Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-11-01
MORE BUSINESS AND LESS POLL
TICS.

Louisville Courier Journal, said in
recent speech that he believed the
country had arrived at a point in it's
experience from which the future
Of the government must take its
course for long series of years.
+" He was man of peace, but in
times like this, it sometimes conser-
we'd peace to prepare for trouble. If
outrages continued it would result
in civil war; not between the North
and South, but between the East
and West"
This is significant admission that
there are outrages in elections. The
point of difference between the East
and the West is protective tariff
against free trade system
1t is just as impossible to have free
trade in the West and protection in
the East, as it was to have slavery
in the South and freedom in the
North. The country has not as
much to fear, however, from these
points of difference in legislation as
it has from corruption of the popu-
lar franchise. All the political revo-
lutions of history were preceded by
just such evils.
We do not think any good can
come from discussing the charges OF
fraud and intimidation by one party
against the other in the North or
South, East or West. The struggle
for power is at such height that
no one knows where it will end. If
it continues, the fears of Henry
Watterson may be realized ; but we
think the American people have
learned lesson that cannot possibly
be already forgotten, nor for long
time to come. Still. when we look
around and see the press, the pulpit
and the bar engaged in deadly po
litical warfare, we wonder where to
look for moderation and wise coun
sci.
Take our own county. The bitter
ness and treachery in politics are be-
coming so intense that good and
honest men of any party care not to
make the fight. 1t may not be as
bad now as it was some years ago
the equal division of the people po-
litically serving as some restraint
and the healthy sentiment of the
law and order abiding citizens keep
ing the statesmen busy making APPEL
ogies for their want of fairness and
their readiness to misrepresent and
pass Judgment.
Take Jefferson. Not the immortal
but Jefferson County, West Virgin
ia. Its 1000 Democratic to 1000
Republican. To say the least, it will
not be denied that a Republican tax.
ing an active part in politics has nc
prospect of doing business in Char
lestown, and wouldn't attempt to dc
any. We do not hold the party re
sponsible for soaring the life out Of
the co!ored people OH election day
Such things are done by individuals
and if matters were reversed, there
would be found Republicans who
would resort to the same tactics.-
The government, all the same. guar
antees free rights to all men. Take
the Charlestown papers as an index
of the feeling of the people. Nc
matter what political falsehood on
the Republican side is exploded, the
echo of the old story never dies out
in that bourbon stronghold. Two
or three weeks ago there was a re-
port circulated that Gen. Logan
spat IN a mans face for saying that he
raised the rebel flag. Nobody be,
tlieved it; nobody believes it now
only the lowest and most degraded
would be capable Of such action; yet
the Jefferson press repeats it in good
earnest, while the intelligence OF its
editors must tell them it is not true.
Instances might be multiplied, but to
what purpose. 1t is a rich county /;
its people are intelligent. A good
local newspaper would do much for
Jefferson County, and we believe
the people would support such a
Paper.