The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-14
1ELrr,ioEE NUMBERS
Editorial Rooms .....s23 couatins Room. .s27
THE lNTELLIGENCER.
wnEELlNo, FEBRUARY II, lsos.


The Falrmont West virglnian, usually
fair and frank in the discussion OF pub
lie questions. and generally In line with
state progresslveness in all matters, has
the following:
Mr.. ,Dayton's bill providing for two fed
,eral districts In this state Is meeting
with vigorous opposition. Protests
against It are going to Washington from
all directions. The State Bar Associa-
ton approved It at Its late meeting In
.Morgantown, yet this, 1t seems, did not
represent the feeling Of the lawyers
throughout the state. One hundred and
sixty Of these have signed petitions and
sent them to Congress, asking It not to
pass the bill. and no doubt many others
will be heard from. The bar OF this
county Is almost unanimously opposed
to It. AS Judge jackson Is perfectly
willing to still do the business of the
state, It looks like this should strangle
the measure. 1t Is wholly unnecessary
and should not have been thought of.
The Intelllgencer does not know what
Its Fairmont contemporary reasons are
for saying that the division OF the state
into two federal judicial districts, is
Unnecessarily" it does not give them.
Certainly, a great many good reasons
for the division have been given, not
only by those favorins It in the state.
but by che judiciary committee in Con-
press, and we have ye; to see any mater
ial reason laid down by the opposition.
To say simply that the movement is un-
necessary does not combat the court sta
tistics and general conditions that argue
In its favor. General assertions do not
count for much in the face OF facts.
We call the attention Of our Republic
can contemporary at Falrmont to the
apparent fact that the principal oppoA-
tion, with few exceptions. seems to be a
partisan one from a few Democratic
papers, and without giving any reason
except the unwarranted one that the
scheme is to create more federal offices,
and some OF these papers have gone to
the ridiculous extreme OF saying Mr..
Dayton's motive is to create judgeship
for himself, Notwithstanding almost
every school hoy knows that Mr.. Day
ton. under the constitution, would be in
eligible to fill a position created by the
Congress OF which he Is member.
q There had been no partisan question
Z involved at all in the matter until this
absurd claim was made 1t is not a
new question. but the necessity for such
q division has been discussed for years.
based on the fact that the West Vlr-
ginla district has a greater amount OF
fedora! business than, In some instances,
four or five districts all combined in
other states-more business. in
fact, than the combined twelve
/. districts of 1--WE OF the largest
states OF the Union. It has been shown,
also, that the proposed division is In the
interest .: economy.
The fact that the opposition in the
I. state, go suddenly developed. is con-
fined almost exclusively to-. Democratic
politicians and papers, indicates that II
/ IS inspired by a more partisan than
patriotic spirit. The 100 lawyers refer
red to by our Fairmont friend arc most
sly Democrats. Until the overwhelming
array OF facts that have been brought
4 forward IN support OF the Dayton bill
are met by counter-facts that outweigh
them 1t is not likely chat the measure
will fail. 4 mere inpugnlne of the mo-
tves Of the advocates Of the measure
will not do this. For the reason above
mentioned 1t Is clearly apparent that the
Democratic effort TO lmpute TO Mr.. Day.
ton selfish motive Is wholly unjust.