Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-09-12

Seldom and G5morrak Of To-day.
We have received through thel
mails, a pamphlet bearing the
above title, author unknown.
describing existing conditions at |
keystone, W. Va, and incred-
ible as some of the statements
may appear, we know that the
situation is not overdrawn.
1t is the logical outcome of a |
corrupt alliance between the
liquor interests, the negro and
depraved white element and the
greedy Office seeker who is ready
to sell his soul to secure the po-
1itical job he wants.
The writer describes conditions
in plain Englishso plain per-
haps as to offend the sensibilities
of some whose hearts bleed at
the thought of the horrible con-
.ditions under which the poor
heather exist-some thousands
of miles from keystone, West
Virginia.
Here are a few expurgated
passages.
The police force is disgrace to
anything calling itself corporation.
About four or FIVE white men who are
broken down and have made failure
of life or too law to work haye sue
ceeded in having themselves sppointed
policemen. One of these was boast
ing to me sometime ago of making
$3.50 in one night. He stated that
saloon keeper gave him SIS to watch
Hungarian dance which was held in
the wine room of the saloon and he
then made So by arresting two Hunks
while he shot man craps" and won
80 cents. Here we have an officer
who has sworn to suppress gambling
in all its forms Dragging about winning
money by shooting craps" There
are about ten or twelve members of
the force who are negroes or in other
words 'tjonahs who are of the lowest
class of the colored race. heard
negro say the other day that it would
be disgrace to any man to have a
paper served on him by any member of
the present force as they were class
too low for any decent man, be he
white or black, to even transact bust
ness with. Yet these low class negroes
are put in Office by white officials and
they have the authority to arrest a
white man..
"Many men who have moved here
and were Republicans in other states
refuse to support the party in this
county and state. They say that as
long as they are in West Virginia they
will refuse to vote, or will support the
Democratic party. This is not said
through any political prejudice for the
writer has always been affiliated with
the Republican party but as long as |
stay in West Virginia / will refuse to
vote the Republican ticket for the po.
ittical pill is too bitter and refuses to
go down. One curse to the Republican
party in this state is their opposition
to the 'tJim Grow Law the object of
which is to compel the railways in the
state to furnish separate cars for the
whites and blacks. 1t is a national
disgrace that the negro is permitted
TO ride IN coaches with white ladies'
The negroes always endeayor to get
in The first class car and rush back
into the coaches where the white wo-
men are riding. They come from the
mines in their dirty clothes, the grease
almost frying from their faces. and
with . repulsive odor caused from ex-
cessive perspiratlon,' they crowd into
the cars and seat themselves near, or
soms times beside the white ladies'.
Their presence is very Objectionable
and repnlsiye 10 any white person with
any degree of refinement These same
political leaders that are fighting this |
law for fear they will lose their polit-
zeal strength with the negro, will take
the Pullman, 10 order to get rid of the
presence of the negro. The last plat
form of the Democratic party in the.
state contaiped a plank favoring this
law and a large number of the white
republicans of the state supported the
Democratic candidates on this account
These white republicans, with any de-
cency and self respect, do not want
to see their mothers, their wives or
their fair daughters, have to sit in
seat with burly negro
The whiskey interests play large
hand in politics in this town and coun-
ty. In the preceding administration
the Mayor was bookkeeper for a
brewery, the Recorder was an agent 4
for brewery and the Ch;af of Police