Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1904-12-02
HOW IT NOTES ON
THE RECENT STATE ELECTION.

causes that lead TO party's detea.
state Gr National Election. In 1888,
when Presinent Cleveland was asked,
on the day following the election. to
give his views as to the cause OF his
defeat, he answered very CURLY that
1T was because OF lack of votes.
That is always the primary cause,
but sometimes it is worth ones while
to look behind the returns far enough
to see what cause the lack OF votes.
1t is not the intention of tbs writer
to go into any detailed discussion of
the various issues and matters that
were involved in the late campaign OF
what influenced the final result in
this state, but he does desire TO call
attention to one matter wherein he
was personally misrepresented, feel
ing that he has right. that it is his
duty to correct in, even at this late
date and to further direct public at
tent on o the action OF a certain
great corporation, because the people
have right to know what part these
great aggregations Of capital play in
public affairs.
Since the election several friends in
Ohio and Marshall counties have se-t
us cards that were printed ard circu
lated all through the mills and man
ufacturing plants, among the thous-
ands of union labor people there. con
tanning the following words;
The men who are not paying their
taxes in this State are the union and
factory people who are earning from
So to 50 per day.-Tohn j. Cornwcll
in his Carroll Club speech.''
This card was intended to influence
aud it is claimed did influence, hun
dreds of laboring PEG ple to vote
against the Democratic ca ndidate for
| Governor. 1t will be verified by the
fifteen hundred people who attended
the Carroll Club meeting that the
statement printed on the cards re-
ferred to was falsehood, absolutely
and completely so, yet twerty-four
hours before the election these cards
were put into the hands OF the union
| laborers Iuill and factory men, print
ed, erhaps, on the press OF some pious
individual who lays claim to respect
ability, but who knew at the tim
that he was propagatirg a falsehood
tor political purposes. We have no
complaint, whatever, to make OF the
result but feel that self resl ect de-
mands that we shoulc even now. ie.
fer 10 this matter The distinguished
gentlemen in Ohio county, who or
igiRated the scht ME and circulated
the cards may compromise with their
consciences as best they can.
The other matter referred to was
the activity Of til. STANDARD OIL Com
pany in this stage in the closing days
OF the campaign. We only refer to
that because denials OF that Company S
activity was made before the election
and since. The public is entitled to
the facts.
1t is fact, one that caunot be de-
MED, that about ten days before the
! election, wellknown high official
of the STANDARD Oil Com psny made a
trip from ittsburg down 10 this State
On his return TO Parkershurg meet
ing OF the Oil Mems Association. an
organizatio n of Independent operat ors
was called and held On the very da
that the meeting of the oil men wa
held an employe OF the Standard Com.
pany approached the writer, tolfi him
that the company had ISSUED orders
for its men to line up fol or. Daw-
son said he wanted us to have the
benefit OF The information and only
asked that his name De withheld be -
cause OF his connection with the COM
pany. 1t is a well-known fact,
VERIFIED by number of the indepeud-
eat operators that the word came to
them at the meeting referred to. that
the Standard Oil Company was salts
fed with the new tax bills; that this
information had come direct from the
Standard official who had visited Par
k ersburg for the purpose of lining up
the oil people and that the orders had
6 me out to support Mr.. Dawson. That
these orders were obeyed is easily as
Ger tanned by an examination of the
returns from the counties where the
/ Standard has its tentacleS, especially
from the hitherto Democratic comfy