West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-05-21

Real Progressive Cannot Subscribe
20 the Action OF the County Com
mIttee-csn Plainly Sec the Work
OF Professional Politicians
RowI.EsnuRa. May 10. 1914.


Editor Argus:
Simply want to inform the brethren
that the Progressives in this locality can
not subscribe to the double primary
amalgamation. 1t has come to us through
reliable sources that ex-Gov. VIM. NJ. o.
Dawson is the man who manipulated the
double primary scheme Of amalgamation.
- rose by another name would smell
just as sweet" And the double shuttle
primary is amalgamation by another
name. At the Huntington convention it
was unanimously decided that the Pro.
gressive party would not amalgamate
with any other political party. The Hon.
Ed @. Shaiier, who was just fresh from
the Parkersburg amalgamation meeting,
was present and participated i'm the
Huntington deliberations, pledging him
self TO renounce his action at the Parkers-
burg meeting and to firmly adhere to
the resolutions passed by the Hunting
ton MEETING ito not amalgamate with
any Hhtr political party" We have
always given Mr.. Shafier credit with be-
ing trustworthy gentleman, but we
must admit that his recent course in
voting for and against amalgamation has
sorely puzzled US. We are opposed to
calling harsh and ugly names, because it
clearly indicates that your cause is weak
and lacks OF evidence which convinces
the unbiased. / am personally acquainted
with the fact that Mr. Shaffer is great
admirer OF ex-Gov. Dawson (not any
more so than was up until a few years
ago. and has followed the political for.
tunes OF that prince OF professional poll
ticians since he arrived at the age in
which he began TO participate in the po-
litical game 80 alluring to mankind.
Love is blind" and it is possible that
Mr.. Shafier has still that sublime faith i'm
his political honesty which obscures his
vision. With us it is different. The scales
have fallen and with clear vision we
discern the political motives which
prompt Mr.. Dawson to advocate amalga-
nation. Has he not been handsomely
rewarded for his treachery to our party?
paign visit OF DR.. III. ID. Hatfield i'm 1912
when seeking votes. When he inquired
rs to the cause of so much opposition to
the Republican ticket he was emphati-
cally informed that it was due to too
much bosssm, bossism which was the
handiwork of one w. M. o. Dawson
that as long as Dawson and his crowd
| dominated the Republican party we would
not support the ticket. Turning to one
OF the gentlemen in the crowd the Doctor
asked: $40 you know the Hatfields?'
The gentleman replied that he was not
personally acquainted with the Hatfields,
but he understood from others that they
were men OF their word and not afraid to
] do things. The Doctor gave us to under
| stand that if he were elected there would
be new faces supplant the old ones in
public office. Our own town was to be
remembered in the distribution. 1t would
be a waste of words to elaborate on how
the new faces have supplanted the old
| ones! We leave it TO the future historian
to record, as it is an act that is difficult
| to express in courteous terms.
Thus you have our reasons for enrolling
| under the Progressive banner. The same
bunch OF professional politicians have
complete control OF the Republican party
machinery. The public patronage is be-
| ing distributed among the same old gang
OF oflice-holders. Hundreds of unneces-
sary offices have been created under the
| present state administration and given to
men who are simply the creatures OF the
West Virginia machine. The men who
control the machine know that unless
they can befog the real issue (the oppo-
sition to bossism and machine politics
which has plunged the state into a debt
OF over one million dolars) and pull of
| some scheme whereby the Progressiyes
will support the machine made candi-
dates that they must suffer an ignobe
defeat at the hands of the Progressives.
You can set it down as a positive fact
that the rank and file of the Progressives
are bitterly opposed to amalgamation and
i will not stand for it. Their leader,
Theodore Roosevelt, is nearing the Amerl-
can soil once more, when he will again
take his place at the helm and lead us 10
victory. And in 1916 we will place him
once more in the presidential chair. So,
cheer up, brethren, and do not be Cbs-
Outraged or deceived and led astray by
the so-called Observation-Disclosures,
who would destroy our party il they could.
But they cannot-we know them
JAKE WISE.