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

To the Editor Of the Register.
Sir:-The little controversy between you
and the editor of the other morning paper
in relation to good government IN city
affairs reminds ne OF part ot an article
which appeared in the Century Magazine
in the latter part of the year %. which l
think is applicable to the present case. 1t
was written by the lion. Theodore Roose-
welt. of whom no one will doubt his Re-
pubiicanism. He says:
Every act OF an organized Republican
body in any portion of the Union mas
some effect upon the general party well
fare. Republicans. and especially Repuo-
lican politicians. in and out or office, must
if they have the welfare of the party at
heart. feel that a heavy responsibility
rests upon them. They must take the
right side Of every issue that arises-iocal,
or State. or national. Il is discredit 10
the whole party when Republicans put
into Office a scoundrel Of any kind. 1t is
credit TO the whole party when they
work i'm any place disinterestedly for good
government. The law breaker.
whether he be lyncher, or whitecappef. or
merely the liquor seller who desires 10
feel that the Republican party is against
him. Every ballot box suffer every bribe
taker every corrupt official Of any grade
must be made TO feel that he is an outcast
from the Republican party. The party
must stand firmly for good governmeut
i'm our cities. and I'm many cases this good
government can only be obtained by sink
ing Of partisan lines in municipal con-
tests"
First-Are the so-caIled Republican lead
ers disinterested i'm their actions? No.
one is an avowed candidate for the United
States Senate. another a candidate for
this another for that. and so on from the
top down TO the lately elected
constables. Al grabbing, scram-
bling. trading. scuGiing. and buying in
thoir mad race for office All because
they belong to he Republican party: and
some Of them are not i'm the party three
months. The genuine Republican, the un-
assailabie one. those that fought many
hopeless dCht. fought for principle have
now to take a back seat and follow i'm the
lead of these guerlllas who were always
omen for barter and sale, who are always
on the qui vive for a political snap for
themselves. their fathers-in-law, their
cousins. and sometimes their aUnts tt
does not matter. so long as it is for the
good Of their relations. Mr.. Editor, do
not charge the Republican party with the
acts Of these free-bOoters-they are not
Republicans They but don the cloak Of
Republcanism to advance their nefarious
ends. Unfortunately. fortune has brought
in, .ffr
belong to no party. although they call
themselves Republicans \ certain c-e-
ment I'm both parties write and dictate
who shall he nominated at the primaries.
No one gets the nomination unless they
can control him. and any man who does
not suit them. no matter how competent,
no matter how honest. no matter how
clean. will he defeated if he runs for the
nominate This was shown conclusiveiy
at the last two primaries. Such primaries!
A few more such would be worse than
defeat. Promising Of offices. paying with
money. swilling Of beer and importing
voters from Martins Ferry. Bridgeport
and Bcllaire are some of the modes by
which the primaries were carried. 1t
looked as if Il political hell was let loose
TO corrupt the fountain head OF the free
mans ballot and make all elections VERT
able farce This is not Republicanism;
these are not Republican principles.
They are not the principles Of Lincoln, or
Phillips. or Garrison. or Sumner, or Grant.
No: their principles were for the ameliora-
ton of the human race. The principles Of
the latter will stand as a beacon of hope
to posterity. while the other, although
successful for while, viii in the future
stink in the nostris" of honest men.
The coming city election is one Of the
cases that Mr. Roosevelt had in view when
he wrote: Good government can only be
obtained by sinking Of party lines Re
publicans Will not be stultifying their Re
publicanism by voting for the best mon
on either ticket. Vote for the best men.
Vote for good city government Vote
against the ring. Vote so as to give
more crushing lesson than was given last
November to one Of them. Let tho same
1000 Republicans vote the same rs they did
then. for the best man on either ticket.
Vote as Theodore Roosevelt says. Break
down partisan lines so rs to have a good
city government.