The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-04-24

of intelligent persons all over the
country, State or District--so that
those persons assembled in mass
ed conventions confer together,
and if themselves honest and fair,
will select or nominate fit and com
petent candidates, in whom the peo-
pie can and ought to confide-in this
manner the masses are put in pos
session of the facts Of fitness of can
didates, which they had no other
means Of knowing, and thereby the
public good is promoted. But as to
mere county offices, none of these
reasons apply, because it can rarely
happen that men of the requisite fit
ness, qualification and experience,
are not, or cannot conveniently make
themselves personally known to the
voters before election day, to enable
them to intelligcntly vote for or
against them on the grounds Of fit
Eess alone. Secondary evidence of
fitness should only be taken where
primary evidence cannot be obtain
ed. So that where the people can
know these things for themselves,
they should not be asked to rely on
hearsay, or what others say in rela-
ton thereto So that for the same
reasons that nominations Of Federal
and State officers at large should be
made, nominations for mere county
offices should not be made.
But again, in Federal and State
offices us q rule, we find involved po-
litical and partisan principles; to
carry out those principles we must
have men known to have principles
in accord therewith-to better insure
the election of these men, party or
ganzation becomes essential and emf
nently proper, and the machinery of
all organization must of necessity be
conventional But as to mere
county offices there is not, and can
not be any difference Of partisan
views, interests or principles, unless
and outside Of that pernicious one,
''to the victors belong the spoils.'
County offices are in fact non-politic-
a. and should be partisan too;
they are either purely judicial, police
or ministerial, and, therefore, loudly
and justly forbid mere partisan spo-
lation or touch.
The true interests of Republicans
and Democrats as to their local or
county affairs are identically the
same. They each and all want good
and competent Sherltts, Prosecuting
Attorneys, Justices, Constables,
whether they be Republicans or Dem
ocrats, politically.
Parties and party organization in
their place are all right and proper,
and tend to promote the public veal,
but to extend either beyond its prop
er sphere or function, is pernicious
and wrong, and often robs the peo-
pie of good and competent officers,
Believing the foregoing views to be
sound and just, we would advise the
Democratic party of Monongalia
to not make any nominations for
county offices this year. We would
have them look to the fitness of
men, without special regard to what
they have been, or are, in national
politics; aud to this end and purpose
invite moderate and solid men of the
Republican party to unite with us
at the polls in the selection of our
best men to fill our county offices.
We believe and know that many of
the solid Republicans of our county
are in accord with us in these views,
believing that nothing less than the
prosperity aud good of the country is
involved in the successful carrying
out of these views. When we elect men
to office on this broad and eminently
just platform, they will not dare to
depart from it in the execution of
their official duties.
MonongaGans, let us try it, and
thereby raise our noble old county
out of the ditch, and place her in the
path of prosperity that nature and
age entities her to.