The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-02-16
Very Thin BUNS.

~ Suh "a uAy Ibe sdid vi lttS pt SoSttt
legislature so far as the Democratic
majority is concerned that 1t is only
bluff and very thin one, indeed.
Among the first bluffs attempted
was to force the Republicans to per-
NIT the Democrats to organize the
State Senate. That did not work at
all.
Another was to make pretense at
organizing the State Senate by
stealing one OF the seats. That
failed to work.
"a fourth one was to make the pub
lie and even the Democratic leaders
and legislators themselves believe
that the United States senators were
truly elected at the rump election.
The successful candidates them
selves hastened to Washington after
that and Immediately newspaper re-
ports were sent out that all was well
with them at Washington. But
these. bluffs did not work either.
Then under a flag OF truce, they
tried to get the Republican senators
to agree to the demands made by
the Democrats at first. That did not
work.
Finally, they granted the demands
Of the Republicans and then they
went through a second election OF
United States senator's. Even then
they were not certain of the legal
ity of the election and there was
talk OF holding still another one.
The senators-elect however learned
at Washington that that would not
he necessary. Their doubt in this
instance shows that the Democratic
solons still We're not convinced that
they were not blutEing.
A most glazing bluff was when
they set in to bluff themselves ex-
elusive of the Republican members.
That appears to be the only bluff
that has worked we'll. 1t was when
they promised one another that
there would he no investigation of
bribery charges in connection with
the Democratic senatorial caucus.
Everyone knows how they have
failed to keep the pledge made to
one another. 1t is tabled and the
bluff is a good one among them
selves.
Probably the largest and thinest
bluff of all is the action OF the Dem
ocratic majority in passing the res
olution submitting the prohibition
amendment to vote of the people.
Just think of it! All those Demo.
cratic fellows who have heen playing
In the front yards of the liquor in
terests. 10, these many years joining
the prohih forces, The liquor inter
ests spent thousands of dollars, it is
stated, to elect these men TO office.
The ruse they played was that the
governor inteded to put the state
dry and they said to the whiskey
men, Just elect us.
1t is not to be believed by thinking
men that those lifelong advocates
of liquor purpose to forsake that at
this late day. 1t is plain that the
Democrats when they passed the
resolution sought merely to make it
"a bait for the votes Of temperance
men in the future. They themselves
Will cling to their lifelong moorings
on this question but at the same
time they will try to inveigle the
dry vote into their camp. 1t other
words it is to be in fact an alliance
of the temperance forces and the
whisky interests, provided the
Democrats can trick temperance adj
Yocates into believing that West vir-
ginia Democracy in The legislature
was, sincere in submitting the
amendment. But temperance peo.
pie know the old dame was merely
blutfing again.