The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-09-22
Peoples Forum.
some 4co1Ft. HIstory.

county Is trying to make votes
itself by attaching n Of our courts.
Iii reminds us Of that party's attitude
Ia few years ago toward all the courts
and especially toward the Supreme
Court Of the United States. AS a po-
litica1 marty it has no more use for
courts than it has for the free school
system. The abolition of both courts
end schools would likely add to the
number Of followers of that party.
Their county convention declared
Tor the abolition of the Intermediate
court. The Times has bean very busy
demanding the same thing, both with.
out giving any reason for SO doing.
Newcomers in this county would in
fer from the saying of the Democrats
that this court is of Republican MAX
ing. But not SO; it was and is the
handicratt of the local Democratic
rfng-the same ring which forced up
on his county a three hundred thous-
aiyd dollar debt for a hundred and
thfrty-two thousand dollar court
house. At the .tlmo Of its passake'
1898, this county was represented in
the Legislature by two Democrats,
one of whom was Clarence L. Smith,
1.-THE father OF the editor and lessee OF
the Times, Earl H. Smith. and part
ner, with the permanent editor, Q. 8.
Mckinney, in the ownership OF the
Times and Index. MI. Smith went to
the Legislature and his first official
tact as a Legislator after being worn
lin was to introduce the bill creating
the intermediate court. 1t was one
OF the first bills introduced, n OF
1.-THE first to be passed and one Of the
first to be approved by a Democratic
governor. 1t wal the only bill which
Mr.. Smith got passed during his term
lof Office. Who vas governor then?
Why, our townsman, Hon. A. 3. Flem-
ling. And this was the fourth bill OF
the session he approved. Wa the
salary of the Judge fixed at the enor-
nous sum of $1,000 then? Yes, but
the owners of The Times never dis
covered that the salary was too large
until all hope left their party of ever
electing the Judge. The salary was
ixed at that sum when the governor
himself was getting only $1,000 per
year; the circuit judges were getting
only S1,SOO; Supreme Court judges
only $4,000; the attorney general Of
the state only $1,000, and other sal
aries in proportion.
Yes, this court was established then
was necessary then-when all
things were Democratic. When was
thate That was more than thirteen
years ago; when the-population' bust
ness. wealth and litigation In the
counties OF Harrison, Marion and Mo;
nongalia did not amount to as much
as one OF the counties has now. That
was when the Fourth ward OF our
city was a briar field with no build
Iines on 1T; when our Normal school
ana city schools we're both conducted
on the Second ward school buildings
when wholesale houses were unknown
n our city. That was before the days
of paved streets and electric lights
In our city. Yea, that was g time
when farmers and laborers could not
make enough money to pay THAR tax
es-when the Wilson Free Trade bill
was working wonders for the people!
IL was at that time, 1893, when the
democratic ring Of this county fore.
LED upon thu tar payers this unnec-
lessarv N expensive court complain-
ed Of by the Times and the Democrat
liz ring. Oh! How their 20: s. Nc
Kinney. Editor Smith and the Demo
Icratic court house rtngl hearts ache
nov for the poor taxpayer who must
Eba taxed TO support this COURT They
forced it upon the people at time
when they couE1yleast afford H-when4
there was but little If any necezslty
for 1t except to further their ownSpo
1iitical schemes. Thirteen years have
tpassed, during every one o which, by
reason of our growth along al lines
1.-The court becamesmors necessary and
ussful: and the only reason 81 !
ltshing 1t now ID that penocrat8
can no longer be the judg
For the Democrats to condetnnsthig
court and ash III be abolished issto
condemn their own action disoWn
their own child and e upon
ttRe integrity q the late Clarence
smithsands Governor Fleming
say MOANING about pemectahc
AIaiatura. TINT Marion comfy
tSsSf 4Efd ASsfff NOV HI Tn