Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-09-06
A Letter From senator Campbell.

State Senator William Campbell, o.
Charles Town, in letter to the editor
this week, sends US a record of the
burial of James Rumsey in st. Mar.
garet's Chapel, Westminster, the in
terment having taken place Decem'
Der "a, 1892. The document is fol-
the archives of the Rumseyan Society.
Senator Campbell writes an interest
ing letter. from which we publish the
following extracts:
On our arrival IN England, being in
vited to the Independence Day dinner
in London. availed myself on the
morning of the 4th Of the opportunity
of calling on Mr.. Bryan, and found him
in splendid health and spirits-the
same great American that we have low
ed in the past and propose to honor In
the future genial. yet sedate, perhaps
slightly more grave than of yore-a
very giant in intellect and body.
He was keenly interested in West
Virginia affairs, and spoke with accur-
acy of our local political conditions,
referring particularly to our late effort
to wrest the State government fro m
| the hands Of the trust-serving Repuoll-
can machine. His visits to West Vir-
ginia in general, and Morgan's Grove in
particular, seemed to have left most
pleasant impressions. His views on
party policy, in the main, seemed to be
that while tariff reform remains car
dinal and fundamental Democratic doc
trine, that it should not be made a par
amount issue in the sense Of obscuring
others Of immediate importance, such
as the curbing of corrupt corporate
control of the Government He spoke
in terms of affection Of William l..
Wilson.
His great speeches at the Fourth Of
July banquet, and subsequently at the
Interparliamentary Conference, evoked
the warmest admiration in England
and on the Continent, and he is recog-
nized and honored abroad as one Of the
worlds very great men, and hailed as
our next President. On the night Of
the Fourth felt proud that | was an
American and glad that | was Demo
crat. Bryan's great speech on the
white Mans burden" which, by the
way, see George Byrne has taken up
in West Virginia good luck and more
power to him. was, indeed, master
piece.
Through the courtesy of the member
from Northampton, | was privileged TO
see the English Parliament In session
during one OF the debates on the Edu-
cation bill, agitating England to the
same extent ust now as the Railroad
Rate bill has moved our people. The
sight in the House of Lords was i'm
.pressive, yet seemed incongruous, the
Lord Chancellor on the woolsack in his
wig and gown Of state and the bishops
in their robes, being surrounded by
mem bers of the peerage-all reserving
their traditional privilege OF keeping on
their silk hats.
The oratory of both the Lords and
Commons compared unfavorably with
that of our House and Senate. The
separation of church and state and
consequent disestab lishment is pre-
dicted as the outcome OF the present
agitation, and many ardent church
men believe such action will inure to
the ultimate benefit of the Church of
England.
Our journey through Scotland was
most delightful, not the least interest
ing feature being a view of the mon
ster Lusitania, just launched on the
Clyde, a consequence of Rumsey's
worldchabging invention.
On my return to London succeeded
in definitely locating the resting place
Of West Virginia's great inventor,
James Rumsey, who lies buried close to
Sir Walter Raleigh in the shadow of
Westminster Abbey. Through the
good offices of the American Embassy,
| | obtained from the authorities Of tn
British Museum some data, which, to-
gether with those heretofore secured,
clearly demonstrate that RumSey and
not Fulton was the inventor Of the
sGeam boat beyond the peradventure Of
doubt.
State or municipal ownership Of pub
lie utiliti es are accomplished facts,
partially at least, In France and En-
| gland Their people are not robbed
by the express and telegraph compan-
les, the Platts and Depews being pre-
vented from blocking antitrust legis'
lation by governmental ownership.
| Neither have municipalities Of either
nation been foolish enough to give
away the peoples best assets-public
franchises.
The train service is excellent an d
cheap, Government again regulating
the charges. The telephone service is
generally very poor.
| One is impressed by the olidity of
everything English. They demand al
ways strength and permaneucy first and
looks afterward. Their intense con-
servatism makes some of their farming
methods SAVIOR of the Middle Ages.
But the country seems generally pros
porous, owing, in the judgment Of most
| of her statesmen, to her free-trade sys-
TEN. Things are generally done in
the most leisurely manner. am told
that If one wants glass OF beer he
cannot step up to bar ordinarily and
get it, but after being directed to the
smoking room by gorgeous individ-
ual, uniformed more deliberately than
a colonel of the Governors staff, he
can eventually have it brought to him
by naughty, but not always bad-look-
ing, barmaid, gotten up regardless OF
cost as to couture and sometimes as to
complexion.
Incidentally, | was informed that En-
glands drink bill of $3.50, 200, 900 year
accounted for the pauperism so much
in evidence.
My health being improved and the
matters bringing me to this side being
about consummated, we are turning our
faces homeward, and right glad will
we be to see the Blue Ridge and the
glorious valley Of the Shenandoah once
again, for there is no place like it this
side of Heaven.