Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-07

~ EAh Ill 980@.af
Judge Ferguson 10 fortun.o -. FOR
some unaccountable reeso4 - ~.
chosen by the Government 70 asust the
prosecution in the Seiota case. The Gov.
eminent ought to have good counsel, buf
while there are good Republican huyero
in the State the absolute neesssity - -
Iecting q Democratic politician 10 not ap-
parent hRtelii9eaeer.
The "Sciota case" to which reference
Is made in the above paragraph b the
trial now pending in the o. 8. District
Court of this Stateto .fix the respona.
bility for the disaster to-that boat which
resulted In the drowning Of about sixty
of its passengers In the Ohio river be-
tween Wheeling and Steubenville about
q year ago.
We believe nobody has heretofore
taken the pains to inquire whether the
Sciota was Democratic or Republican
boat; whether its officers were Demo-
Gratis or Republicans; whether the pas
sengers who went down were Demo-
Gratis or Republicans; or whether the
Court before which the case is to be
tried is Democratic or Republican.
The Republican Attorney General at
Washington, evidently overlooked the
political aspects of the case and con-
ceiyed that the main Issue would be as
to who was responsible for such a dread
full loss of life. He wanted an attorney
who has the experience and ability to
sift the matter to the bottom and one
who could be relied upon to bring every
principle of law and evidence to bear
in favor of the Governments case.
Judge FERGUSON was appointed. His
reputation as q lawyer, his command
&c, -h:i:Is-, L. 90 - --r--i~~es at
the bar and his untiring industry and
fidelity in responsibilities of this kind,
naturally designated him as the man
the Government was looking for.
But Judge FERGUSON is Democrat!
and it is, therefore, an ''undcc ountd6te"
circumstance to the editor of the Intel
Rqeneer that the Government should
appoint him it is ''unaccountable" that
the Republican administration at
Washington should have any use for
Democratic la Syer, however able he
may be; it is "unaccoustable" that the
Government would commit to Demo-
cratic lawyer the work of investigating
how q boat went down and who is re-
sponsible for it.
This particular matter is not worthy
of discussion. We leave its discussion
to those quibbling journals which are
in search Of small topics with which to
kill time and fill their valuable space.
But the above paragraph is useful as an
illustration. We cite it as fair sample
of the lofty political altitude which the
Republican press OF this State chooses
to occupy.
Taking the cue of the small.bore
politician they see nothing but the pc.
litical purpose or possibility in every
public or private movement, enterprise
or proposition that turns up. They
have gone into the courts, into the
asylums of the State, into the educa-
tional institutions, into every niche and
corner where men are employed, where
enterprises and industries of any and
every character are being carried for
ward, and they see nothing of merit,
nothing worthy of note, nothing that
commands their attention or which Is
worth their while to commend to pub
lie notice, save only the probable or
possible coneealment of political
handspring operating in the interest
Of the Democratic party.
Having now pretty thoroughly COW
cred the ground of this character of
investigation we see nothing left for
them to do, unless they apply them
selves to polling the clergymen of the
different pulpts or ascertaining the po-
litical complexion of the funeral pro-
cessions that wend their way to the
cemeteries. They may possibly find an
"unaccountable" preponderance of
Democratic prOclivities in the one and
of Republican fatality in the other,
over which it will be profitable to phil
OsophiZe.