Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-10-31
WHY |NSURGENT REPUBLICANS
OF MERCER COUNTY WILL NOT
SUPPORT THEIR PARTY TICKET

der into the hands of ring politicians
the affairs of this county to be furth-
or administered
The ring politicians go broadcast
over the community asserting that
the Republicans ought to support the
alleged Republican ticket. In the
FIRST place we charge that there is
no Republican ticket, because all of
tie nominations were brought about
by fraudulent practices and fraudu.
lent primary election. Fraud vitiatcs
oll contracts in law, and why not in
politics? So. If there was fraud in,
the primary election. then every hon
est man who has any intelligence Is
bound to admit that the Republican
party In this election stands without
y single candidate nominated
Why should we listen to the appeal
to support the alleged Republican
ticket when we feel that 1t does not
represent "a majority OF the votes OF
the Republican party? The candi.
date may be good Republican, but
that is matter of no concern. Why?
BECAUSE the people are entitled under
our form Of government to say whom
we shall have to administer the of.
fairs of our government, and the ques-
tion as to whether or not he is a
good Republican does not enter irtc
H., or the people are the only ones
TO determine whether o. not he is
Iltheir choice to admlaisrcr their al.
Hairs. q haI
| These people. too. who are now
clamoring loudest that all Republi-
cans should stand together and sup.
port the ticket are men who have no
rigid to Insist on regularity( because
they have been guilty of more irreg-
ularities than any one who now
claims the right to chastise them In
this election because OF their fraudu-
lent practices. In the year 1904 the
men, or most OF them, who are now
most strongly advocating the election
of the alleged Republican ticket. or
ganized the coal field In this county
against the state ticket, or part of
it, Yet, they claim to be Republi.
cans; they claim to be able to advise
us now how to vote. Some OF these
same men worked and voted against
l.. b. Farley for county clerk. and de-
feated him after he became the nom
jnee of the party by compromise>
Some of these same men fought vii.
liam Seymour Edwards for Congress
because he would NOT promise to
give them Office. Some of these same
men voted against, and defeated, Dav-
is Thorn for county court, who had
TO be nominated three times in the
convention before the chairman would
declare his nomination. and yet they
declare they are i'm favor OF honest
and fair nominations. And there are
many such instances which could be
given to show the Irregularities of at
least most Of the ring politicians who
are now bowling about supporting the
alleged Republican ticket.
Beginning with the first name on
the ticket, the alleged candidate for
congress. How was his nomination
secured? He started out with n pack.
ed congressional committee, loaded
down with postmasters and other
men who were trained To do his bid
ding; and they denied his opponent
the right TO a primary election afraid
| of the people. They not only de.
MED him primary election i'm the
district, but they refused him a pri.
mary election in his home county; re.
fused to give him primary election
| in Mcdowell county: refused TO give
him primary election at any point
In the congressional district, and re-
fused 10 give him a minority repre-.
seutation In any county in the district
where the alleged Republican noml.
nee for Congress fel, sure he could
carry the county; but in those coun-
ties where the alleged Republican
nominee fe!t that he was in The mi.
qCrity and where no couid control tho
committee. nc claimed for himgclf
minority represen tation in all the
counties except Mercer county, and in
this county the ringsters were at
that time trying 20 make IL appear
l:bat they were fair or il would not
have beer done here, Dut in doing so
they felt sure thJt they could carry
the county under the same schemes
and practices which resulted in the
defeat of the other candidates for
Lhe nomination. when had they not
been INDUCED in. Mr.. Lilly would
have arried this county by at icas.
1 a fhnmaand majority PM nflnr oil