West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1892-01-14
ABLE DEfgNsE OF COMMISSIONERS
LEROY SHAW.


HowEsvILLE, Jan. IL. lSss.
EDiToR Argus -
In the last is, ue Of your esteemtd
paper there appeared letter over
the signature Of lex Road Sur
veyor." which. to an impartial OBJ
server, savors very strongly of envy
and jealousy, and in order to injure
his fellow man this would-be critic
does not hesitate to separate him
self from Truth, il he is acquainted
with such word. lie may succeed
in misleading few Of his blind
followers by his misrepresentation
OF Commissioner Leroy Shaw, but
those who arc Acquainted With the
facts his misrepresentation will have
the opposite effect. Everybody
should court honest criticism and
condemn fd!sehood, and when a
public officer performs his sworn
duty without fear or. favor. we
should give snch an Official credit.
regardless OF our personal feeling
towards him. This is honorable :;
this is justice.
Now. have never supported
Commissioners Shaw for office, not
because | did not consider Inn
qualified and worthy. but from the
simple fact that his opponents had
first solicited my support. and as
they were equally qualified aud
worthy, voted FOR them. | make
this statement. so that ANYTHING |
may say cannot be construed by the
unprecedented and impartial reader
rs 1eihg prompted by sordid motives
aud political or Official reward, but
simply in q spirit of f,irness and
justice to public officer who has
been faithful to his trust. Mr..
Shaw went into Office under a try
ing ordeal. for it was predicted bv
his enemies that he would be "A fail
ure, aud one term would satisfy his
most ardent friends that he was not
the man for County Commissioner
But let the facts speak for them
selves. After serving one term his
most bitter enemies. after "a careful
scrutiny Of his public acts. could
not pick one flaw in his record ms !.
public servant, and that the peopl,
OF Kingwood District appreciated
his service they elected him for
second term by an increased ma
jority.
There Is one trait in Mr.. Shaw.
makeup which | have always ad-
mlred, and that is. that no political
ring politicians can lead him by the
nose and dictate to him what he
must do il h. expects political
prefcrment. He has in season and
out OF solson fought bossism i'm
every shape and form, md / must
admit that for considerable length
OF time he suffered. politically, for
his stubbornncss and bulld dog
tenacity in fighting the bosses. but
We nave AL heard the oft quoted.
"Trnth. though crushed TO earth.
will rise again" and MIR. Shaw is
an excellent exempliicatipn of this
trlte saying. lie has successfully
fought down the bosses. and to day
stands on his record rs an honest
and fearless representative Of the
people. AS another illustr,ti of
his evident worth. at the Last meet.
ing Of the County Court he WAS
elected President Of that honorable
body. after stating to his colleagues
that he WAS not candidate for the
presidency.
Another word and | am done, for
it is useless waste Of space and
time to take notice of the rubbish
and jargon which predominates in
his letter, for it carries it's own refu-
tatiOn. lie speaks about Commits
sionor Shaw appointing some Demo
cratic Road Surveyors, and alleges it
was done for political considera-
ton, when it is we'll known fact
that Mr.. Shaw owes his ell sction to
both Republicans aud Democrats.
His election was not made n politi-
cal issue. Some OF his most enthu-
siastic supporters we're Democrats.
while OH the other hand his bitter.