Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-03-03

II am glad that you have
pointed out that man may be opposed
10 the County Courts and vet not be IN
favor OF the Constitutional amendment.
| am opposed TO the County Court, but
I am not certain that | shall vote ior the
amendment Some OF our people think
the amendment will not help matters
much, aud am In favor Of bearing the
evils We have unless We are certain that
Ne are not to have something worse.
But YOU seem to think that the war
AGAINST the County Courts will 90 on
even II the amendment is voted down.
viii YOU please explain hoS We are 70
get rad Ol the County Courts u the
amendment Is defeated
We cannot undertake 10 point out to
our correspondent all the ways that are
open and all tho methods that might be
adopted to get rid Of the County Courts
beSids that olfcrei by the proposed
amendment tn the Constitution.
The plan Of the amendments Is one
WAY, selected by the Legislature Tor
admission To the people, who are to
determine SIMPLY whether u Is the best
way OF not. But to say that 1t IL the
oo.lg way 10y which tho County Courts
can be- abolished, or, in other words,
that the Legislature exhausted all its
resources in providing this plan, and
that the only alternative rs 10 swallow
the amendments or PerPetuate tho
courts, is absurd.
We do not undertake To dictate or de-
eide ior any voter OF any party, whether
the plan Of the amendments is tho best
substitute for the County Courts ca not
Every voter must determine this for
himself We have done our best to en-
force the Importance OF voting inieiii-
gently upon them, aud have eadsayored
10 show the exact bearing and operation
OF the amendments II they should be
adopted, in order that the people may
determine Tor themselves whether they
are satisfied with the proposed change.
Aud this is the best assistance W. can
OiIer.
But a. 10 making party issue OF
them, or in any manner splicing the
amendments to party platforms OF can
didates, 81 AS h. influence their rathca-
ton or rejection, otherwise than upon
their merits, We think is radically wrong,
and will result in great dissatisfaction IN
the future.
Admit that there are some things IA
the present Constitution that arr not
wise or an improvement on tho proyi-
sinns 1T a lormer Constitution, aud that
the County Court system is one OF them {;
admit that this Constitution Was adopt
cd 10y virtue Ut being madc party ~
sue, aud that the Democrats are chiefly
responsible Tor it. there is In that very
TACT a lesson and u reason ol the strong
est Kind why the precedent should not
be repeated.
And We do not believe II will. Men
Of all parties, We think. will come To the
polls at the next election rrmcmhcr'ng
that upon the matter Of recognizing
our judicial system, they have duty to
perform to the State, rather than To their
party. The independent voter will AS
scrt himself ON this, II upon no other
issue. Tie will remember that IN max
ing change ia tho organic law ct the
State. It Is IA the nature nj M established
and permanent thug. IL cannot be re-
called immediately or easily II It proves
mistake. Hence, the urgent necessity
ol being certain that We are willing to
ahilo by that which Ne once accept.
The idea advanced that in voting
upon the amendments, We vote Tor OF
against the County Courts, is the first
attempt at fraud and deception that has
been attempted in IhiS CONNECTION. A
We have heretofore said, Il the pure and
simple question Of the abolition Of the
County Courts wcrc submitted To the
people ri the State to-day, there Is moth
ing more CERTAIN than that the PROPOSE
ton would receive the support OF the
combined vote oi the Democratic, Re-
publican and Greenback parties. There
Ia no section or county oi tho State, We
hink. that would not roll M majority
IN favor of the abolition OF thess courts.
hut our information from the counties
% the State indicates that the same
uhanimity docs not prevail on the ques-
tion OF accepting the amendments as u
substitute Tor the County Courts. Upon
tht latter proposition there will be a
division Of sentiment.
Bat the County Courts, nevertheless
will nave 10 10. This the people have
already dccrccd. They may not take
the course provided by the Legislature
ior getting rid Of them. They may or
may not, say ut the polls. that the plan
of the amendments shall settle the
question. II they reject the amend
menls, Il will simply be saying that We
prefer some other substitute Tor the
County Courts-not that We are salts
fled with The County Courts. liza man
were travelling toward the Capital OF The
Sptts,, and found that there we're a
number OF roads by which he could
reach 10, and should choose to take a
different ROAD from that which had been
recommendsdtoshim, 1t Would not be
Just TO say that he vas opposed to going
to the Capital because he hal aprelSr,
ence in the matter OF the road he should
travel.
Aud 50 NE say 10 our correspondent
that while the people'ot the state may
have a preiercnce about the road they
shall choose in reaching the abolition OF
the County Courts. ,it will be found