The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 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
| eminent" is stereotyped expression,
often resorted to by a political party
| Casually the party out of poWer,) when
| 1t has failed to impress the people with
other issues. 1t is a charge easily
made; and, as it is likely to mislead
because the people are rightly jealous
OF the expenditure Of their money, I'M
candid men and demagogues are there
fore apt to make it. We see men who,
as members Of the Legislators. voted
away the public money TOY almost
every conceivable purpose, get on the
stump and grow red In the face about
"eXtravagamce. When a voter hears
a man bowling from the stump about
"extravagance and corruption" it will
be we'll for the voter to look up that
tman's record in the Legislature or
In other official position, and see
whether he practiced what he breaches.
Democratic leaders in this State, anx-
lous to get back into office from which
they were ousted, and having nothing
| IN their official records or i'm that of
their party in this State to commend
| them to the people, have evidently de-
| ternined to make "extravag aulce and
waste in the conduct of the State gov
eminent 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 it, 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, a building is needed for a GER
tain purpose. Two men undertake to
build it. One constructs a building
for $1,000; but it is not adapted for the
purpose, and is not worth what it cost.
The other mans building costs $4,000,
but it is we'll adapted, and is worth
what it costs. The waste and ex-
travagance" is in connection with the
one thousand dollar building, and econ
omy and efficiency are on the side OF
the two thousand dollar building. 1t
is waste and extravaganza to put a
shanty where a mansion is needed:
and 1T Is waste and extravaganza to
put up mansion where a 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
mad been removed from our forests:
the great oil and gas fields had not
1,,l
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,
quarter Of century later, West Vir-
ginia had doubled in population; many
ana some vast manufacturing plants
nave located in the State; we rank Sec
ono In the production Of coal; our oil
ana gas fields have attracted outside
capltaI, and railroads have penetrated
the mountains, carrying our products
10 the great centers Of population. Yet
with all this great material develop
ment, very much Of which took place
under Republican administration, with
great increase in population, and with
the large sums spent for new institu-
lions and for the enlargement and re-
building Of old ones the State govern
ment did not exppnd in 1909-the first
year or the administration of Governor
w. ~. GiasscOck--tWiCe as much as it
did In the year 1S93--the first wear OF
tue administration Of Governor VIM,
a. MacCorlle. in the sixteen Years
from MacCork1e to Glasscock the flo.
ures taken from the official reports Of
the Auditors. Democratic and Repub-
! iican, show that the disbursements for
state purpose RyC not doubled but ~.