West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-05-11
THE RING.

Let us take a retrospective view
of the political ring which has lord
ed over its party in this county for
the past thirtY-fve or forty years.
The Republican party came into
power in Preston county during the
civil war. Shortly after il gained
the ascendency in Preston there was
a political ring organized by a few
shrewd men who had the foresight
to grasp the situation at that early
stage. They recognized that if they
could get hold of the political ma
chinery in the county that ii would
be impossible to dislodge them
for a quarter of century, at least.
They knew they could appeal to the
animosities of the people which was
all the issue they needed to carry
the elections. This was unfortu-
nate, but too true. In place Of the
common people looking to their own
welfare they listened to the partisan
appeals of the leaders of the ring
who had no further interest in the
welfare of the people than to retain
control of the political Offices. At
last it dawned on some of the more
courageous and far-seeing Republi-
cans that they were being duped by
those who protested to be uphold.
ing the principles of their party
from patriotic motives. But they
found that they had followed the
leadership of the Ring too long.
They found the ring firmly entrench-
ed behind the breastworks and they
deiied those who could no longer
follow where they lead. When they
objected TO the ring monopolizing
all the political Offices the ring re-
piled that they were lot of chick
ers," "soreheads," "disorganizers"
and should be read out of the par
ty." The ring had control of the
newspaper organ and filed its col
umns denouncing such men, and
appealing to the rank and file of the
party to "stand by the organization. i"
Thus we find that the Ring was able
to defy all opposition and dictate
who should run for office and who
should wait. 1t is fact which
cannot be denied that the Ring
would tell Republicans who desired
to announce themselves for Office
that they would have TO wait for
such year before they could run
as they had promised the office to
some other gentlemen. These are
well known facts to every Republi.
can in Preston county who has made
application to the Ring to allow
them to run for some political office.
Whatever faults Lee Shaw may
have ii must be conceded by his
political enemies that he is man
who has the courage of his convic-
tions. 1t was Lee Shaw who first
defed the Republican Ring of Pres.
ton county. Had those who believ-
ed as Lee Shaw did stood by him
he would have "busted" the Ring
long before this For years Shaw
was handicapped in fighting the ring
as he had no newspaper to reach
the people and give his side of the
contest. But Shaw kept the good
fight up and in spite Of the Ring was
elected to Office, and when his term
of Office expired it was even conced-
ed by his enemies that "Lee Shaw
made the best sheriff Preston county
ever had"
Now let us view the political stu
alton as it exists in Preston today.
The Ring is in It's death struggle for
supremacy. At last the courageous
band which Lee Shaw has been lead
ing for the past twenty-five years
have got the Ring at their mercy
and they are crying for quarters.
The down fall Of the Ring was in
harmonizing. When the Ring per
mitted itself to harmonic with the