Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1889-01-10
JANUARY
Importani 0 ,c.tion Discussed.

From he lIdyae Neics.
The Monroe ITatchman rcjoinS to our
rep 40 lis structures on SeraI"r kenna.
The burden of The argument is that Sen
alor Kenna, by virtue of being in Con-
gress, has been the leader of the party IN
this State Tor The last twelve years aud
the majority has decreased: therefor
Mr.. kenna should he retired. As we de
not admit the truth of the premises W.
nninlan that the conclusion Is not wei
t undch. We fail to see why Il Unltci
States Sci aior or u Curgres' man sh.ulC
be any more a leader in the politics "
his State than amy other prnmi ient man
Mr.. Kennas course aud votes In Con
grcSS. have not been such Is are calculai
ed To w,aken the party and his >peechcs
during the campaign were OF the very
best made by any caTvas>er. The onl.
bearing his official position has had on
State politics is in the recommendation
for appointment to office under the zen
cral government during ih- last fou'
wears. The .rca;cst and most abrupt dc
cline in the Democratic miaj"riiy in Ihl
State was in the election OF 1881 whe'
Mr.. Kenna was not permitted 10 run ih'
political machine and prior Ia any oi hI'
recommendations. The IVatclmdn sure
" dues not charge up 10 Senator kcnm
the weakness Of the ticket that he did no
dictate, nor attribute the fall off of lSS-
lo The mistakes made BY him in the ma;
ter of recommendation since the 4th
March 1885. But has he made any So.
rious mistakes in his recommendations
Ii there are any Democrats in West VII
sinia who are more worthy of place ol
are better qualified than Miller, Me IA"
Sehon, Watts, Col Wilson and Cap
ild>SltT, Will lnc otCt"'W l''S"H' nun
few of them? They are the most rr
minent and popular men in the State an
have been wheel nurses in the cause of ID,
mocracy. We do not know on which side al
these entlcmen trained but we do know tha
Mr. Miller, at least, was not an adherent
eithor Mr. Camden or Senator Kenna and l.
got the best appointment made in this Stat,
The Governor has much more to do Wit
shaping the politics OF the State than Sen
ator ora Congressman, because his oilicia
act have exclusive bearing onStlte affair
Mr. Nj son has represented tn" Second de
trict in Congress since 1882 and in that Tim
the Democratic majority has decreased a
bout two thousand votes. Has his leader
ship orohical conduct been the cause ofthis
Mr. Gibson was elected to Congress in TIM
district in 1882 by over twelve hundred M =
jority. Twoyears later he had less than tw'
hundred. Had he done anything to caus
this? The change in the relative strengt.
of the parties is not the result of bad leader
ship. The greater part of the change ha
been through the new vote which has com
into the State. The majority of the native
element remains Democratic. Bad leader
shin has not been the chief recruiting agen
# Republican party from the Dcmocra .
ic ranks. Soreheadednoss produced by di >
appointment in getting oiii;e has been t {
cause of the great majority ofdesertions.
IfMr. Kenna assumed prominent leac-
ership of the party in the late election
have not heard oft He made speeches
other men did, but it ought not to be expect
ed that the leadership or the influence ofon
man could check the march Of the army o
disappointed Office hunters in whole Stat .
So far "a the Executive Committee was COL
ceraed it could do but little 1t was ban =
ruDt for the reason that the element clamor.
ing for the defeat OF Senator kenna had pre
viously resorted to revolutionary and undcm
orratic methods to defeat all the men wh
have heretofore provided the campaign iunt.
The News is under no personal or polit-
cal obligation to defend Senator Kenna. IL
our support ofhim we are actuated by mo
tiyes of public good and party expediency.-
That he has made an able and fsithiul repre-
sentative no man, whose mind is free iroi
bias, will deny. He has given West Virgin
il about all the national reputation it enjoys
That he is regarded away from home as :
succe sful and astute political leader is ev.-
denced by the fact that he has for years ovei
his own protest been placed at the head o
the Congressional Campaign Committee.
Oh, What 4 Cough.
IV.U vou h., ii ,Ee warning The signa