Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-03
RHEUMATISM

Madison is added to Washington, which
is calculated to make that district quite
as solid in its Republicanism. Then
the colored and white portion OF Mad
ison south of Tenth, heavily Republic
can, is added to Clay, which makes that
district in which the Democrats had
an excellent chance, also. Republican
to a certainty. Then the southern end
of Clay, which is Republican, is to be
switched onto Union, which is calcu-
lated to turn that district surely over
to the Republicans at all times. Then
it is proposed to tack sufficient of the
upper, or Republican, portion of Web
ster onto Centre to overwhelm the
Democrats there and to more than
make up for this loss in Webster by
adding to that district large slice OF
solidly Republican Richie, which can
afford to lose much without altering
it's political complexion. The country
districts are left unchanged because it
was impossible for the schemers to ar
range them so as to gain greater polit-
ical advantage than they already have.
Richland alone after the landslide of
last year being represented in the
Board of Commissioners by Democrat
and he pulled through by the Skin of
his teeth" So it will be seen that the
Republicans have fighting chance in
both Webster and Richland, while they
have all the other eight districts as
solid as it is in the power of fallible
human politicians to make them.
Yet we were told by the virtuous
county ringsters and their organ that
there was mo politics" whatever in it,
that it was simply modest little plan
to equalize the population and area Of
the districts, these districts, bear in
mind, being no more out of proportion
now than they were twenty years ago
just after the last redistricting, and
no man since then has asked or seen
the necessity for another redistricting,
except the present county ring, which
is working hand-in-glove with that
sweet-smelling body, the city ring, to
keep themselves in power and keep
their hands in the public pocket. The
proposed gerrymander is without the
shadow of reason or excuse, and is
simply bold, impudent scheme to
make it as difficult as possible for the
intelligent people of the community
to vote them out of power. Under the
proposed arrangement it will take
something like tidal wave to change
the political complexion Of the officials
of the county, which includes Commits
sioners, Justices and Constables.
1t would not be surprise next to
hear of a proposition from the city
ring to gerrymander the city so as to
perpetuate that delectable body of pub
lie officials in power. They have
raised taxes, squandered the money,
run the city deep into debt and it's
finances into a hopeless tangle, which
they now hope to get out of by stopping
payment on the city debt through the
proposed refunding ordinance, and it
would not be at all surprising if they
should follow the lead of the county
ring and attempt to fix things so that
the people could not turn them out.
Verify, the last landslide cost the
people of this community, as well as
the people Of the State at large, much,
and it will cost them much more in
intelligent exertion before they will be
able to rid themselves of this incubus
and purge the public service.