Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-22
A SILLY OLD GIRL AND THE POLICE

CHI Ar LESION, W. Va--Hotel RUNNER
Newn Stand
A SILLY OLD GIRL AND THE POLICE
The Old Woman of Fourteenth street
has learned nothing from sad expert
ence. She clings to her ancient theory
that nothing goes in politics but
trickery and deception, that it always
pays to make political capital by fair
means or foul-that the American voter
is born sucker anyway.
This has been her practice in the past
and, although it has resulted in split
ting up the Republican party in this
city, 1t is still the plan of campaign in
vogue with this obtuse Old Body, who
holds that honesty and truthfulness are
not at all necessary to success in
politics.
The best illustration of this is her
ridiculous attack on the Democratic
Police Department because the expendi-
: lures for the year may be slightly in
excess of the appropriation. This
causes Old Miss Partisan to cut loose on
Democratic administration of the
Police Department.
She never stopped to think that the
Democratic Police Department had
nothing whatever to do with it. How
ever, she didn't start her TRADE with
the intention of being fair, or of tell
ing tiaAa nth
Had she told the truth she must have
admitted that it was the Finance Com
mite of Council and not the Police
Committee or department that is re-
sponsible. And she would have had to
explain-had she been truthful-that
the shortage was due to the fact that
The present administration of the Police
Department has been compelled to pay
thousands of dollars of bills LEFT
UNPAID BY THE LAST REPUBLI-
CAN ADMINISTRATION OF THE
DEPARTMENT = the existence of
which bills appears to have been con-
cealed at the first OF the year.
Finally had the Ancient Dame con-
sidered it good policy to tell the
truth she would have admitted that
the present administration of the Police
Department is the most economical and
business-like we have ever had. She
would also have admitted that during
Republican rule in this city there never
was year when the expenditures were
not far in excess of the appropriations
In nearly every department, the excess
thousands. which was generally left to
grow from year to year.
Unconsciously, however. she does ad
NIT this very thing in thus concluding
her foolish TRADE against the police:
1.-THE attempt made to ascribe the in
excusabIe financial muddle in the police
department to orders carried over from
1900 is a mere subterfuge. for the carry
lag over of orders is an expected
annual occurrence. and what is lost a
the beginning of the year is made up at
the close at the expense of the next ensu-
ing year
The carrying over OF orders was,
indeed, IAN EXPECTED ANNUAL
OCCURRENCE. under the rule OF the
late city ring, and during all the years
of the late Republican management OF
city finances. That, as we have pointed
out, is the whole trouble now-the sole
cause of discrepancy between appropria-
tions and expenditures being bills left
! unpaid by the last Republican admins
tration Of this department Il is a
damaging admission, and fully dis
closes the utter baselessness and the
real nature of the Old Woman's attack
the police
hdeed, it is notorious that this regu-
annual excess of expenditures over
appropriations finally became so scan
Ddalous under the administration Of the
late Republican city ring that news
| paper reporters Except those represents
ing the Old Woman, who was the ring
organ-and is still playing for the
Jane political clique were forbidden
access to the public accounts which are
supposed TO be always open 10 the pub
Tic, and the press, and which Heretofore
had been open, as they have been since
the rings downfall.
1t is the defeat Of the old city ring.
by the way, that rankles in the shriv-
elled heart of Old Miss Partisan. She
cant get over it. Probably her rldicu-
lous campaign against the police is no;
so much directed against that Depart
ment as against that faction Of the Re
publican party in this city which assist