The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1910-10-13

In the face of this splendid record
the Republican party is charged with
extravaganza" Waste and ex-
travagance of the conduct OF the gov.
ernment" Is stereotyped expression,
CASUALLY the party out of power, when
1T has failed to impress the people with
other issues. 1t is charge easily
made; and, as 1t is likely to mislead
because the people are rightly jealous
OF the expenditure of their money, un-
candid men and demagogues are. there
fore apt 10 make 1t. We see men who.
as members of the Legislature. voted
away the public money Tor almost
every conceivable purpose, get on the
stump and grow red in the face aboht
extravaganza" When a voter hears
a man bowling from the stump about
extravaganza and corruption,v II WIN
be well for the voter to look up that
mans record in the Legislature or
in other official position, and see
whether he practiced what he breaches.
Democratic leaders in this State. ank-
ious to get back into Office from which
they were ousted, and having nothing
IN their official records or in that OF
their party in this State, to commend
them to the people, have evidently de-
termined to make extravaganza and
waste in the conduct of the State gov
ernment9 their paramount issue"
The platforms OF their conventions. and
editorials in their newspapers are full
OF it, and doubtless their orators on the
stump will make 1t their universal and
unanimous text. As respects expen-
diture OF money for any public pur-
pose two questions are to be asked.
namely: Was 1t desirable or necessary!
II so, was the work or service well
done and the cost thereof reasonable?
The mere cost is not the criterion: for
instance, building is needed for q GER
tain purpose. Two men undertake to
build 1t, One constructs building
for $1,000; but 1t is not adapted for the
purpose, and is not worth what Ii cost
The other mans building costs $4,000.
but it is well adapted, and is worth
what 1t costs. The waste and ex-
travaganee" is In connection with the
one thousand dollar building, and econ.
omy and efficiency are on the side OF
the two thousand dollar building. It
Is waste and extravaganza to put n
shanty where a mansion Is needed:
and 1t is waste and eXtrayagance To
put up mansion where shanty only
is necessary.
Some Impressive Comparisons.
In 1883, when the late E. w. Wilson
was Governor and the State was under
Democratic rule, West Virginia was
comparatively undeveloped. The pop
ulation did not exceed $4,000: our
vast coal deposits had scarcely been
scratched; little OF the virgin timber
had been removed from our forests;
the great oil and gas fields had NOT
Deen developed, and those Counties IN
the southern section of the State. now
rich in mineral resources, were almost
regarded barren Of wealth, except what
was produced from the soil. Today.
a quarter OF century later, West viz
ginia had doubled in population: many
ana some vast manufacturing plants
have located in the State; we rank sec.
pnd in the production of coal: Our oil
and gas fields have attracted outside
capital, and railroads have penetrated
the mountains. carrying our products
70 the great centers of population. Yet
with all this great material teyelop-
ment, very much of which took place
under Republican administration. with
great increase in population, and with
the large sums spent for new institu.
tions and for the enlargement and re-
building OF old ones. the State govern
ment did not expend in 190e-the frat
year OF the administration OF Governor
w; =. Glasscock-twice as much as n
did In the year 1S93-the first year of
tue administration OF Governor VIM
A. MaeCorkle. In the sixteen years
from MacCorkle to Glasscock the AZ.
t ures taken from the official reports Of
the Auditors, Democratic and Rennb.
Lean, show that the disbursement for
state purpose have not doubled. INT Inc
reports OF these State officers do show
that. n the ten years from 1888 TO 1899
from Governor Wilson to Governor
MacCorkle-the expenses OF n,ain.
tanning the State government were
more than doubled.
During the administration OF -covar.
nor MacCorlSle the disbursements from
tle treasury for State governmental
purposes were twice as much ne thew
We're under the administration 81 Gov.
ernor Wilson. Just ten years before
BUT now Ex-Governor MaeCoflIe
sixteen YenY.a ate, M. .a.f. !, 4.