The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-10-14

, or the leading men of the State, in
, commercial and kindred matters
and 1T is an agency always available
through which the entire business
| interests can express themselves IN
/ regard to legislation, State admin
lStrat1on and other matters of COM
mon interest. 1t is composed Of
. tWenty-one constituent bodies. an,
has about 600 individual members
Inc local organizations are ali in
accord with the objects of the State
| board, and are working together fo,
Che general welfare of the Who'll,
commonwealth.
Need for Manufactures.
They are bending thiir energies
/ Tor the development Of the State.
great resources and directing thei,
attention, especially to the increasi
OF manufacturing establishments to
| consume large quantities or the coaI.
OIL and gas, which now go to the
! support of industries elsewhere. It
IS to be regretted that West Vir-
gina should not get the direct bene-
1T of these gifts of nature, so Law
| Ishly bestowed upon her. If only a
small portion Of the industrial activi-
ties which are now sustained by the
tuNl shipped away, were transferred
TO the State, 1t would add, in a
large measure, to the wealth and
WelI-being of the people. Only a
fractional part Of the gas and oil
produced in the State are used there
IN, and 1t is estimated that fully two
thirds of the coal that is mined is
shipped to other States Pennsyl-
Vanla produces about third of all
the steam coal mined in the United
States; but her own industries con
sumo the greater part of it. 1t is
; however, more important that the
gas produced in West Virginia
should be USED in the State. The
deposits Of coal are SO large that the
State can spare considerable Dor.
tlon OF 1t and the labor of it's pro
ductlon and transportation requires
men and supplies in large numbers
, 1t is believed, however, that the gas
supply is more limited, and unless
some steps are taken to control OF
prevent 1T, in a comparatively short
time, 1T may become exhausted
There Is some agitation at this time
, AS TO what course is best to pursue
to protect the States interest in this
matter. Two plans have been sug
gested--the placing of a smaN ia,
On the production, and the regulat.
Ing of the pressure to limit piping
70 distant points. The latter plar
may not be entirely feasible, and
the State government would not re.
celVe any direct benefit therefrom.
| mi-CenfenniaI
In less than four years the pass,
ing Of time will bring about the
stmi-centennial anniversary Of the
creation Of the State, and what will
be the record Of those fifty years?
+ ! Born during the war, we started
with humble beginnings. Virginia
was the one State in that terrible
conflict to emerge with a loss of any
Of its territory. In fact, West Vir.
ginia is the only State that was ever
created from another State since the
Union began. West Virginia did moi
go through the probationary DerioC
Of territorial form Of government
II but at once stepped into the dignity
and sovereignty of statehood MANY
Of its citizens had served in the leg
1slature Of the old State, and hat
achieved distinction therein, and il
various other walks Of public life
Some of them brought this knowl
edge and experience to bear to hell
form and administer the affairs o.
the new State.
Population
The population was then abou
4OO,OOO, and in 1913 IL Is estimated
Inat 1T Will BE- 100000, or three
Cimes as many; an average gain pei
: decade Of 25 per cent. This gait
, comes largely from a natural in
crease of the population, as the re
turns for the census Of 1900 show
mat West Virginia has the larges
per cent Of native white inhabitants
OF any State in the Union. This Is
:, consistent with the further fact
mat the number of persons to 6
family was larger than in any State
, except Texas.
!, Coal.
In 1868 the State produced less
nan h0'f million tons Of coal, and
N 1913, according to the present
rate Of increase, it will produce up.
ward Of 50,000,G00 tons, hundred
Times AS much as when the State