Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-09-23


publican corporation should conclude to
foreign colored labor fourteen months
before the next general election? Why
did they not wait couple of months
longer? Evidently they had profted by
the lesson Of the gubernatorial contest,
which taught them that twelve months
residence was essential to right to vote
in West Virginia, whatever the color or
politics of the intending voter might be.
Now, my fellow citizens, is the light
of the exposure of this general scheme
of colonization, in its relation to the re-
suits at Raymond City, what credit for
sincerity or consistency are we TO give
TO the Republican platform and its
declaration against armed alien forces!
Particularly when these same gentlemen
will tell you during this campaign that
they are in favor of a force bill so that
they may have a free vote and fair
count. who congratulate the people upon
the fact that there will be no United
States marshals at the polls this year
and at the same time declare in favor Of
a federal election law that puts a
bayonet behind every ballot"
Sample of Radical Economy.
The Huntington platform next de-
nounces the Democratic administrations
in this state as wasteful, incompetent
and extravagant. 1t charges specitical-
lv that we have increased the number
of oficeholders and their salaries; in
creased the average assessment for state
taxes, and the object and basis OF taxa
ton by the reassessment of property.
Let them specify wherein we have been
either wasteful, incompetent or extraya-
CANT. Let us compare records. Inc
Republican party was IN power IN TINS
state from 1868 to 1871. During that
period. with tax rate greater than we
have since had, they only partially built
the ASYLUM at Weston, about half COM
pleted the penitentiary at Moundsvllle
and received as a donation grounds and
buildings for university and normal
school. The impartial inquirer will ask
in vain what they did with the taxes
collected from the people. assert on
the other hand, that every talr-mlnded
man must cOncede merit IN all the eX-
penditures under Democratic admlnlstra-
ton, in the offices created and the sal
aries paid; that they must also condemn
the Republican methods OF handling the
finances. disapprove of many OF the
offices created under Republican ad-
ministration, and criticise the salaries
paid. ..-
About the first thing the Democrats
did upon coming into power was 10
abolish fifty-four boards of registration,
thus doing away with l62 Republican
officers. whose sole business 1t was to
disfranchise Democrats. These boards
cost the state treasury 81. 1858 in 1856;
SIG. .43l. "a in 1867; $S,9j2S5 in 1868: So
SIS. A In 1869; $S,4S2.42 in 1870; 81
400. 50 in 1871. More annually than the
present salaries of the governor, auditor,
treasurer. attorney general and super
intendent of free schools, and the aholl-
tion of these boards also retired 10
private life an army of several hundred
registrars, all of whom had to be paid.
The Party Pleads Guilty.
The Democratic party pleads guilty to
the charge in the Republican platform
that it has created a few offices. 1t Gre
ated the offices of state inspectors of
mines. made necessary by the mining
law enacted by Democratic legislature
to provide safety for that very deserving
class of our citizens employed in mining
coal. and who are doing so much for the
DEVELOPMENT and substantial prosperity
of the state. The very nature of this in
dustrv makes it a hazardous one, and 1t
Is the plain duty of the state TO provide by
law such regulations as will tend to re-
duce the dangers and increase the safety
of this class of our citizens. Do you Re
publicans propose to abolish the two
offices of mine inspectors? Another
office created by Democratic legislation
is that of commissioner Of labor. This
bureau was created to gather such
statistical and other information respect
inc the conditions of all classes OF labor
as would enable our legislators to lntelll-
gently consider and enact laws in the in
terest of the laboring classes. Do you
propose. my Republican friends. who
delight in posing as the special friends
of labor, to abolish the labor bureauY
The board of agriculture in another Gre
alton of the Democratic party. None
except practicable farmers are elioible
TO places on this board. You H'
cans love the farmer and have esta)- ed
and insist upon maintaining, as you say,
high protective tariff III his interest;
do You object to a few hundred dollars
expended through the operations OF this
board exclusively for the benefit OF the
farmers of West Virginia? Are you in
clined to
Oppose the National Guard
of our state. of whom all should be
proud? If not You can not object to the
law which relieved the adjutant general
of the duties of state librarian by Great
ing the office of librarian. The new
military law under which our national
guard is organized, and which was pre-
pared by those eminent Republicans,
Colonel Freer and Major Gluck, gentle
men for whose fairness and ability as
politicians, citizens and military men l
have high regard. made it necessary TO
have in the adjutant general an officer
who could give all his attention TO mill
tarv matters The Office of librarian Is
one of importance, its duties are contin-
ing and require constant attention from
one person at least. Since the creation
of this office. our valuable state library
has been well cared for and the service
has been most efficient. DO our Re
publican friends want to cripple the
military organization OF the state, or
leave the state library without proper
care ana SeTNlCt. -AHOAlltl l4tN OAAAOC ID
that of state bank examiner, but in fair
ness to the Republican candidate for
governor, l must not claim for the
Democratic party the exclusive credit
for creating this office. Mr.. Davis was
author of the bank examiners law now
on our statute book and the most earnest
advocate of its passage. Does the party
which has headed its state ticket with
the name of Mr. Davis object TO this
law, which aims at providing secure and
solvent banks fer the use of the people? ?
What other offices have been created,
uuiess 1t be an additional member or the
court Of appeals and few additional
circuit judges, made necessary by the in
crease of the states population and con-
sequent increase in litigation? Do the
Republicans propose to deny to the peo-
pie efficient courts!
About Salaries.
The Huntington platform next ac-
cuses the Democrats of having increased
salaries. can only characterize this as
ILT.l -