Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-10-11
ON THE EVE oE BATTLE.

ny of her people, and decide
whether her name and her wealth
shall at once come to the trout
among the States of the Union, or
continue to hang in the balance,
divided aud wrecked by the bitter
est factional struggle for supremacy,
in which there is nothing but shame
and dishonor for her citizehs-noth-
ing but oppression and taxation for
her farmers and taxpayers.
1t is not battle to try the strength
of parties. The conflict is between
two classes of people. The liberal
and progressive element of all par
ties standing shoulder to shoulder
against the wrongs and injustice of
a bourbon administration, that raj
lies to it's support the plunderers of
our hard-earned possessions, and
/ the pelicans of the wilderness of the
past who have at stake nothing but
issues that are buried and forgotten
by all the world besides.
For weeks men have met in their
homes, in the street, at the cross
roads and in the school houses; there
we're no weapons known in political
warfare left idle or rusty; night
after night and day after day was
a struggle for advantage, for posi-
ton; and now the lines are drawn,
the scouts recalled, the pickets taken
in, and breathless with interest the
great army of the people of West
Virginia awaits the decision of the
day-yictOry or defeat-Tuesday
next.
1t is useless to claim and counter
claim when few more days will
settle the uncertainty. This much
is true, however, that in the days Of a
purer administration in this State
the opposition had majority of 12,-
900 to $4,000, that has slowly but
surely dwindled down to 1000 and
5000. This year Republican and
Greenbacker, and Labor advocate,
and Peoples friend all are united
against usurpation of power, unjust,
unequal and unreasonable taxation
the fruits of a corrupt political
stronghold that has brought it's
party into disrepute, its common
wealth into disgrace and humiliation
and an Independent and worthy peO-
| pie to Encouragement and want
Shall victory be with the people I?
1t seems it must be SO, yet the force
that will turn the tide on Tuesday
next has been quiet, secure in the
knowledge of its strengthening
as it were the day of tIial-THE
FARMERS. They reaped their har-
vest and sowed their seed while
their less busy and industrious neigh
bors were attending conventions and
discussing politics. Upon them fall
the heaviest burdens of partisan
and unpopular government. They
are the first to feel the effects of
official mismanagement, yet the
last to act. They have had no time
to take part III the political agitation,
but they were watching, reading and
thinking, and Tuesday next is their
day to act. With every reason to
rely upon them, we are hopeful
enough to say that the peoples
ticket will be elected.
There is no use of gong over the
issues of this campaign for the hun
dredth time. On the one side we
have State Indebtedness of $780,
900; a school fund destroyed, 800, 900
expenditures in excess of the receipts
for the year, the ermine of our high
est court furnished by political and
personal passions, an executive that
sets aside all legislative procedure
and defies all lava estate house y
faction that Is stronger than it's
party whom it turns down in the
representatives OF such men as
Faulkner and Vanmetre and forces
upon it a tool of its own choice, a
man who will help to carry out and
vindlcate its own policy and record
E. Willis Wilson, who speaks for
himself wherever he goes-a man
whom the Democratic party paper
accuses of being in sympathy with
the Mason tax commission which is
going all over this State seeking out
taxable prOperty-in accord with
that Mason who represents the Wall
Street and London syndicates and
who is laboring day and night with
might and main to force settlement
with old Virginia and talks and
figures with S15,00O,00O and it's accu-
mulated interest for years. With
such an influence at the head of our
State, there are no bright future
prospects-nO hopes of wise and pru-
dent legislation so necessary for a
prosperous country and a happy
people.
What does the other side offer :?
1t does not go boasting through the
land. 1t is pledged to the best in
terests of the people. Will its
pledges be redeemed If they are
1 ,r>H L. L. L.