West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-11-23
We do not know what to do with

expense OF charging 1t ana making
the canvass for subscribers that is
necessary. If $4,000 were put into
it, its circulation would 90 to 5000
evenly distributed over the State.
There is at this time the greatest
need for such paper. There is the
greatest need for a PUBLIC paper as
distinguished from a private paper.
This State needs u journal of gener-
al circulation which has fixed opin-
ions and is not afraid of the money
power. Every thinking man must
realize the truth of what we say.
1t is not surprising that this pa
per has a small circulation as com
pared with its merits. The fact
that it has readers in every part of
the State is conclusive proof of its
value.
The DEMOCRAT has outlived Oppo-
sitiOn and cannot be suppressed.
When an aggressive paper survives
the first two years, it is hard tOkill.
Having lived FOUR years, notwith-
standing the efforts to break it down,
the DEMOCRAT is likely to be here.
when those now lying about it are
dead and forgotten.
We were unable to advocate GER
tain gentlemen for office, because We
did not believe they would accom-
plish legislation our people desired.
Not having an axe to grind. we
could afford to be Independent. On
public questions our opinions
amount 70 intense convictions, and
we could not give them up either to
make money or 20 cOnciliate enc
mics. We have hit some hard blows
in the past. We never struck in
malice. We never hit as hard as we
can hit, and we can truly say, We
never struck below the belt" We
can truly say that no fair, manly
blow has been aimed ut us "ABovE
the belt"
But the past is past. We have
no grievances to avenge, and no
debts to pay. The only question
with us IS, how to bring about such
harmony and concert Of action as
will save this State from the dan
gers which threaten.
The student of history can read
the future with some certainty. Our
party must fight or run. If it fights,
the battle must be on the lines fol
lowed by this paper. Give it 5000
circulation, and two years West Vir-
GINA will go Democratic by an over
whelming majority. Continue the
boycott; continue the effort to ostra-
else the only paper willing and able
to do such work as is needed and
two years hence no man will be
elected unless the Jay GOuld-Carne-
gle class have bill of sale for him
body and soul.
We do net know what to do about
this paper. There is nothing in it
for US personally, but our anxiety
for the Democratic creed makes us
give it our time and labor If any
one thinks the DEMOCRAT is edited
without vast deal Of intellectual
effort let him try to write its ediJo-
rails and to gather such matter for
its columns as We have collected
every week for 200 weeks.
There are many men who want
Office who think as we think. They
will never get office until this paper,
or some paper like it, is accepted as
the organ Of our party. There are
a few Congressman who think as we
think and whO, while not aggressive,
will not vote against their own sense
of duty unless this paper, or some
paper like it, has a State circulation,
they must retire from public life.
The DEMOcRAT is their only saliva
tion, because it can and will educate
the masses to distinguish between
those who serve them and those who
betray them.
1t is known TO US that certain gen
tlemen are unwilling to aid the Dem
ocRAT for fear its editor may acquire
a personal following and influence
which will interfere with their own
promotion. They sadly misjudge
its editor. He has no motive except
to give the unOrganized masses the
benefit of his knowledge. He has
sense enough to realize that the
money power will never permit him