The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-09-05
Amer oampaIgn Material.

The obvious purpose Of the Ave
virtuous citizens of West Virgins
whose names were affixed to the de.
mand upon the Senate for an inves.
litigation OF the election OF william
Il. Chiffon and Clarence w. Watson
was to manufacture political capita,
through request for something
they knew it was impossible to ise-
lcure. n
1t is now nearly two years since
| the rumors were circulated which
seem to have scandalized this quin-
tette OF worthless. One OF the sign
ers to the paper Is Governor Glass.
cock, who many months ago an
nounced solemnly and grandflo-
quently that he would see that the
reports were probed to the bottom.
Another sigper was Boss Ogden, who
has been continuously wasting more
or less valuable space in the sheets
Of his newspaper trust with tri-
weekly spasms on the subject.
After twenty months of hypocrit-
zeal solicitude for the fair name OF
the state, expressed In hours or
wind-jamming and pages OF vituper-
alton, We find the governor and the
mnlti-managera strange company,
indeed inducing three other
ehree, count 'em-to join in petit
tioning the Senate, which has been
in almost continuous Session during
that period. to Investigate reports
circulated during the legislative
session Of 1911. We find them watt
ing until the Senate Is ready to adj
journ, when there was in fact not q
quorum of that body left in WASH
ington, when the two Senators upon
whom they reflected were absent,
and when they knew the investiga-
ton for which they pretended to be
so solicitors could not be made.
If this strange combination Of reg
ular and Bull Moose Republicanism
was so stricken with modification
ever the rumors set forth in their
paper. why was 1t not presented
when an Investigation could have
been made? Why was 1t delayed
until such time that no report can
be completed until one OF the Sena
tors affected will have finished the
term for which he was elected? Why
was 1t SO timed as to make 1t abbso-
lutely certain that the charges can
not be probed befoEe the November
election?
The answer is plain and simple.
The petition was not presented IN
good faith. It's object was the MAX
ing of political capital in a desperate
effort to win the fall election for the
combination Of Republican
and Bull Moose politicians. The
trick was so transparent that even
members of the parties to which the
petitioners belong would have none
Of 1t. The. scheme gained purely
accidental publicity when Senator
Stone. who was ignorant of the con-
tents of the paper, moved to have 1t
lead in order to gain time on mat
ter in which he was interested. But
the reading had not, proceeded far.
until Disguised Republican Senator
moved to dispense with the further
eeading and to expunge from the
record all that had been read re
that motion there was but one neg
alive vote. The paper is now In
from which it probably
will never be taken.
Its presentation was the cheapest
and smallest bid for politica, am
that has ever emanated
from the Republican politicians OF
West Virginia notorious as they have
been for their proficiency In peanut
politics. Wheeling Register.
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