West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-09-07

lower their taxes and raise mine Saying
that am "damned fool" and ''hypo-
critic" will not explain away this great
injustice.
Republican" and portland District
Farmer" may be writing to amuse them.
selves, but am, in my humble way, writing
to register my earnest protest against the
monstrous injustice that is being done to my
self and brother farmers. There is no
amusement in il for me.
Now Republican" and portland Dist.
riot Farmer" admit that the farm that was
assessed at $500 under the old law will be
assessed at $1,000. still they say my taxes
will not be inereased!
Now have already shown that the rail.
roads will pay some thirty.six thousand
| dollars less in taxes under the Dawson law
than they did under the old law, and in the
face OF these stubborn facts Republican"
and portland District Farmer" have the
gall to say that the Dawson laws are not an
injustice to the farmers, and that am a
damned fool" and "hypocrite" for pro-
testing against this injustice to the farmer
want to say TO my farmer brethren that
If you will 60 Kingwood and examine the
Assessors books, which have done. that
you will find that great injustice has been
done many of the farmers in Preston county
by assessing one farm for double what the
adjoining farm is assessed at. am perfectly
familiar with the farms in my vicinity and
one farm is just as valuable as the other. |
know of farms that the coal has been sold
from under to be assessed higher than the
farm that the coal has not been sold from
under. The soil on one farm is lust as
fertile as the other and the dwelling and
out-buildings are identical.
All, my farmer brethern, it is high time
that we were taking some interes, in politics.
Ioo long have we been slumbeing while
the politicians have been making hay at our
expense. We must not only take a hand in
politics but we must take an active part and
vote for no candidate whom we have reason
to believe Is the tool of rings and cliques.
When we do this we may hope to get Justice
done US and not before. II we don't do this
we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Now Republican" and "Portland Dist.
riot Farmr" say there is no Boss or Ring.
Let me ask them IL il Is not fact that the
Republican Executive Committee met in
kingwood and decided among themselves
that MI. James S. Lakiu was to be "our"
candidate for Congress Were the four
thousand Republicans they spoke about as
composing the 'Ring" consulted Did not
the Committee issue a call to the Republi.
cans to Iheet in convention at Terra Alta and
ratify "our" choice by nominating Mr..
Lakin Can they deny this To whom
did Mr.. Lakin owe his nomination ? Was
It not the Committee Now do not men.
ton this through any i'll feeling for Mr..
Lakin for personally / esteem him very
highly. But it confirms what The Argus
has been saying tina, you cannot secure
nomination unless you belong to the Ring.
Since have been thinking over what The
Argus has been saying about the Ring in
Preston county the more it dawns on me
that The Argus is telling US something we
cannot deny. The great majority of the
Republicans in Preston county have no say
in who shall be their candidates. The
Committee selects the candidates and tells
we Republicans to ratify the ticket by voting
for the candidates they name.
want TO ask Republican" ana "Pon-
land District Farmer" II there is a Repubii.
can ia Preston county, IL we except few
Republicans who have been bold enough to
defy the Committee, who can get a postofiee
appointment or a State or Federal appoint.
meni unless they are Endorsed By the Com.
mit'ee Now Why should the Committee.
which Is composed Of a few men, have the
power to dictate to four thousand Republi.
cans who shall receive the Offices
must confess that this state Of affairs
never occurred 20 me until began to read
other papers besides the Wheeling In,slli.
gsncer, Preston County Journal and Toledo
Blade. As Tread nothing for years but the
Intelligence, Journal and Blade thought
they we're preaching the gospel Of truth and
that what they said was the whole truth and
I -''''''h WV N.le NNANs NNN INaN was
politically blind and that there are two sides
to question when you investigate. Well
the more investigate the political situation
the more ind that have been blind
partisan, and % long az remain politically
blind The Committee can fauen and grow
prosperous.
Now, my Republican brethren, ] want 10
ask you in all candor q am msreprsssnt.
ing The facts What does g, profit us 10
vote Tor any political party that builds 20
great party political machine and monopo.
Lies al the Offices abd raises our taxes
Law aside your political prejudice a. have
done and think over this matter honestly
end sincerely Are you any better on than
q Democrat Pfohib.uonIst ora Socialist in
Preston Can you get an Office in Preston
simply because you ere Republican and
'yote lhs ticket straight" unless the Com
mitlss feels disposed 90 lst you have itY
want &c understood that never asked
Tor an Office, nor do want any Office, bu,
between the Committee and the Dawson tar
laws they have driven me 10 vote hereafter
The way that t will benefit myself and