The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-08-15
4 DEMOCRATIC BOAST.

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1t was sung into our ears. quite
freely last fall that John j. Cornwell
would have been elected governor Of
this State and the new tax laws re.
peaIed in toto had 1t not been for the
influence Of the Presidential election.
The Democrats felt that with all the
big corporations against Mr.. Dawson
be could not have possibly pulled
through had 1t not been for the as.
sistance OF President Roosevelts per.
sonal popularity We are not now
going to say that their contention was
not true. What would have been the
effect. had such been the cases II
would have been corporation vic.
tory, clearly. The Democrats would
have been In the deepest kind OF a
hole, entirely unable to extricate
themselves or offer any relief to the
people. The saving Of the fifteen
cents on the hundred dollars for
State tax would not have been ours
to enjoy. There would not be re-
duction OF from three to seven dol
lars on the thousand in the various
parts Of the State this year, which
the people WIN realize wher they
come to settle their tax bills this
fall Not only that. All hope of re.
lief from an unjust share of the tax
burden would have gone glimmering,
SO far as the common people are con-
cerned, for who would have dared to
make another fight in the face of
such strong opposition? No Republi.
can, surely, and Of course, no Dem
ocrat. for that party was allied body
and soul with the great corporations,
the whiskey interests and every 9TH
er aggregation OF wealth which saw
no escape from Its just share of taxes
under the new law. Had Mr.. Corn
well and his party won. their hands
would have been SO completely tied
and the corporate interests would
have been SO openly dominant that
another squeeze would undoubtedly
have been given to the already op.
pressed masses in order to punish
them for their presumption. The cor.
porations and their henchmen would
have bounded VIM. M. o. Dawson day
and night, holding him up as an ex.
ample of what might happen to any
fellow who would dare champion the
cause of the people. Those at all &C
quainted with Roman history remem
Der the trials of the Gracchi, who
dared stand against the powerful pa
tricians and espouse the cause of the
plebians. 1t is no new thing for g
man to be punished and mercilessly
tortured because he win not bow the
knee to Baal. We have just such. 6
situation in West Virginia. Cover
nor Dawson has to endure the vitu
perations and maledictions OF all the
corporation controlled newspapers
not even being granted the common
decencies due his exalted office. Blu
he can stand those things with i'm
punity SO long as he knows he l:
right. The real purpose of this ar
ticle is to warn the people agains
surrendering one inch of ground wor
in the fight up to this time. Be read,
to contest every encroachment
Stand by the new laws which ar,
starting out SO well and give them 1
chance to prove themselves. II after
given fair trial they do not show
themselves worthy and efficient, ther
vote them down. but be sure not tc
lose what has been already gainec
by dropping the meat and leaping at
ter Its shadow after the manner Of
the dog of Aesop's fable. Never II
this wide world will the people get 8
Square DEAL with the greedy cor
porations unless they stand firml,
for their rights against all corners.
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