Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-09-16
|NCOMPETENCY
And
EXTRAVACANCE
HON. c. NJ. wETZEL. DEMOCRAT-
iC LEADER IN THE sTATI,
LEGisLATURE, SCORES DAw-
son ADMINISTRATION IN AN
ABLE SPEECH AT GUyAN.
DOTTE.

III hE.
huntington, W. Va. Sept. lS -,
Hon. G. NJ. Wetzel, OF Jefferson
county. Democratic leader In the
house OF delegates for "A number OF
years addressed large and enthu-
siastic audience nj Guyan1otts I'm
the course OF which he scored the
state administration in vigorous
language.
The Jefferson county lawmaker
was greatly applauded when he
came forward. He prefaced his re-
marks by removing his coat. after
asking permission OF the audience.
He said that he wanted to take of
his coat because he was used TO
doing that when he worked on his
farm. Then without any frllls he
launched into discussion OF the
issues OF the day. Mainly he con-
fined himself to state topics and
showed thorough knowledge OF
the manner in which the state gov
ernment has been conducted dur
ing the past twelve years.
The information gathered by him
during the service as Democratic
1oor leader in the house OF dele
gat enabled him to give inside
facts and figures which are indeed
startling. He also tod someth ,ng
OF his work as a mcmDer of the
legislative committee to investigate
state institutions and from what he
said. IL must be judged that unless
the committees report is greatly
whitewashed. there will be some
startling revelations made to the
coming legislature.
Ills only reference to national af-
fairs was made In his opening SEN
tences when he spoke OF the possi-
bilities OF the Ohio alley and, in
connection, OF the necessity for the
Improvement Of the country's water
ways. And he declared that If the
ID mocrat.c party is given power the
waterways will be improved.
Turning again to state Issues he
declared that the people should first
of all remember that the Offices
were created so tnat men might
serve the state, not that they might
be honored by the state. He de-
clared that the fact that the people
had forgotten this and submitted
to the wrong Interpretation Of offict
holding and led TO the election OF
incompetent men to the Offices OF
the state.
G. o. p. POSITION.
He cited the fact that the Repub-
Leans have nominated two candi-
dates OF Scherr he said he would
say nothing although he realized
that he would get many votes He
declared that the auditor would Sc
cure majority OF the Republican
votes Of Jefferson county and OF
many other counties in that section
Of the state. But on the other hand
he declared that ne was not the
man who must be beaten by Ben
mott
Turning TO Swsher he said that
the gulaT nominee had been CON
necte1 with the state governms mt
since 1899 whs he was door
keeper or SON thing ~ the sort I'm
the senate. Two years Ia .er, he de-
clared, Swisher scry d W II MIN in
the house OF delegates "swisher
did not know " at was going on i'm
the house" he dec'ar and he fur
thermore declared that he was
wholly incompetent IS a member OF
the senate
SWISHER QUALIFICATIONS
He is incompetent continues
the speaker. OF drawing the most
bill, hc ccu'I not do so if
called upon. AMI as far as passing
upon the merits OF a bill Is concern
Cd he Is as incapable OF 80 doing as
one Of your school boys IL Of steer
ing a mighty vessel across the At
lantic ocean"
Then he turned 10 Bennett. Ben
n 20 nc declared TO be a scholarly
man. he explained this by saying
that he did not contend that a gov
crnor should be a man OF education
but that on the other hand he
should be a man Of vide infOrma-
tlon lie reviewed the career OF the
Democratic candidate as principal
Of the Gleny lie Normal school a.