The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-05-21
Using Assanlt for DecentIop.

Using Assault for Deception.
Injustice to the innocent resulting
from wrong conclusions arrived al
hurriedly from error in information
is NO more plainly or strikingly Illus.
trated than the course Of some news.
papers and their attitude toward
Charles w. Swisher since the regret
table Shuttleworth-Scherr Incident.
IS; Accept 1t as true that there was an
nnproyoked assault on the part OF
Shnttieworth, II is equally true that
none other than, Shuttleworth him
self was responsible for his action.
II is not true that such act was In
stigated in the slightest degree by
Swishersor those opposed to Scherr.
There Is no power Of reasoning
that would lead one to the conclus-
ion that Shuttleworth who is oppos-
ed to Swisher and who is antagonis-
tic to the political friends of Swisher,
such as the Republican organization OF
Harrison county headed by Messrs.
Denham and Highland, would make
an assault on one who is not the fav-
orite or choice Of this organization,
and, especially would he not be
prompted to commit such deed to
help the Swisher cause and that Of
those whom he has been antagonistic
to personally and politically for sew
eral years, ever being found bitterly
arrayed against the party organiza-
ton. This is matter of common
knowledge and is accepted by all Re-
publicans and Democrats alike here.
But. newspapers favoring Scherr
and opposing Swisher are not willing
to learn this fact. They will not
even accept it, when they know 1t to
be true, for the reason that to state
the, truth in this connection would
be to show up the deception they
have practiced and are bent on prac-
ticing In the future on this subject.
in efforts to influence and prejudice
the people against Swlsher.
Magnifled accounts, sensationally
colored for political effect, are eager
ly published by them. Some Of them
refuse to listen TO or accept true ac-
counts of the affair, and other news
papers friendly to Scherr and advo-
eating his cause cast aside with dis
dain his expressed wishes that as
little as possible be said about the
incident. Even the fact that Mr..
Scherr attaches no political signifl-
cnace to the incident whatever and
does not believe there was any has
no other effect on them but to make
them further misrepresent the &C.
currence and villify parties and per-
sons entirely innocent.
There is not the slightest evidence
in the world that the Fairmont Coal
Company had anything to do with
the action of Frank Shuttleworth in
this instance, though he be in Its en-
ploy. Mr.. Scherr has no reason to
believe that the coal company had
the slightest inkling of such thing.
Again. It is a well known fact here
that in many political matters he is
not agreed with the coal company
and that. he works Independent OF 1t
in that respect, the same as he held
himself aloof from Swisher in his
support of the Scherr candidacy.
And as there was absolutely no in
terest, no influence, no action except
his own and that OF Mr.. Scherr in the
affair, 1t is the height OF folly for
any newspaper or newspaper writer
who during all the strenuousness of
the campaign thus far remained
neutral, to now allow Its or his ac-
tion and Judgment to be biased by
the rash act of one man and that man
a supporter of the man, whom these
papers and men of folly and wrong
information are now also supporting
because of the personal matter which
cropped out and developed into an as
sault by one of Scherr's supporters
upon Scherr himself.
What they hope to gain by such
Misrepresentation and deception is
more than any sensible man can read
lily see. and they may be assured now
that the voters themselves will be in
formed on the true situation and the
facts in the case, and being inform
ed they will repudiate at the polls and
in the conventions the deception at,
tempted upon them.
To Barter Public Offices.
Tho TamocratIc orpanizotion wa,