The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-02-23
TRUST TREACHERY AND
TREASON
PR RIVILEGE

The present legislative farce being
| pulled off here in Charleston by lot of
fake representatives and corporation
tools is one of the most gigantic frauds
ever imposed on a patient and long-suf-
fering people. From the converting of
| this session up to the present writing
absolute corporation control of our leg
| islature has been evident. None of the
| sugar-coated promises made to the voters
~ the democrats last fall have been
kept. None of the promised labor leg.
| Islatlon has been enacted, but the most
ot the session and thousands of dollars
o1 the peoples money was wasted, while
the leaders of the two old parties played
little but expensive game of politics
While the republican members of the
State Senate were enjoying a pleasure
rip and sojourn in Cincinnati, the dem.
ocrats were framing up the U. S. Sena.
tors election, which was not only an
outrage to great majority Of the pco-
pie, but was accomplished by corrupt
methods. Every means known to the
machine politician was resorteu to-.
Money was used to bribe and booze tc
debauch the representatives of the pct.-
pie into voting for G. w. Watson, the
very impersonation of special privilege,
md w. E. Chiffon, the servile tool of
the corporations, to these high offices.
1t was openly charged on the floor of
the legislature that corruption and
bribery had been rcsorted to in the e}ec-
tion of the two U. S. Senators, and the
House was asked to investigate these
charges, but the democrats blocked the
investigation. If innocent, they had
nothing to fear, and should have invited
a thorough investigation, but being gull
ty, as no doubt they were, they were
afraid of full and honest inquiry into
their methods. What can the great ma
jority of the people expect from such
/ men as Watson and Chiffon? These men
represent the interests that are exploit
ing the public and laying up millions.
These men represent the coal, oil and
| gas, railroads, ana other public utility
corporations, that are fattcning and
growing rich off Of the sweat and toll of
the working class. They have nothing
in common with you. our interest and
theirs are opposite. The laboring class
need not expect such men of these to
legislate in their interest, but this same
laboring class is responsible for their
election to the United States Senate, the
highest legislative boay of our nation.
After the democrats had fixed up the
Senatorial steal just to suit themselves,
they at once got busy and effected COM
promise with the runaway republicans.
This compromise was evidently satisfac-
tory to both parties, as they have agreed
and acted in harmony when it came tc
passing legislation in the interest OF
the trusts All of their fight in the be-
ginning of the session was but grand
stand play. to blind the people. The
present president of the Senate made
threats and defied the democrats, when
they threatened to arrest the republican
Senators and take them into the Sena-
torial chambers py force, but all OF that
has been forgotten now, as the demo
cratic corporation Senator from Kama
who County gave reception to this de-
faint republican Senator at his home
Sunrise last Thursday evening. They
wined and dined on the fat OF the land
The punch bowl overfowed, and was SC
strong that the crowd got beastly drunk
in less than an hour, and the hospitable
,ost. Governor VIM. A. MacCorkle, had
TO request the musicians to play home
Sweet Home" to get TIE crowd to dls
perse. Under the influence OF the punch
all differences we're forgotten and these
GREAT political foes slobbered over one
another like two love-sick idiots. we
can't say whether this reception was
given as a token of appreciation Tor ser
vices rendered or whether it was g've1
to influence the president of the Senate
on important matters yet to come before
the legislature. However, you can JUS