West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-06-10
After the Lobby.

Gov. w. T.. Glasscock took occasion i'm
his Morgantown Decoration Day speech
to inject little politics into ii. This is
what Bill Dawson did when he was the
Decoration Day orator at Grafton. II
would appear that the politicians utilize
Decoration Days to get their wares before
the people who assemble to pay tribute
TO the memory Of the departed.
In burst of civic virtue Gov. Glass
cock periodically declared that he was
going to throttle, stake and quarter the
third house," which he characterized as
the West Virginia lobby, providing the
people would assist him in the slaughter,
Ii has always been the custom OF the
oiiice-holdcr and the oflice-seeker 10 make
| such passionate declarations from the
hustings in the hope that the peoples at
tention may bc diverted from the mig
| ger in the wood pile" His excellency
broadly intimated that it was the lobby
that defeated the state primary law. Com
ing from such high source we must ac-
cept II as authoritative.
Now who and what is the West yir-
ginia lobby? Don't you know, innocent
reader? Why, il is the Republican state
machine! And what peculiar cabbage
| Gov Glasscock must bc eating down mt
| Charleston to have such strange dreams
OF what he is going 10 do to the West Vir-
ginia lobby Why, bless the virtuous and
patriotic governor, il il were not for the
West Virginia lobby" William Ellis
worth Glasscock would be still serving
Uncle Sam in the internal revenue service.
II was the gentleman who is at the
head of the Republican state machine
that brought about the "compromise"
and dictated whom they should select as
the standard-bearer. After the usual kick
ing and boisterous talking the committee
nominated the candidate for governor
You Republicans had no more voice in
the selection of your candidate for gov
ernor than your separate political breth-
rem. The committee, which is the handi-
work OF the boss OF the machine, made
the selection for you. And on the 18th day
OF July you go out and crate on this being
a representative government i'm which the
people choose their public servants
1t would bc overwhelmingly humorous
were it not such serious matter and
fraught with such great danger TO the
stability of our republic form of govern
ment
Citizens of Preston, this is indeed o
serious matter and one which you should
be considering. We speak not by the
tenets OF any political party, but we do
say that it is the inactivity of the good
citizens in all political parties that makes
it possible for few men to control the
party organizations and thereby dictate
the names of the men who must Sc
chosen as the party candidates. After
the machine has selected the candidates
and the ticket is placed in the field these
designing politicians appeal to your po-
itical bias and prejudice, and you, by
letting your good reason and common
sense be outweighed by your prejudice
march to the polls and "vote the ticket
straight" and in the classic language o.
Bro. Whetsell, Don't let them elect 9
constablev
THE ARGUS shall not question the COCO
intentions of Gov Glasscock to make wal
on the lobby, but it cannot help but
think that the governor by his appoint.
mentsisunwittingly strengthening the lob.
by Experience and observation teaches
that the lobby works through the organi
zatlon of the party that happens to be in
power. The lobby never splits hairs oyei
the brand Of politics of the party in power
All look alike TO the lobby. And here is
where the governor is innocently playing
into the hands OF the lobby by selecting
all his appointments from the ranks OF
the organization (the machine) and to-
tally ignoring the insurgent element OF
his party, which is directly contrary to
the promises which he made when he was
seeking their votes and endeayoring Ia
harmonic the party. 1t is safe TO predict
that the governor will enlist but few un.
der his banner until lie shows by deeds,
and not words, that he stands for square
deal for all the members OF his party, be
they ever so humble SO far he has not
done this.