Year: 1877

from the Committee on Taxation and
Finance was the subject Of two or three
attempted Amendments-one by Mr. Tur.
ner naming specific day in next August
for the election, viz: the first Tuesday
III that month, and providing that
the Commissioners Of Election should re.
ceive no pay:-another by Judge Loomis
Offered as u substtute) providing that
the Capital Shouldbe permanently located
at Clarksburg on and after January 1st,
1885. These amendments were voted
down. Those who voted for the substi-
tute were Messrs. Arnett, Caldwell,
johnson, Jones and Loomis.


Those who voted against ii we're Messrs.
Adams, Baxter, Berkshire, Burdett, Den.
mis-, Ferguson, Ferrell, GranthAm, Lowe,
Pngh and Turner.
Those who suppose that the present
bill means that the Capital is to remain
at Wheeling until 1885 will possibly be
undeCeived IN the course Of II year or
two.-As soon as u location is once
agreed upon, there will set in move
lnent for immediate removal. There is
nothing in the bill to prevent the adop.
ton Of an amendment to this effect by the
Legislature that meets in this city two
years hence. There can be nothing put
IN it to tie the hands Of that body in this
particular. It is well that we understand
the bill as we go along.


It is for those who desire that the Capt.
tai should remain in Wheeling until
1885 to decide whether it is expedent TO
to pass the present bill at this time.
Two years hence the bill can be passed
just as well as now. There will be ample
time between 1879 and 1885 to locate the
Capital and put up building. The State
will be in better shape to do both, us
there will, no doubt, be railroad deyel.
opments in the next two years that
will throw light on the question Of To-
cation, and at the end Of that tune the
State will be, it Is TO be hoped, in much
better financial plight than she is to-day.


There are one or two important points,
in addition to these, which, as It seems to
us, should have weight with members in
disposing Of the Capital question. The
first one is that the Legislature OF West
Virginia was never as well fixed as it is
to-day. We mean never as comfortably
and conveniently circumstanced in every
respect. There are more facilities for
comfortable and convenient legislation
at this point than at any other point in
the State. This is fact patent to every
unprejudiced member. It does not need
to be argued Those who have tried
Charleston are well aware OF this fact as
regards that point, and, next to Wheel
ing, Charleston has better facilities than
any place in the State, inasmuch as she

has already in existence large hotel and
Capitol building, both very creditable
structures.


The superior facilities at this point for
legislation speak for themselves. Here
all the interests and industries Of the
State meet and join hands, agriculture,
manufactures and commerce, and all
can be practically and personally
examined and cared for. In every re.
spect the wants Of the State, in each de-
partment Of Its Government, can be fully
provided for. The present Capitol build
ing meets every requirement. Nothing
in the way Of convenience is lacking.


The city is large enough to afford mem
bers some variety outside OF their routine
duties, and this is certainly no unimport-
ant consideration, unless it be desirable
to make a legislators term ,ot service rs
dreary as possible.


There are better facilities here for
printing the proceedings Of the Leglsla.
ture and for doing its work quickly and
cheaply. The party lash cannot be APP
piled to legislation in large place as
easily and secretly as in small one.
The interests Of the people are therefore
better protected. The experience of the
Legislature at Charleston and at Wheel.
ing plainly proves this.


To nine.tenths of the members it can
matter nothing in the way Of personal or
neighborhood advantage to remove the
Capital. Their interests will not be ad-
yanced a single dollar. They are sim.
ply playing into the hands of some point
outside Of any possible advantage to
their own immediate constituents. When
the Capital was at Charleston the citizens
OF four.tiiIhs Of the Third Congressional
district were not aware Of the fact by
virtue OF any enhancement Of real estate
values. An acre OF land sells for as much
to-day as ever.


A great effort has been made to array
sectional support for the Capital oues.
tiou. This effort is an attempt on
the intelligence OF members.


The sectional interesto of nine. .tenths Of
the members is purely imaginary. They
are vastly more interested in keeping III,
government Of the State, in all its depart
ments, under the broad light Of day, where
all that is done or said will be watched
and made known to them Just as i
tranSpires, and where corrupt and clasl
legislation cannot be done, like some Sc.
cret thing, in corner. Our point is this
that II behooves members to think serious
ly before they pass the present bill for the
removal OF the Capital. The old and
well tried motto comes in with great
force in connection with this question a,
this time, viz-let well enough alone
No one denies that the wants Of the
State oro mnst 0hnndantlv opl CLn.,I