Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-08-14

Democratic eos twsntSsavo years. toaE
special pride. and which under their
care had been placed III the FRONT rank
OF like institutions in the country was
the hospital for the insane, at Wes-
ton. Here the people Of the State had
erected a magnificent building. and
had fitted it up in a manner that re-
f1ected credit alike upon their enter
prise and their humane feelings. For
twenty-five years, under various Demo-
cratic administrations, the ablest ply
sicians and executive officers were
employed to conduct its affairs and to
care for the unfortunate members of
society whose Affections rendered
their treatment at such retreat nee
essary; for twenty-five years it bore
the character of the model of its kind.
In three years under Republican con-
troll behold the change. Its, manage
ment has been such as to call down
upon those in control the seVerest con-
domination of the people of all parties.
and to disgrace forever the party re-
sponsible for it. The trial Of the super
lntendent, a year ago, upon charges
seriously affecting the reputation of
the management, developed beyond
dispute the fact that acts of gross inn
morality had been committed within
it's walls by those who should have
kept themselves free from even the
suspicion of wrong doing. With the
Democratic party restored to power.
this asylum will return, with all lie
other State institutions, to clean.
wholesome, efficient, economical man
agement, thus re-establishing it in the
respect and confidence of the people.
Mining Laws Rendered Ineffective.
The thousands of miners whose daily
toll in the bowels of the earth adds so
much to the annual income of the
State have a right to demand of the
law making power proper statutory
provisions for insuring their safety,
and OF the administrative power such
official acts as will make the law e.
fecuve. The Republican party is not
administering the mining laws in such
way as to surround the miners with
the safeguards to which cney are en-
titled. The mine inspectors provided
for by law are appointed and kept in
office and draw the salary that goes
| with the position held-but their work
is far from satisfactory to those in
whose interest they are supposed to
have been clothed with official power.
me facts brought out as result OF
the terrible disaster at the Red Ash
mine on the 9th of March, 1900, show
not only that the law in regard to
the inspection of mines is not obeyed
by the officers created for the special
duty of enforcing it, but that failure
to carry out its provisions is fraught
with fearful danger to the lives of
the miners and great expense and trou-
BILE to the operators. The law requires
mines to be inspected once in every
three months, but it was four months
from the time the Red Ash mine was
last inspected to the time of the explo-
sion, which caused the death of 46
human beings. And all the post-mor-
tenn efforts of the inspectors to find
out the cause of the disaster cannot
wffpe;. away the fact that if that mine
had been properly inspected at the
time the law required it to be done,
those 46 lives might have been saved.
The government of the State of West
Virginia should be returned to the
hands of the Democratic party, wI.cb
regards the welfare of the humblest
miner who tolls for his daily bread as
it does that of the greatest capitalist
or the richest man w1eAin the borders
of the State.
A Word About Colonization.
We wish to call the attention of our
friends everywhere to the necessity of
preventing the Republican leaders
from carrying out their intention of
having vast number of illegal votes
cast in the coming election. Four
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