Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-16

As an abstract source of mental recrea-
ton the utterances of the Intelligence
these days. upon the subject Of municipal
politics. whether editorial. local, or IN the
guise of communications, form an inter
esting. if not a profitable, study.
The writing force of the paper is evil
IDENTIFY under instructions to defend, pro-
tect and uphold the City Hall crowd at
whatever cost Of space, veracity' rhyme
or reason. and the gentlemen are bend
ing themselves 10 their congenial task
with an enthusiasm which is beautiful 10
contemplate. AS an example OF fidelity 10
charges the effort being made IS, perhaps,
worthy of praise; viewed from any other
standpoint. it is nothing more than an
other attestation OF the blind devotion OF
an INSCRIPTIONS partisan newspaper to
political ring rule, and renewed assur-
ance of the fact that the Inteiligencer
never allows the truth 10 interfere with
its notions of what its readers ought 10
have served up TO them. Time and again.
during the late national campaign, the In
telligencer, through its editorial columns,
gave utterance to statements alleged 10
be facts, when there was absolutely no
/
upon two conspicuous occasions. when the
Register convicted it of a deliberate at
tempt 10 mislead and predicted that the
Intelligencer would remain silent. the pre-
diction was verified for it was silent.
FaIsus in uno. falsus IN omnibus, was a
maxim In the days of old Rome, and 1t
may be applied with mathematical exact
ness to the Intell.gencer's political utter
ances. Anything it may say is subject 10
verifcation before being accepted as even
approximately true.
one day last week the Register had oc-
casion. in the course of its duty Of chron-
iciing the news. 10 print the annual report
of the Board of Trustees Of the City Gas
Works. and in pursuance of the policy Of
giving credit where credit is due, took
occasion to commend the report and TO
say with all candor and fairness that the
figures showed that that particular de-
partmeut OF the city government had been
well managed I'm the face Of some dis
couraging circumstances. Another day of
last week this paper was pleased to pub
lish a communication criticising the ring
methods Of running the City Hall, in
which it was particularly specified that
a Republican club house. where Republic
can campaign clubs had their regular
headquarters and where the Republican
County and City Executive Committees
lived moved and had their being; that
these organizations held forth in the
Council chambers and IN the Offices of
officials burning gas ut the expense Of
the gas consumers and using carpets and
furniture AZ the expense of the taxpayers;
that sometimes as many as three organ
izations We're in session at public expense
IN one night; that the building was rem
devious for ward heelers and political
strikers and calling attention to the fact
that this was the first time I'm the history
of the city that any political party had
thus used public property. save and eX-
cept an occasional meeting for suggestion
meetings or primaries by both parties, in
the ncarpeted and unfinished Police
Court room.
one of these statements. thus made in
the Register. was just as true as the
other. What we said about The Gas Board
was Of equal verify with what we said
about the ring misuse Of the City Hail.
Both statements were true. with this
exception: What was said about the
management OF the Gas department. was
Tho whole truth. what was said about
Tho rrostit,,-for n nrbBc n-onertv was
onrv about half the trutb-and the mildest
hair ~ that The 1nteuieencer was
pleased. editorially. to reproduce and COM
mend what the Register said about the
gas works. II did that because ii suited
q political purpose. The Intelligeucer was
pleased TO locally ridicuIe and deny what
was said about the ring and the City Hall.