West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-04-30
PARTY CONFESSIONS.
Republicans Plead Guilty to
Great Political Crimes.
DECEPTION AND ExTRAvAaAsoE,
Public Acknowledgement OF sins by
Party Leaders - The People De-
ceivcd by Promises Made In Plat
forns--wa.tefui and Extravagaat
Approprtatfou.

forns--wa.tefui and Extravagaat
Appropriations. t
Just before the Fifty-seventh con-
gress adjourned its requiem was sung
by Senators Elkins ana Warren, both
ardent Republicans, I'm minor key
which differed vastly I'm tone and quail
ity from the ''public peans OF congrat.
ulations" that usually accompany this
interesting function. No greater In
dictmcnt could be returned against tho
Republican party than these two sena-
tors presented 10 the people OF the
United States against their own party.
Congress being so strongly Republican
In both branches. that party is there
fore entirely responsible for not only
what IL has accomplished. but also for
the bills and treaties that have failed
OF passage. There IN no escape from
that responsibility. 1t was emphasized
by special messages from the president,
who thus directed the attention OF his
political friends 10 what he considered
of special Importance and was COM
PEELED TO call an extraordinary session
of the senate TO In part rectify their
sins of omission.
The two above named senators de-
scribed two great sins the Republican
congress had committed-frst, deceiy-
Ing the people by not carrying out tho
promises made In the national plat
forms OF statehood for the territories;
second, gross extrayagance with the
peoples money. IL Democratic ora
tor or newspaper was TO charge those
txpA haf ..t
the Republicans. it would be thought
that partisanship had exceeded truth
fulness, but the Congressional Record
OF March 3, the Official record, shows
that these indictments were made.
On page 3243 is reported the speech
OF Senator Ellxins OF West Virginia, a
leader OF the Republican party, who
after speaking of the important bills
that had failed OF passage said: "The
Republican party is responsible for this
condition OF affairs which Is 80 unfor-
tunato for it and the country at this
time. Early I'm the beginning OF this
session n majority OF the Republican
members OF the senate determined to
defeat the statehood bill and to thia
end adopted programme which In
~
made I'm the platform of their party I'm
three national conventions binding tho
party 10 admit tho territories OF Okla
homa, New Mexico and Arizona as
states Into the Union. This was
great mistake and great wrong, one
that will come up TO plague lis here
after. A political party can no more
AFFORD to violate its promises and
pledges than an Individual"
Senator Eikins then described "the
wicked filibuster carried on for four
teen weeks against the majority OF the
senate" and then further said: "It was
this filibuster that has led 90 the death
OF the important bills I have men
toned, and the Republicans cannot
avoid this responsibility. IL rests upon
them and no one else" On the same
day and reported In the same Congress.
sional Record, on page 1851, Senator
Warren OF Wyoming makes the other
Indictment, of wasting the money of
the people, and he cites a large number
OF instances OF extravagant nppropria-
tions, including the expenditure OF over
100000 on the White House, and fur
ther said, -"of over $65,0O0 for that
diminutiye wigwam that defaces the
western side OF the White House
grounds, that little wigwam or tepee
whose front yard Is mostly coal hole
and whose best room is the back yard"
This is especially severe considering
that President Roosevelt had been CIV
en- by congress the exclusive charge OF
all these White House improvements
and is responsible for the bills, which
are said TO amount to ten times what
the real cost should have been.
Thus It is officially shown by these
two Republican leaders that their par
ty has purposely defeated the promises
made In the national platforms, there
by deceiving the people, and is also
guilty Of the almost equally serious
crime OF wasting the substance OF the
people In cxtrayagant appropriations.
How can the voters OF the United
States again trust the promises of the
Republican party7 who can guess
what that party will dot No promise
Is too sacred not 90 be broken IL the
leaders think the political exigencles
require It.