The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1910-10-20
Department is One Of Useful.
ness Although Some Will
Not Believe 1t.
Charles Brooks smith.)

lhe new departments created under
Republican administration which
has been subjected to the criticism
OF some OF the Democratic leaders
who want to get back into office, has
been the Department of Archives
and History, In 1906 nearly half
century had passed away since West.
Virginia had become state. Every
other state in the Union had libra.
ry-West Virginia had none.
Through all these years our people
who desired to consult library,
were required to go to nelghboring
states to do this. Every other state
had its Department of Archives and
History. or was engaged in doing
work of such department under some
name-West Virginia, though the
whole state was a vast museum oil
history, had no such department, orr
other means of collecting and pre-
serving her history or the records OF
her people, the state did not possess
copies of the works of her own au-
thors, or of those who had written
hooks about West Virginia and her
people. But worse still, nowhere
was there any collection OF her pub
lie documents or state papers-no
collection OF the messages and proc
lamations of her governors; no col
lection of the reports of her execu-
tive otiicers-auditor, treasurer,
state superintendent of schools or at
torney general; no collection of the
reports of the boards of directors or
regents of her state institutions; and
above all no collections of the Jour
nails of the House and Senate, or
state papers OF the legislature, and
thus it was that the records OF the
whole legislative and executive bust
ness and history of the state wero
SO widely scattered that some of the
best informed citizens OF the state
expressed serious doubt as toI
whether these all important public
documents could all ever be found
and brought together in one collec-
ton. Not only this, but West Vir-
glnia was without single public
document or state paper OF Virginia
the old Mother State-of which
she had been an integral part for full
two hundred and fifty years. These
were most important to our people,
who must go or send an attorney to-
Richmond to search for them; and
counties, at great expense, must do
this, when 1t was necessary to have
information regarding old-time
roads, bridges, etc. In short, the
state OF West Virginia stood alone
among the states of the Union in
1906, as the one state which had
permitted its public documents,
state papers and literature to be
scattered far and wide, and had
practically made no effort at collec-
ton or preservation. What was to
be done? Governors in their mes
sages had called attention to these
conditions, and many citizens had
urged some action on the part of the
state as remedy for these. At last
there was an awakening and prompt
action was taken on the part OF the
legislature.
In 1905 Governor A. B. White
once more called attention to existing
conditions, and various plans as a
remedy therefor were discussed;
then the creation of Department of
Archives and History similar to those
in some other states was deemed
best. In accordance Herewith, the
Hon. John ]. cornwell, senator
from Hampshire county, submitted
January IS, 1905, Senate Bill No.
Cd, "A Bill providing for the estab-
lisnment of n State Bureau of Arch
ives and History" This was refer
red TO the committee on public libra
ry, the chairman thereof, the Hon.
Ira c. Bicks, reporting same back to
the Senate three days later, with the
recommendation that it do pass. The
body did pass it with but three dis
senting votes. Then it went 10 the
House where 1t was passed with but
one dissenting vote
In the short space of five years
this department has become the.
pride OF the state, because no other
agency has done more, or so much,
to give to our people high rank
in culture and intelligence among
the people of other states. Herein
have been collected and arranged
nearly 10000 volumes and pamph-
let's, such as are. IN the language of
the law. usually found in such coll
lections." These embrace vide