Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-09-21
Jefferson County Politics.

Jefferson County Politics.
The Berkeley Springs News has
this to say, anent political con-
ditions ia Jefferson.
Tho old fight between the old and
tie new has broken ont again in JEFF
ferson. Both sides GO broke in these
fights, and when the general election
comes on they are breathing so hard
that outside committees have to step in
and get out the vote. /"
81 Whether the old and new ticket
factions of the past may or may
not have made new alignments is
yet to be determined.
AS the National Democracy
will go into next year S campaign
with better prospects than in
twenty years, it is to be hoped
that no .internecine strife Will en-
danger party supremacy in West
Virginia.
BUT Brother Pend1eton's criti-
cism as to the results Of our
primary fights hurts, because it
savors of truth.
We might as well be honest
with ourselves, and admit that
the Democrats of Jefferson ex-
haust themselves in their primary
fights sometimes to the extent of
inability to present an aggressive
front to the common enemy at the
general elections.
This is apt to occur in any
County or State where nominal
tio11 is equivalent to election.
For this reason we have always
felt like taking off our hats to the
fighting Democrats of apparently
hopelessly Republican counties
like Monongalia and Mcdowell,
where the party has no rewards to
offer but the sense of duty well
done in fidelity to principle.
\. And by the same token, nation
ally the best kind Of Democrats
fare those of States like Pennsy1-
wanna and Vermont, New Hamp-
3sllire and Maine. Z.
And although Truth is nigh
I ty and will prevail, who would
ever have believed that the latter
State would in this year of our
Lord have elected a. Democratic
Governor and sent two Democrats
{ to the United States Senate
More power to their good right
arm -
There are some Athings wrong
i'm our County party management
The assessments on candidates to
pay legitimate campaign expenses
are ridicu1opsly small, and joke
among Democrats of other coun-
ties It ,las been alleged that
COMMITTEES are elected by the
friends of prospective candidates
to see that they are tenderly cared
for In this regard.
The truth is that candidates
should be fairly assessed id pro-
portion to the value of the office
commended for, and the assess.
r1ents should go into the wal
chest. of the party for use in the
general campaign. This might
reduce the funds available fol
other purely selfish purposes, but
would tend to rid us of the stigma
of corruption in party contests.
Why should one dollar be spent
at the primaries by candidates
any how, except to advance theil
own interests We can elect al
our candidates without resort tt
corrupt means. But TO get ou1
vote out in State and Nationa
Elections is expensive.
1t costs money to organize
mail literature, provide music
speakers, etc. These are 1egiti
mate and necessary expenses
But to debauch our own vote with
money or whiskey would be both
a political blunder and crime
and the worst sort of plagiarism
of Republican methods prevalent
: in the State.
Why not insist on candidate,
coming clear" and restricting
their expenses, so that the pool
bat able man may honorahly and
s hopefully aspire to Office as vel
rs the rich and crooked one, 81
one Stil1 worse, who is put for
ward BY those who intend to ust
him and who are perfectly willing