The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-10-10

IN Every Way.
Parkersburg, w Va, on. 81
Apparently fearing to meet the real
issues of the campaign, OF to have
them discussed in the press Of the
State, the Republican State Commit
tee is directing the newspapers Of its
party to define their editorial discus
sions to certain matters which are
not issues in the campaign, In the
hope Of diverting the public attention
from the real issues. The chairman
hof the Republican State conmittee
is the chairman of the State board Of
control and as such is familiar with
the extravagences Of the present State
administration and those which have
preceded it since the Republicans
obtained control OF the State. lie
knows they are subject to atack
and while the Democrats are con-
Quoting their State campaign strict
" on the lines Of State issues, and
demanding to know why SO many
more millions OF dollars were ex-
pended during Republican admins
trations than under Democratic rule;
why w. M O. Dawson was selected
at $4,000 year to defend the vir-
ginia debt suit, when he had never
practired law before; why the debt
suit was so handled that Judgment
of $1,000 900 has been rendered
against the State when 1t was gen
orally believed that proper presen-
tation of the case would have result
ed in a victory for West Virginia;
why State funds are wasted by be-
Ing deposited In failing banks IN
which State officials are financially
interested; and other matters Of the
same kind; the Republican chair
man is trying to divert the attention
OF the people to other matters
which are no issues in this campaign
at ALL
The discussion of these subjects by
the Republican press has been for
hidden; and Charles Brooks Smith,
who has been on many sides of
many matters at various times in
his career, is mnzzling the, Republi-
can newspapers with instructions
that they are to discuss only such
matters as he directs Mr.. Smith is
the director of the press bureau"
cf the Republican State Cornmittee,
md one who iIs undertaking to do
the muzzling Mr. Smith has under
taken to communicate to the papers
of the State, in behalf of the State
committee, just what they are to con-
fine their discussion to during the
campaign, and In his list of subjects
there is not one that is an issue in the
campaign or that is Of equal import
ance to the matters which are in is
sue.
While the people of the State are
inquiring as to how their affairs
have been managed under Republican
administration and as to the public
record of the various candidates from
whom they must chose and the plat
forms on which these candidates
stand, the Republican State Conn
mittee, whose chairman is a, State
official and knows what inquiry into
these matters would develope, has his
z nIlCtUCOI Vi slllC pltSSs Dui HUE
zle the Republican, press, forbid the
discussion Of these issues and direct
the discussion only Of subjects as
have no bearing whatever on the
campaign and are not In amy sense
of the word issues in the contest
No doubt the same instructions
have been given to the Republican
campaign speakers. Certainly they
are eyading the issues in their
speeches. They act as though they
have been nnuzzled and they are
acting as though they are carrying
out the orders of the committee
that State issues will not stand dis
cnssion. That the press is being in-s
structed as to what 1t shah discuss
and how it shall handle the subjects
lis shown by the letter sent by the
director Of the press Abureau" Of
the Republican State Committee, of
which the following is copy:
Dear Sir::e
Classification Of reports to this
committee from many reliable