West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-06-17
The Monkey and Cats.

- "oto. SSott tO the lnlted states senate.
Beat him, mind you. II takes whole lot
oil seli-conhdence TO offer n wager like
that. Will hc have some takers from
Senator Scott, Hons. Dawson, Mann. Vim
son, Dillon, and others?-Grafton Re
publican.
The above is reproduced that the Re-
publicans of Preston may gain clearer
insight into the political game which is
now being played in West Virginia. Mr..
Schenk, who is a millionaire, and who is
vouchsafed as a clever gentleman when il
comes to tickling the palate of the repre-
sentatives of the legislature i'm banquet
assembled, seems to have longing to he
admitted to the millionaircs' club 1.-THE
United States senate) and pose as n states
man who is sponsor for some infant in
dustry. Mr.. schenk's ambitions should
be encouraged. II few millionaires own
the state of West Virginia, and the COM
mon people have no voice i'm the election
OF representatives TO congress and the
United States senate, the sooner this fact
Is made known TO them the quicker they
can reconcile themselves to their fate as
political slaves.
In the early history of tire republic men
were chosen by the people to represent
them in the halls of congress on account
o: their sympathy for the people and their
ability to reflect honor and credit upon
their constituency. They were in truth
the real representatives of the people. But
1t is different today. This was due to the
fact that the people nominated and elected
the members to both branches of congress
Within the past twenty years there has
been built up in this country what is
known as the political machine" As
the people have paid but little attention
1t has grown powerful-for evil. When
the machine has control of the political
machinery (the public oflices) of the state
and county the rank and file of the party
IN power have no voice whatever in choos-
ing the candidates of that party. The
men ut the head of the machine meet.
hold their conferences, often outside the
state, and those seeking nominations must
submit their claims and applications to
the bosses. The bosses. in considering
the claims Of candidates, are governed by
two motives only. First, how much money
will he contribute? Second, will he be
governed by the dictates of the machine
Fitness and qualification are never con-
sidered. In fact, an escaped Jail bird would
suit the machine best II the candidate
will put up the necessary money and
agree to let the machine run the Office he
is placed on the slate. The machine does
/ the rest.
The machine often prepares the slate
ticket as much rs four years i'm advance
oil the time for nominating the ticket. As
soon a. the slate ticket is decided upor
the machine newspaper organs are giver
their instructions 10 boom the select one.
as candidates for such and such an office
Thus the farce goes on, and when tn,
time for the primaries and convention,
arrive the machine, which has full contro
OF the committees, selects the delegate.
and dominates the slate ticket regardless
OF the protest of the rank and file.
The Republican machine in West Vir
ginia demonstrated this fact in 1901 and
1905, and there is not Republican in
Preston that can honestly deny it. Ant
1t will repeat the dose in 1910 and 1912 i
the rank and file do not get together and
organize for self-protection.
1t is indeed pertinent to inquire how
long is the Republican machine going tc
rule the people of West Virginia? So sure
are the candidates that the machine i.
| supreme and that it controls the nomina.
tions and elections that they are alleged
TO be in a betting frame of mind and will
wager S25, 900 that one millionaire can
heat the other.
Has it come TO pass that the machine
can put the offices up to. be knocked off to
the highest bidder? 1t really looks that
way, and, in fact, i'm 1901 and 1908 il
actually performed the trick.
Why, may we ask, cannot the people
act sane and sensible in political matters?
The plain people, the middle class, the
ones who pay the taxes and defend their
! country in time of war, their interests are
identical. Here in West Virginia the Re-
publican pays the same tribute (taxation
to the Republican machine that the Dem
ocrat, the Socialist, and the Prohibitionist
has to pay under protest. Whether the
Republican pays more generously because
the machine permits him 10 "vote the
ticket straight than his brethren of op.
posite political faith is debatable ques-
ton.
The county, state, and national gov
eminent can never be restored to the peo-
pie a. long a. we allow partisan politics
to make blooming idiots ont of us. II is
just such blind partisan politics that has
made the people the cats quarreling over
the cheese and the machine the monkey
- decide their dispute Reason and com
nonsense teaches that az long a. we sub
NIT our cheese 20 the machine monkey
we will have to dine without cheese. II
looks like II would be- the part Of wisdom
Tor MS 10 BE- men for awhile instead Of cats.
TIE ARGUS IL in this fight for the pco-
pie and If it don't win it will h. the fault
Of the people.
II -------s@