Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1908-09-29

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memory of the voters of West Vir-
ginia, was nominated and elected.
Swisher was Secretary of State under
Governor Dawson, and by the like
support and methods has been NOM
mated against the will of the masses
CT the Republican party.
1t is now up to the people, espec-
tally the Republican people, to say
how long they will stand for this con
dition of political affairs. Revolt
has brought forward a second man.
And the nomination of still a third
is talked of in the place of the other
two, but even a third man cannot
remedy conditions now 1t is be-
yond the power of internal remedy.
1t would still be the same old ex-
travagant, wasteful and crushing
methods, with the same old political
pilots at the helm. No party ever
brought about reform within itself
When Pennsylvania, or Ohio, or 9TH
er States, can stand mismanagement
and political methods no longer, they
remedy the situation by turning af-
affairs over to the Democratic party,
and then after Democrats have made
for them thorough house cleaning,
their large majorities have enabled
them to take it back thoroughly
cleaned, fumigated and purified, with
their servants and not their masters
in charge
1t is in this State now not alto
gether matter of Swisherism, or
Scherrism, or Bennettism, or any
other man-ism, but it is also matter
of economy against extravaganza
of the people against the machine
Of principle and reform,-of "Shall
the people ruler" And if mistake
not the temper of the people, they
have made up their minds that they
are the lord and master and will
govern their own household.
That they will have to vote the
Democratic ticket in order to attain
their end is matter of small con-
Germ to them SO they attain it, for
the end is far greater than any party
name or party affiliation.
But they need not fear to turn
their household over to the Demo-
cratic party, which has already in
this State been tried and found mot
wanting"
For over twenty-five years they
were in charge, and during all of that
time, they administered your affairs
so honestly, SO ably and so econom-
ically that with revenue of not more
than one-third the revenue of the
present year they met every ordinary
expense, built practically every pub
lie building, and turned over to the
incoming administration a surplus of
several hundred thousand dollars,
and also paved the way for that won
derful inflow of capital, that great in
crease of manufactures, of mining,
and of railroad mileage, and general
development that came to our State,
expecting the same fair treatment it
had received at Democratic hands,
and coming not through, but in spite
of, Republican legislation.
But when new managers took up
the reins of our government, it at
once became apparent the Demo
cratic simplicity and ability and
economy was requisite entirely I'M
known to them, and expenses went
up by leaps and bounds to an extent
beyond all Imagination and beyond
all corresponding increase in pOpula-
ton or wealth. 1t has sprung from
$2,694,2S0 during the last four years
of Democratic economy to $6,301, ITO
during the last four years of Repub-
lican extravaganza.
To meet their extravagant methods
they at once began to devise ways
and means for raising more money,
struck upon a new system of tax
alton. That they might make the
people believe that it was a reform
of values, and that they were sin
cere and fair. they appointed five dis
tinguished citizens of this State to
revise our system. These gentle
men spent many months in careful
consideration of the subject, and fin
ally recommended system of which,
taken as whole, they approved, ac-
companying it with a number of bills
to carry the whole into effect But
this system did not meet with the
approval Of the politicians or of GER
tain interests that were behind them.
So they went to work and at Cham
bers in Washington appointed four
other distinguished citizens from
among the politicians, who at the in
stance of the politicians, and appar-
emily to subserve their interests
alone drew up number of bills diff
ferent from those recommended by
the original commissioners. These
bills were presented to the Republi-