The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-08-04
Robinson,s Exeeesis.

hODinSOnS EAegesls.
According to James w. Robinson,
who has rushed into the newspapers
at this crucial time in defense OF the
action of the Democratic state con-
yention. with the hope Of bolstering
up the doubling Thomases and ali
others Of his party, who were thrown
into state of CONSERVATION by the
adoption Of the Acknowledgement
plank, that act will have an effect be-
yond the state and yet he argues
such will not be. He recalls the
fact that his party deemed 1t unwiseI
to adopt such plank four years ago.
fearing that 1t might lnjure the Dem
ocratic nominees in a national way.
This Is an admission that 1t will have
such an effect on the Democratic ma
tional ticket this year. as conditions
are not materially changed from
those of four years ago. BY such
admission there is no encouragement
given his party nationally.
From a partisan viewpoint Mr..
Robinson is of the firm belief that
the Scherr following In this state
should help to elect Democratic
governor, and, when he expresses this
belief as he has done openly and
through newspaper columns, he i'm
pugns them with pretensions they Wig
orously deny. In other words, Mr..
Robinson believes that the sole mo-
tive of the Scherr detection is to turn
the state over to the Democrats, and
this In connection with the fact that
the Democratic nominee for COVER
nor has been openly charged by mem
bers of his own party with corrupt
practices in obtaining his nomina-
ton. further indicates Mr.. Robinson's
evident belief that the Scherr peoples
advocacy of clean political methods is
not only insincere but also mere bosh.
1t Is evident that he does not believe
they are more than mere pretenders
In assuming what they term lofty
standard, and he has not hesItated to
thus arraign them, though doubtless
unwittingly in the hope that he
might bolster up his own party with
the statement that the Scherr follow
ing would prove untrue to its own
and the party which has fostered 1t
all these years and made the state
wealthy and great.
Reference to the misuse of the
privilege of the ballot is to laugh, as
all who are in the least acquainted
with Democratic methods and tactics
know that party has no scruples,
when 1t comes to the getting of votes
and is no respecter of persons. The
record of the Democratic party In
West Virginia and other states does
not emblazon 1t as one which has any
sacred regard for the ballot box
Campaign Doodle and booze are large
ly its stock in trade. They were in
the last campaign for state officers,
when the charge was openly made
here and not denied for the reason
that 1t could not be denied
Besides, 1t must not be forgotten
that the elective franchise is not con-
fined in this country to morals alone.
If 1t were there would be many who
would not arise to hurl stones al
Negroes, while those who hurl them
are living in glass houses and as
such are shining examples OF what is
pronounced by some disgusting
enough to take the ballot privilege
away.
If the moral idea controlled alto
gether the appalling situation as it
is termed would not be confined to
the Negroes but would reach far up
into high places.
Our good friend Robinson express
es much hope that the people will be
led into turning this state over to the
Democrats, but that hope is all based
on the race prejudice he would create
and not on any civic or governmental
principle, which would continue the
welfare Of the people and protect
them in their rights as citizens and
taxpayers.
However deceptive and ingenious
may be the assertion by Mr.. Robin
son that the Negro voters in other
states care nothing for state issue
that affects the race in West Virginia
and Will not allow that to keep them
from voting for Bryan. where they
might have been previously disposed,
1t is a fact he says that he has heard
no West Virginia Negro say he in
tended to vote for Bryan. Here he
means to work both ends to the
middle. First. he would argue that
the anti-Negro planks in this state
have no effect on other states and
thus would he answer the argument
of the leaders of his party. Second.
he wishes to leave the impression
that Bryan will receive colored votea,
and third he wants 1t understood that
no Negro voter in this state had in
tended to vote for Bryan.
If Mr. Robinson could reconcile
these varying statements with the
Democratic national hope that the
Brownsville incident would give
Bryan lot OF Negro votes, then this
newspaper will admit that he is al
genius of the first watar Tistap