Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-04-24
A Heavy Load for Weak Proposition.

A Heavy Load for q Weak Proposition.
Jackson Herald.
We have been asked several times II
we think that the proposed constitu-
tional amendment will carry. Now OF
course we do not know anything about
that. and we don't know anybody that
does; but there are few matters that
arise in our mind that in our opinion
makes the prospects rather blue for the
new system, even before We come TO con-
slider the merits of the proposition.
The Legislature that framed the re-
markable example of the eccentricitles oil
great men was very careful TO provide IL
with a numerous lot OF miscellaneous
enemies and no particular friends, ana
10 fix its trial at a time when nobody but
those personally interested in its defeat
will be caring anything about 1t. We
have seen enough TO know that personal
influence is a great weight in West Nir-
yinia politics, and il seems to us that
the preponderance OF personal influence
will be against the arrangement. 1t Is
TO be voted at the election OF 1880, when
all minor interests will be swallowed up
i'm the struggle between the two great
political parties, and nearly all OF those
who might at any other time be working
for the amendment will then be bend
ing all their energies in behalf OF their
iavorite political party, and will be very
careful to let this outside issue alone.
Very nearly all the men who have lnfiu-
ence at the polls will then be busy about
something else. But there will be some
men of influence who will have per-
sonal interest in this matter, and when
we see who and how many they are,
we can tell something about it.
In the first place there will be the
candidates for the circuit judgeshlps.
As we understand the law, it provides
that two candidates shall be elected Tor
each iudgeship-one TO run in the cir
cult as marked out in the amendment,
10 serve in case the amendment is car
ried, and one to run in the circuit as 1t
now stands and to serve in case the
amendment is defeated. So that about
the only candidates who can defend the
amendment-that is, the candidates for
Judge in the new circuits-will be OPP
posed by the candidates in the old cir
cults, and their influence neutralized
more or less.
In every county there will be any
number of candidates for President OF
the County Court, and every man who
has the most remote idea of becoming a
candidate for that office will, of course,
be determinedly opposed to the amend
ment, since il it is carried the successful
candidate will find himself elected to Of
fee and the office abolished.
But probably the most influential
class of men who will be opposed to the
amendment will be the county clerks,
whose business it cuts down to an eX-
| tent horrible to the minds OF those tunc-
| tiOnaries. 1t is true that the interests OF
the circuit clerks will lie in the opposite
direction, but as the county clerks OF
fee is now considered as about the most
lucrative one in the county, 1t is as q
rule held bv men of much more intlu-
ence than those who occupy the other,
and they will fight hard to retain their
fees and perquisltes.
These men will bring all the argu-
ments they discover or invent to induce
their friends tovote down the PROPOSE
| ton, and il they do not have great weight
| in the matter then we are mistaken IN
our estimate of human character.
Add TO this the natural conservatism
of the people, which is opposed to
change, we see several weighty reasons
for thinking why it will DE beaten, not
mentioning any why it should.