single tax.
Jonathan Fish and his neighbop could
get land anywhere around them for little or
nothing IL was almost as free as air. The
Light Of land speculation had not then
reached a point where The poor man could
not have home Of his own. Progress was
ushered in by the war. Manufacturing
started. Mining began. With these came
class Of day laborers, dependent class.
The home owning has become more difficult.
Many rent. lie who rents and works for a
corporation can hardly claim his own soul
With progress in material development by
great combined corporations comes greater
questions are being studied Iy working
people very closely. II is refreshing to have
true pictures, like Jonathan Fish, Of out
easy 81 ing ancestry. They logTolIed and
unselhshiy helped one another, not as
politicians de- nowadays. The love of
money, the root Of all evil had not can
lered their hearts Wealth now piles up
for the fes. and opportunities 10 be we'll
io-do are no, found on every hillside
Howchanged the times since the war !
Grssping selhsiNess bars out eleverness and
oldtime hospitality Though West Vir-
ginia's hills give forth wealth almost untold,
how poorly her children share it1 The
miners contention that the government
ough, to own the railroads would prevent
strikes and robbery Of miners and farmers
These two alone would make conditions
better for the Wes, virginian. These are
some If the things the future may bring,
making us think strange Of how conditions
changed selhshly for the worse after .the
war and how reason fairness and humanity
suggested better ways.
'ffhe earth is the Lords and the fullness
thereof. . was the Bible faith Of people in
the times Of Jonathan Fish That the Lord
Is proprietor and all men created equal has
been forgHtea. Coll ctive ownership ly
all equally, IS State ownership. Read
Jonathan Fish and study conditions all the
wsy through down to state socialism. and
say whal IS bes, for the people.
A. w FREDrRfcg.