Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-01
THE RING AND IT'S ENEMIES.

Probably there never was in any State
a tighter political combine than that
known to West Virginians as the Ring.
Never was there political monopoly
more completely centralized Or more
machine-like in Its responsiveness TO
the will of the Boss. The Boss in the
case of the West Virginia ring is the
Hon. Stephen B. Elkins Plat in New
York and Quay in Pennsylvania in
their palmy days of boss-ship never
held tighter political rein than Sen
ator Elkins. of West Virginia, holds
over the ring now in absolute control
of the State government He is the
head OF veribable political trust.
A correspondent writing from
Charleston on the political situation
gives a very clever sketch of The Elk
ins-Dawson-Whit Scott combine He
evidently speaks by the card and from
inside knowledge and experience. Says
he:
\ THE object of the Elkins combine is to
corral all the best positions and dispense
all the patronage, botd state and nation
al. To this end Elkins and Scott are to
hold the two seats il the United States
Senate, A. B. White is to become Cover
nor of the State, and w. M. o. Dawson is
to be continued as Secretary of State. This
combine has forced itself into prominence,
and Is just now outing a pretty wide
swath in West Virginia politics. They APP
pear to be able to make or unmake any
man at will; to set up and knock down,
and to make platforms and laws with
equal facility. 1t was this Elkins ring
that defeated General Nathan Goff for the
United States Senate and laid that idolZed
party leader permanently on the shelf; it
was the Elkns ring that in 1895 placed Mr..
Elkins In the Senate, and it was the same
Ekins ring that in 1898 defeated Governor
Atkinson for the United States Senate and
put N. B. Scott in the seat The E1lxins
ring dominates everything in the Repub-
hcan party. The old-time leaders have
had to take g. back seat and be content
with anything the combine saw fit to give
Them
Every Republican in the State pos
sessing any knowledge Of the political
situation will recognize the picture at
a glance. 1t is not overdrawn. A more
domineering and grasping clique of po-
lttical tyrants never ruled a political
party with rod of iron Their self
ishness has been supreme. They have
aimed to "hog" everything In their
infinite greed and haste to crafty their
desires and ambitions they have sacri-
feed the best interests of the govern
ment and allowed the welfare of the
people to look after itself. The proper
performance of their duties and the
economical administration OF the gov
eminent, for which they draw good sal
aries, have been looked upon as mat
tiers Of secondary Importance and
treated rs such. The result is that the
government practically runs itself.
Some of the last department reports,
notably that of the Treasury, are verit-
able curios and evidence the slipshod
manner in which the affairs OF State
are conducted by the ring, which is too
busy with the political ambitions of its
members to waste time in looking after
the public's affairs.
The domineering policy of this inso-
lent combine has provoked violent OBJ
position in its own party. The tlkins.
Dawson White-scatt clique is fri last,
az al che time Tor the Big hour