West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-09-17
CHARLESTON LETTER
Apathy Amons Rank and Pile OF the
Republicans.
DISGUSTED WITH MACHINE POLITICS

SPECIAL Correspondence Of The Argus.

spee'"' Correspondence of The Argus.
CHARLESTON, Sept Is,-Reports
received from various sections of
the state indicate that a condition
of the most marked apathy prevails
among that class of Republicans who
are active IN politics only to The ex
tent OF exercising conscientiously
the rights of citizenship. and who
are not part of the turbulent mass
OF place hunters, whose endeavors
I" further personal fortunes have
resulted IN bringing about conditions 3
too r,pellant 10 be countena anced by
the thousands who comprise the fret
mentioned class. Ii is a we'll known
fact that wherever a county or dis
trIct organization has established
headquarters the only fr.quenters
have been either of that class of
politicians who are actrated solely
by the dictates Of self interest. or
the somewhat larger class whose
members feed upon the bounty of
the place seekers.
This failure of the honest yec-
many OF the Republican party to
display even a passive interest in the
affair of the party Is causing the
Republican leaders no little worry,
and furnishes not only an accurate
index To existivg conditions, but
affords at the same time a reliable
forecast of what is to come.
Another thing that has disgusted
large number of self respecting
Republicans is the kind of politics
being played by the Republican
leaders. As has been demonstrated
10y the recent conduct of the politi
Clans, p llticsl conscience has been
strangled aud fraud OF the most glar.
ing type has Il Iurishrd. There has
been no attempt 10 psllia,e these
outrages, and their Representatives
IN power have given an exhibition
OF extravaganza aud mism ent
so glaring that the manipulauons OF
even the Shire widest politicians the
party boasts have been unable to
conceal them from the gaze of an
awakened public.
This asteful prodigslity has been
so plainly disclosed that the people
OF the state, however much they
would like To disbelieve IL, have
been convinced Of i,s enormity. and
no denial or attempted conceaiment
has been able to- hide il. And these
Republicans, convinced against their
will, perhaps. but none the less con
vinced, have found the Office holding
contingent guilty Of an abuse Of trust
-political as we'll as public-and
they now realize that in orier TO
save th= party snd protect their own
interests as citizens, they must vote
for the establishment of a different
state of affairs. Aud this brings be.
fore them The problem of the cam.
paign, which is how 10 best conserve
The public interests, aud how to run
the affairs Of the state along lines OF
econotn, and 10 keeping with the
prime pies e Common honesty.
To whom can they turn in their
extremity What does the Republi.
can parry. IS al present organized.
have 10 offer them1 The very men
who wrote The Republican platform
and who dictated the nomination Of
the state ticket in the WIgwam con
yenlion at Charleston are the men
to whom the extravagsnces and mis-.
applications of which the people so
Justly complain are chsrgeable. And
It is conceded fact that these men
will c'n,iuue to be the main inhu
ences in control Of state affairs.
These reports, considered in the
whole, bring conclusive evidence
that the people are determined 20
administer singing aud lasting fe.
buke to the disciples Of exiravsgance
who have despoIled the treasury and
inaugursted a reign of wsstefulness.
IL is also made conclusive that IL is
their manifest intention to q 20 the
polls and vote the Democratic state
ticket. The perpetrators have even
boastcd that under similar conditions
they would repeat their misdemean.
ors and crimes agsins, pure politIcs