West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-07-29
Could Not CriticIse.

SOdtu NOt SFtttCtSe.
The commission appointed by Gov.
Glasscock 10 investigate the charges pre-
ierred against Chief Mine Inspector John
Laing by Deputy Inspectors Bratt and
Springer has sent i'm its report 30 the gov
crnor, which cxonerates Laing The gov
ernor lost no time in reappointing Laing
for four years.
The commission is gracious enough To-
say IN it, report, according To the news
paper accounts from Charleston, that il
cannot visit adverse criticism upon the
chief though technically the charge
may not have been warranted" for the
chief to authorize the four district inspec-
tom, who attended Pittsburg banquet,
Ia charge the cost OF the banquet to the
state. We suppose the commission, which
was composed Of John X. Thompson and
T.. VI. Gilkeson, who at one time were
prominent Democrats, think that when
public servants take n little outing the
state is rich enough to foot the bill, and
10 visit adverse criticism" for techni-
cal violation Of the law would not he APP
proved by the taxpayers.
There is said 10 be honor among thieves,
and we see no reason why this "honor"
should not obtain among public servants
who violate their oath Of Office. 1t is get
ting TO be a real fad among certain mu-
nicipal, county, state, and national public
servants to graft the people because they
seem 10 offer no serious objection.
Over in Ohio county they have had ex-
perts auditing the books, and il is alleged
they found where some of the public scrv-
ants spent something like 81 800 for cigars,
beer, etc, while on tour inspecting the
county institutions In seeking TO condone
this species of alleged graft the Wheeling
lntelligencer states that there will be no
| criminal nor civil action brought against
the officials, and gives it as its learned
| opinion that the officials were guilty OF
nothing more than n breach of trust. II
the Ohio officials are innocent they should
| be eXonerated like Chief Laing, and il
they are guilty they should be punished.
The people will get no relief from the
political grating until they make up their
mind TO give no man more than one term
in public Office. This lfelike tenure in
public office seems TO be inoculated with
the virus OF grating and stealing from the
people. We may not be able TO entirely
eliminate the grating and stealing by the
one-term system, but no one will dare say
that it is not step in the right direction
10 purify the political atmosphere which
has become so corrupt under ring and
machine domination.
And in this connection it might be sug.
gested to the taxpayers of West Virgins
that the one weak spot i'm our political
system is the lack of interest the non.
office-seeking citizens take in politics
They seem to content themselves by let
ting the party nominate the ticket
They believe the party can be trusted t.
do the right thing, when the party they
have been trusting consists of some ten Of
fifteen men who have banded together
and organized a political machine to con
troll the organization and thereby dictat,
who the party shall nominate for office.
If the Notwithstanding class of citizens
would interest themselves enough 10 at
tend the primaries and the conventions
there is not political ring nor machine
that was ever organized that can nomin
ate the party candidates, for it is safe Il
say that % per cent of the people have nj
penchant for public office, and what they
could do to the 2per cent of office-seeker
would not require the wisdom of a sag,
to foretell
Think over this, you good citizens anC
taxpayers of Preston county. The NOR,
thought you give 10 it the clearer it will
dawn upon you that you have not beer
doing your duty as good citizens and thai
you are more to blame for the corrup
condition of our politics than the dishon
est politicians. II there is to be any puri
fication in our politics and public servant,
1t can only be accomplished through the
nonoffice- seeking citizens taking charge
of the steam roller and crushing the very
life out of the rings and the machines
This is what you would do if your coun.
try was endangered by an invading foe
1t would not require the music of the fife
and drum TO arouse you to your sense OF
duty as loyal citizens.
With corrupt politics undermining the
very foundation of our government, you
sit idly by and refuse to be awakened
from your lethargy and indifference, be-
cause, forsooth, you have so much conf.
dence in my party" If you will study
the doings of your party" you will soon
discover that it has been doing you for
years as frst-class lobster who "votes
the ticket straight" for the good of the
party"