The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-07
People Forum


A. to the Senate Presidency.
Editor West virginiani
Now that the Legislature is about
TO assemble in its regular biennial
session in our city, will YOU permit
one Of its citizens To make a few oh.
servations for the consideration OF
your readers? Owing to the adverse
vote here against Governor Dawson
at the general election two years ago,
1t may be inferred that the majority
OF the citizens OF this city and Kama.
wha county would be glad to see cor
porate interests organize the Senate
in order TO embarrass the governor
and to block any legislation intended
to put corporations on a basis OF
equality with the people before the
law. But, your correspondent has just
learned from reliable authority that
In the last presidential campaign. can
d,date Henry G. Davis told the Demo
cratic leaders here TO draw on him FOR
any amount necessary to carry Kama.
wha county, and of course the oppor.
tunity was very dear to the Demo-
cratic heart and n draft for $25, 00C
was soon forthcoming. Now, II any
upstate people think that the Demo.
cratic leaders Of Kanawha' county
wanted Parker and Davis elected. they
are very much mistaken. Dawson and
tax reform were the imaginary foes oil
the leaders here and the usufruct from
Davis was used against Dawson, cou
pied with that OF some alleged Repub.
lican leaders who are now working for
a Senate organization contrary to the
well known wishes OF the Republican
party. There is a large floating vote
here which exercises Its franchise only
for a monetary consideration and this
and the corporate controlled vote was
against Dawson.
Now. there are many Republicans
here who are truly Republican in
heart and principle, and they have OBJ
served some Of the farcical acts OF
some members'of the Legislature here
tofore and SEQ through the thinly dis
Guised corporate interest candidacy OF
II certain gentleman for president of
the Senate, who is posing as a regular
Republican and connected with no
faction, etc" Now your correspondent
happened to observe this candidates
conduct some during the last legisla.
ture. II is reliably reported that he
and another Senator made the asser.
ton that they would oppose and vote
against any measure that the State
administration wanted How well
they carried that out has been talked
about generally. Now as to the adj
m%inistration proposing measures for
action by the legislature, the officers
constituting the administration are
the chosen servants of the people of
the State. and 1t is only just and rea.
sonable to suppose that they in COM
mon with any other servants would
work for the good of their employers
uhe people, because ordinary graft.
tude would suppose this. and the in.
dividual welfare of the servants would
surely suggest %faithfulness and ideli.
ty. But some of the fellows that are
out OF office and the anti-tax reform
papers are seeking to impugn the mo-
tives and acts OF certain of the State
officials In order to owe up their at
tempts to foist upon the Senate a
president who will use his great pow
ers to thwart the will of a majority
of the people of the State.
1t Is admirable to see the West
Virginian take the stand It has in this
matter. Let all who would call them
selves men stand up for political
righteousness regardless of temper.
airy inconvenience and losses which
are only imaginary. Long has your
paper been a bulwark of the Republi-
car party in this State, as well as a
news" paper Of great value, and the
writer sincerely hopes that 1t may ev-
er be controlled by fearless and hon
est people, warning the people of dan.
gers political as well as economical.
REPUBLICAN.
Charleston. W. Va, Jan. 5, 1907.