The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-09-30
REFORMS FAILURE.

When the present mayor of Fair
mont was elected, his constituents
were so elated over the result that
they shouted long and loudly about
what wonderful reformations would
be Brought about in Fairmont. The
campaign that year was largely
fought by the reformers in making
j charges against the administration
land promising to bring about a place
sn1odel in every respect, and especial
ly as to obedience to law and order
But how well those promises have
been fulfilled and how effective Is
reform movement are best shown
by the following leading editorial b,
the Fairmont Times, which was one
& fSlilt. strongest advocates of the al
legged reform ticket at the time:
EEThe prevalence of known crooks
gamblers and confidence men in
Fairmont at the present time Is
somewhat alarming. SONG time
ago there was an intimatiOn' that
this class of gentry had been assur-
ed Of protection here if only the
acauiescence of one official could be
obtained, and from the number o.
that kind. of people in the city it al
most looks like his acquiescencc ha'
been obtained OF that they had de-
cided to go along without it. Ger
tainly if common rumor is to be be
lieved there is no extraordinary pre-
cautions being taken to break NJ
several places which are running
pretty wide open. The ordinary
crimes that are associated with an
influx of the lawless population are
growing. Uoldups are gettln@
common, and one or two little at
tempts at burglary have been made
1t is pretty near impossible to have
a large introduction of the criminal
class into a community without the
more serious offenses naturally being
increased. 1t will be remembered
that few years ago we had quite a
large number Of strange sporting
mep.yjn Fairmont for few weeks.
and Il was only by an accident al
most that the looting of bank was
averted The true secrets of that
transaction were never published, but
if they had been the public would
be nervous when it sees the gambling
interest flourishing despite the law.
and notices the kind of men such
business brings to the city. 1t is |
time the authorities were looking af-
ter these matters little before
some serious crime is committed
The gang which was ripe for burg
larry at Fairmont went from here to
Cumberland, where they were more
nearly successful in their purposes
There are several reputable business
men in Fairmont who know all about
that matter and where that gang
was quartcred 1t will be well for
the officials to scrutiniZe some OF
these places a little now to see if
some of the same kind are not now
in the city. "A stitch in time saves
nine in more cases than one. There |
are said to be several individuals in
Fairmont now who have been driven /
from neighboring cities because of
their known character as dangerous,
This city don't want to
be made a refuge for the lawlcss of
other communities"
If conditions at Fairmont are as
Described by the Times, it is self
evident that reform has been a most
miserable failure there, and from it
nay be learned the lesson that the
rvs that go up once year for re-
iormation are more designing than
arrest. For instance, in Clarks-
,urg reform has been preached once
year for the past several years, but