Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-18
DAwsoN,s CODE OF MORALS,

The Sunday issue of the Charleston
Gazette calls forcible attention to the
peculiar code of morals apparently
adopted by William NJ. o. Dawson who
stands at the head of the Republican
State Committee in West Virginia.
Going into some recent history, the
Gazette recalls that about year ago,
at a conference held in the reception
room of Governor Atkinson, between
the Governor and Mr.. Dawson upon the
one side and a delegation of colored
men on the other, and during a discus
sion then and there had as to the moral
obligation of an oath to support a po-
litical party, when the real intent was
simply to obtain information, spy upon
the organization, and then betray the
secrets learned, Mr.. Dawson, according
to the Gazette. said:
IF I thought I could do the Republican
party any good by taking an oath as a
member of q Democra tic club, and accept
ing money from it for my services, while
at the same time ! had no intention of
the oath and accept the money"
This sounds very harsh, but very
much Republican at the same time
Commenting upon this utterance, the
Gazette says:
"A short time ago when it was reported
to Chairman Dawson that certain anti
ring Republicans in Kanawha county had
been administering an oath to the Repub-
licans of the county not to support the
ring Republican ticket which had been
nominated by the ring committee of that
| county. Chairman Dawson was shocked
at the idea of any one even administering
such an oath. He regarded it not only as
crime against the moral law, but a
crime against the statutes Of the State.
His moral senSibilities We're so badly and
thoroughly aroused that he concluded that
the persons should be punished and i'm
! mediately issued the following notice:
" We hereby offer a reward of $25 for
information that will lead to the arrest
and conviction of any notary public or
other officer or person who has made or
shall make use Of his office for the pur-
pose of unlawfully influencing or intim-
county in this State, and pretending to
swear such voters to vote for, or to vote
against any candidate, candidates OF
ticket for public office.
Republican State Committee.
By W. NJ. Q. DAWSON.
lie na0 no DOUBT OF the legitimacy and
propriety of notary administering an
oath that might lead 10 a betrayal Of the
Democratic party. even though the pur-
pose was to violate the oath. and he even
suffered no computations of conscience in
advising persons TO take such false oath.
and even admitted and confessed that he
would take such an oath and violate ii
himself to carry out his infamous and
perfidious political schemery. But If a
notary administers an oath to q Republi-
can not to support a ticket that Dawson
has assisted in nominating by corrupt
methods, even II the oath Is administered
in good faith, and the person taking i,
proposes TO observe and keep II religiously,
he recoils from the spectacle and even Of
fers a reward for the apprehension OF the
parties who would do 1t. Now, Is not
Chairman Dawson a beautiful specimen OF
q political reformer? IF / thought |
could do the Republican party any good
is the only check on his conscience. That
was demonstrated when ne madesup the
false and illegal list OF members of the
House of Delegates in 1892