The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-02-05
Here at last-regular ground
hog weather-the kind that
mother used to-talk about.
REaukEs &c pRoAIeITIoNIsTs

REeukEs THE pRoHlsITIoNlsTs
The Times, of this city, thinks the
prohibltionfsts have shown poor judg
ment and exceedingly bad taste in
pitching in and naming conlidates for
mayor and councilmen before the
Democrats took any action. 1t Is
now evident that the Times was plan
ming to herd the ProhibltionIsts I'M
der a straight Democratic banner this
year, inasmueh as they had been so
easy in days gone by. But it now
seems that the Democratic organ hal
reckoned without its host. When that
paper came out in favor Of straight
Democratic ticket tho Probibitionists
divorced themselves from all ALI.
ances AMI tined out for themselves.
1t doesn't look very well for the
Times, after working with the Prohi-
bitionIsts so long, now to derIde them
on the insigniHcance Of their NUN.
beers and the futiIity of their efforts.
Below is what the Times Of this morn,
ing said:
THE Pfohibitionlsts are the first IN
The field in Fairmont with ticket for
the city election. So far as the per
sonnet Of their ticket goes the Pro.
hibltionists have acted wisely. They
have selected their candidates not on.
~ from the most clean and capable
business men Of their own party, but
as good men as can be found in the
city. Minority parties generally do
these things because the Office seeks
the man and not the man the Office.
The usual political methods and the
shaes gQl tricky party Manipulation
do not enls. very largely into the nom
9qipeAng conventions Of the majority
parry. But lf the ProblbIton!ats arc
really Ia good faith lp demanding al
better administration 81 city govern.
-inent than they have, and 1t Is con-
ceded that they are, have they taken
the most ;udlctous step to attain that
end2 Their party Is IN a very small
minority, ranking a very poor third IN
polnt Of numerical strength. Before
they have the ghost OF show they
must concentrate the Democratic
strength, which is much greater than
their own, all the independents and the
large class Of Republicans who think
the material interests Of the city are
Of more vital Importance to business
men than the mere success of ring
notifies. In other words they must
absorb other political forces much
stronger than themselves, to say moth
ing Of non.politIcal elements, before
they can hope to make any show
Their action partakes too strongly Of
the SNAP" nature, Would It not have
been more judicious to have first CIV
en- the greater political force an op
portunlty to show what It would do in
tn premises2 Two years ago the Pro
hibltion ticket was elected by Demo
Gratis and Prohibition votes, and at the
ration Of nine Democrats 10 one Proht'
bitionlst. To rush into the field to
forestall the Democrats and to force
similar surrender on their part, looks
very much like trying to make the tail
wag the dog This stronger minority
party might have named ticket thai
ought TO be satisfactory TO the Proht
bitiouists in so far as a clean, capa
BILE, representative business mems ad
ministration is concerned They sure
Is could not expect the Democrats to
90 for their ticket on any othe
grounds"