The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-10-17
AFRAID TO TALK
| OF REAL ISSUES
State Headquarters EuzzleS the
Republican Press.
LIST OF TOPICS IS ASSIGNED
Hammer Watson, Yell Disfranchse-
ment and Represent That All Meet
lngs Are Large and Enthusiastic Is
the Cue Given the Papers--Main
Propositions to BE Ignored.

lngs Are Large and Enthusiastic Is
the Cue Given the Papers-Main
Propositions to BE Ignored.
Instructions not to discuss the real
state issues in this campaign. but to
confine their editorials to matters
which have no bearing on the situa-
ton, have been sent from Republican
state Headquarters to the Republican
newspapers of West Virginia The
reason is apparent. James S. Lakin
is chairman of the Republican state
committee. He is also president Of
the state board of control As such
he Is entirely familiar with all the ex-
trayagances and Shortcomings Of the
Republican administrations Of the last
16 years and knows that these mat
tiers can not be discussed to the ad
vantage OF the Republican party.
Hence the intructions to newspapers
and speakers not to discuss these
matters, but to becloud the issue
Mr.. Lakin knows that it will not be
of any benefit to the Republican cause
in this campaign to discuss the que8-
ton Of Why the last Democratic adj
/ ministration of state affairs cost the
taxpayers of the state but $2,694 ,28O
while the appropriations for the pres
/ ent administration have already
amounted to $7,402,655, with thou
sands Of dollars OF expense yet to be
met by appropriations The popula-
tion Of the state has increased 40 PEI
cent since the last Democratic admin
istration the expenditures of the state,
administration have increased nearly
200 per cent. This subject IS one
which the Republican state chairman
does not want discussed. There's
reason
Lying Low On State Debt.
Mr. I.akin does not want the Vir-
gina debt discussed He does not
want the Republican newspapers and
| speakers to undertake to explain why
the state had to pay about $150,000
for lawyers to assist the attorney gen
eral in the defense of this suit, after
] allowing him two assistants in his
office. or why W. M. o. Dawson, who
had never been known to be lawyer,
was employed at $4,000 a year to as
sist in the same case, or why the suit
was lost after all this additional ex
penditure and judgment of from
seven million dollars to twenty-eight
= mill dTll aiv,e.
! the state. He knows the inside and
does not want these matters discuss.
ed There's reason.
Mr. Lakin has an aversion to hav-
ing the Fidelity bank case discussed
in the campaign. He does not want
any discussion of the reasons why the
state had $4,000 on deposit without
adequate security IN the Fidelity
banking Trust company at Bluefiald
when that institution failed He does
4 not care to have it brought out that
the state treasurer was stakeholder
In that bank to the extent OF 5000.
and that 1t was officered and managed
by friends of the institution. or that
threats had been made that unless
one Of the officers of the bank would
perform certain political services the
deposits in the bank would be cut
down or that the same state officers
whose duty 1t was to ascertain the suf-
ficiency of the bond given to secure
state deposits are nearly every one
candidates for reelection and If elect
ed would constitute a majority of the
new board Of public works, and be
In position to do the same thing
over again in some other shaky bank
Why Discuss This?
Mr.. Lakin sees no reason why the
people of the state should be inform
ed that a Mcdowell county negro, con
victed in criminal court, circuit court
and supreme court of selling liquors
without license and on Sunday, should
be pardoned on the recommendation
of the man who is now the Republican
nominee for governor, over the vigor-
GUS protest of the pardon attorney
and the prosecuting attorney OF Nc
Dowell county: or why Dr. Hatfield.
then member Of the county court OF
Mcdowell county, should have grant.
ed license to sell liquors to this same
convicted violator Of the law twice
after this conviction.
In fact Mr.. Lakin sees no reason
why the issues OF the campaign
should be discussed at all, and there
fore he. has had his director OF the
press bureau Charles Brooks Smith.
issue Instructions to all the newska-
pers In his party In the state thai
they are to discuss only certain sDeci
fed matters, none Of which have any
bearing on the real campaign issues
To show how the press OF the Repab
lican party is being instructed not to
discuss issues in which the people are
deeply interested, but which from the
Republican standpoint will not bear
discussion, the following letter to the
Republican press from Charles Brooke
Smith, director Press Bureau Of
the Republican state committee, II
printed In full 1t says:
The Press Muzzled.
Dear Standardization of reports
20 this committee from many reliable
sources are that the people at the
present time are most interested in: