The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-10-08
citizens. and is and should be op.
posed by the Republican party.
Opposes Compromise.

citizens. and is and should be op-
posed by the Republican party.
Opposes Compromise.
! believe West Virginia does not
owe anything to the state of Virginia,
or to the holders of the pretended
certificates issued by that state
against this state. and IL elected Gov
ernor I pledge to the people my best
efforts in seeing that our interests are
fully protected. We have already
employed some OF the best lawyers
In this state and in the whole country
to defend US in the suit Instituted in
the name Of Virginia against us now
pending in the Supreme Court Of the
United States. and we should employ
all honorable means to succeed in our
defense of that suit. am not in
favor of compromise, but am in favor.
to use homely expression, Of de-
Tending the suit to the "bitter end. ;"
Since the 4th day of Karch, 1897,
the Republican party has been in con-
troll OF the executive and legislative
departments of the government Of
West Virginia, and I take 1t the ques-
ton before US today is not how much
we may have differed among our
selves as to what ought or ought not
to have been done, but rather how
well have we served the whole people.
Has our stewardship been satisfac-
tory? Have we made good our prom
!ses to the people? Has the state
prospered under our administration
OF affairs? Have we been good and
faithful servants and is II better for
the people of this great and growing
commonwealth to continue us in
power or would 1t be to their best in
terests to place In power the party
that has opposed that which we have
done and now says to you that the
Republican party has been unfaithful
to It's trust and is no longer worthy
of your confidence and support? I
would not and do not say that our
Democratic friends would have us go
back to the days OF Democratic rule
in this state. because 1 know they
have learned many things in the
past ~ years. but Ghey insist that
our mistakes have been such and our
administration of affairs so unsatis-
factory that we are no longer worthy
OF the confidence and support of the
y0nmanrv nf tho state
Citizens Are Sovereigns.
In the past decade great and rapid
strides have been made in this coun-
try. In many ways we do not think
and act as we did a few years ago.
The public conscience has been SO
aroused under the administration OF
our great President, Theodore Roose-
welt. that many things which wer
either looked upon as all right or ut
least permitted to pass without criti-
cism a few years ago is now con-
demned and the people applaud the
condemnation. A few years ago peo-
pie only inquired whether you, had a
good boss or bad one. Now they
insist IL you stand in the public lime
light, that you be completely disrobed
and II your garments of official or
private life show\blot or stain; or the
man free from the garments does not
present the strongest evidence of in
tegrity and character and of promise
for the future that he be condemned
as unworthy of their confidence and
support,
A few years ago the whole coun-
try applauded when one man stood
up in great convention and dra-
matically declared that he carried
his sovereignty under the crown of
his hat. Today every citizen in this
country knows he is sovereign and
he does not hesitate to exercise that
sovereignty as seems best to him, and
according to the dictates of his own
conscience. That is his right and he
is doing just what the founders of
this country intended and planned
that he should do. The declaration
that all men are created equal does
not mean that one. shall be bound
and another free, and does not mean
that one shall command and another
shall obey, but rather 1t means all
shall be free or all shall be slaves;
all shall command or all shall obey;
and when 1t was declared that all
men are endowed by the Creator with
certain inalienable rights among
which are life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness. it was meant and
intended as a declaration of brave
men that liberty and the pursuit of
happiness is a God given right Of
rich, and poor. black and white,
alike, not for one class to the ex-
clusion of another; because under
our system of government. thank
God. there are no classes. and should
be none.
Good Account Rendered.
But you want to know whether or