The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1911-08-03
MINGO COUNTY POLITICS.
Some Caustic Remarks on the Cor
ruption Practiced.

| We find the following communities
ton In the Charleston Gazette. We
do not know the writer, but If his
statements are true, our methods
should change to avoid trouble in the
4 future. We have been hoping for
( better conditions and we vet hope to
Il live to see fair ami honest election
lin Mingo county. We have not
thought it necessary to resew poll
tics at this time, and in publishing
this article about our county, we do
so only to let our people know what
is passing in the public prints. We
have recently returned to this section
and we are here to chronicle public
affairs as they really exist. We have
lbeen discussing the political situation
with our citizens in casual way and
! find the better element ready for a
change 1t must come, or down goes
the fabric of Republican govern
ment in our State. We hope it will
mot become necessary to appeal to
I0utsiders to settle our local political
affairs and we still hope for better
conditions politically in our midst.
We left this section at one time to
Iavoid these political mistakes which
are being made and we sincerely hope
4 that we may not be forced to strike
our tents again and quietly steal
away. We ought to rise in oar man
hood and look to the best interest Of
Jour State, county and town. But
there is the Gazette's comment and the
Communication
The several contests that deye .Oped
Icut of the last election AMI that pro-
lducgd actual evidence of Mingo and
Mcdowell political corruption, while
ltbey have not changed results, have
awakened the state to realization Of
tine true situation and as we'll to a
ltruc sense of shame. Tt has been the
custom in the past to wink AT South
fern West Virginia frauds anc to laIgh
lat the stories of repeatins, negro
herding, ballot-box stuffiny an of
sstrongarming" the election machin-
cry But this will no longer do. In
a letter to The Gazette, Mr. Orman T.
4 Headley of Matewan, makes a plea
FLOR Intervention in the southern West
Virginia belt to- insure honest cleo
ltiOns, and appeals to the state au-
thorities to take steps in time to pre-
went frauds Hike those of the past.
Mr.. Headley writes:
In Southern West Virginia where
corruption Of political Office holders
Is proverbial, conditions have come
Ito climax. The people have endur-
ed beyond what might have been ex-
Ipected OF liberty loving people. In
the last election more nonresident
negroes were voted, and they too,
Iwere voted more times than in any
NY,v irrrc EJ<,xf - o. M
Tened state, such corruption can go not
lonly unpublished, bub actually
Il highly rewarded Is beyond human be-
lief. Some of the leaders of this high
Iway corruption have been appointed
Ito high state positions with big sala-
Iries, and when the people have COM
lplained to the state authorities, and
Iprayei for relief, the state authorities
have In not few instances gone to
the very ones guilty of secretly aiding
in the ballot box corruption to as
certain the true state Of things. 1t
reminds one of the fable Of Johnnie
and Willie when they are out on mis-
lchief bent When complaint is made
against them and they are called,
lthey are asked IL they are being good.
They complacently reply with a wink,
THAT they are being good, and go on
with the mischief. Men, highly, re-
spected in many ways, and some
wealthy and even men who go to
Ichurch sometimes, are found leading
bands OF negroes from voting place to
voting place on election day. One
Isuch man OF late in speaking of the
last election remarked that he did
not intend to vote his negroes but
four times, but something unexpected
happened and he voted some of them
Iseyen times. He made this remark
with as little concern as If he had
been speaking of some mere trifiing
business matter. How long is such to
be countenanced and protected by the
ISupreme Court and state authorities
LOT a great state? These passing years
will be blots and black spots In West
Virginia history, II the truth of state
history Is ever written. Does the SUI
Ipreme Court doubt If such corruption
EXISTS or do the state authorities
doubt It? II they do let them read
THE testimony taken after last cleo
Ition In all the leading voting places in
Mingo couney, and in other counties
As write could within five min
lntes lead. any person to man who
Il imported one carload OF negroes last
lection and voted them all along thk
ire of the Norfolk and Western rail.
Iway. What more proof could be de.
sired Notwithstanding all this ties
imony on record at Charleston, moi
one officer has been put out of Office
not one person to certain knowledge
ias been prosecuted for committing
lection frauds, ana everything /.
passing along just as If the last cleo
ton was perfectly legal in every par
lticular A shame and disgrace tt
West Virginia! The people here, tn,
sonHst people, mean, are not carin,
What party rules locally. They onl,
gant honesy The Adams county
lOhio, election frauds are not scin
ltilla in comparison with what take
. place In any election in Mingo county
but who has ever raised the cry o
punished the corruptions in West vir
lginia?
The people have long lost all con
fIdence in the courts. Justice an
lequity are unknown quantities, an
Jury packing and practically moe
trials are a by word. The peopl
have educated themselves to durancf
and they no longer expect anythin