Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-08-29
WITH A SHARP STICK.
Senator Morris Gets at the
Democratic State Platform.
COMPARISONS ARE oDIoUs

He Defends the Republican Legislature
Vigorously and Refers 10 Some Things
of the Democratic Past which Are In
famous isistory--A Singing Rebuke to
the Maiigners of Honorable Men--Ihc
Infamous Record Of Democratic Legis-
latures Merely Referred to, But 1t Is
Enough.
Hon P. W. Morris, editor of The
Richie Gaz cite. aud for many years q
member of the West Virginia Legisia-
ture, and member of the last.one, de
votes over a column in his issue of Aug.
20 to the Democratic State Platform:
Referring to the plailks attacking the
Republican Legislature and in regard
to the alleged Virginia State debt, he
says:
ssThe paragraph is filthy lie, outside
of the bounds of respectable politics,
made 50 by its first clause. To attack
the Legislature for what it did or did
not do, is legitimate politics; but to
charge it as a whole with being an as
sembly of corrupt spoilsmen is an in
famous and dirty SANDER. The Gazette
denies that even one member of the late
Legislature was corrupted. 1t will pay
the authors of this venomous Democratic
screed 81 ,0GG for every charge of corrup-
tion against the Republican Legislature
they cans substantiate, if they will pay
lt $40 for every member of the State
Democratic convention who was being
corrupted by being hauled to it on free
pass and by free whisky and free board.
1t admits that the convention contained
many splendid and honorable gentle-
men, but charges that a train load of
delegates was hauled to it without
charge to them; so that is not in a posi-
ton to charge corruption Oh anybody or
anything.
1.-THE attempt to drag the school book
question into partisan politics is too con-
temptible TO notice. Democratic mem
beers of the Legislature as well as Repab-
heans nearly all voted for the present
law. There must have been an Ameri-
can Book Company man on this Demo-
cratic committee ON resolutions.
1.-The Gazette regrets at this time it
has not space to compare the record Of
the late Legislature in full, with that OF
Democratic Legislatures. The late Re-
publican Legislature was splendid, up
right, industrious working body. 1t
completed its labors within the constitu-
tional time limit, and did not wind up
with drunken carousal, but adjourned
decently and in order.
GLOW is it on the other side? The
Gazette does not assail the motives or
integrity of whole bodies of men; but
the last Legislature will bear comparison
with its Democratic predecessors for 20
years. More than one case of corruption
occurred in them The constitutional
convention of 1872 was the opening for
a long line Of extravaganza and waste.
The Legislature of 1928 lasted for
months. Enormous printing bills We're
paid Extra sessions have been held
The writer of this article was member
of the Legislature for eight years in
Democratic times, and there were seven
sessions when there should have been
four. A Democratic Legislature, urged
on by political necessity, filched the
Governorship of this State from the man
who was elected. No Democratic Legis-
lature ever wound up without banquet
in which champagne and whisky flowed
as freely as water. On the election of
United States Senator by the Demo-
cratic Legislature a scene of unrivaled
revelry and debauchery occurred. So
when it comes to talking of Legislat-
ures-were affairs for nearly a quarter
of century of Democratic rule in this
State. This is only general decription,
too, for details would fill pages of
newspaper.
''As to the Virginia debt paragraph, it
answers itself 1t was wonderful and
thrilling work for the Democratic mi
nority in the House of Delegates, to get
the enormous Republican majorities to
resolve against paying the debt 1t is
just as well to be honest and fair in this.
Democrats and Republicans alike in
West Virginia are opposed to the pay
ment of the Virginia debt, and all that
is necessary to get a hearty expression is
TO mention the subject.