West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-04-08


The regular session of the lSgisla-
ture has passed into history>@ith the
credit OF enacting a few charter bills
depriving the citizens of some OF West
virginia's cities OF right guaranteed
under the constitution. thus retarding
the progress OF home rule enacting
election laws. placing our state at the
mercy OF repeaters and fraught with
corruption In the conduct Of our cleo
tons. are only few OF the shining
lights In the construction OF political
machine more gigantic In tyranny than
the rule OF Caesar or the dream of q
Napoleon. and last, but not least, the
calling OF an extra session OF the leg
islature for the avowed purpose OF
providing funds necessary for the run
ming expenses of our state and to meet
a fast growing deficiency in the treas
ury OF West Virginia, state that
boasts OF its natural resources and
abundance Of wealth. This extra ses-
sion has passed into oblivion with
nothing accomplished, only to inform
the dear people that under these Demo
cratic times we are doing the best we
can and must economize.
oh! Ye Gods OF Liberty, what a
boomerange to guilty conscience
which is enough to restore the sight
to the blind and cause the common in
telligence of these West Virginia hills
to weep with shame. Think of the
fallacy OF economy in an extra session
OF the legislature and what II will cost
the tax payers-about $4,000. 1t Is
just this kind OF Republican economy
that West Virginia has been burden
ed with for the past sixteen years and
has caused the state treasury to be-
come depleted, and the possible dis
abandonment OF your state militia for
lack OF funds to maintain IL, and this
too in the lace of a gradual increase
of your taxes from year to year. The
present state administration is likened
unto the sole survivor of a shipwreck
who was the whole crew, because he
had devoured and digested all Of his
| comrades.
Your adjutant general has been
provided for and will remain in COM
mand without his men, and possibly
on state occasions will parade alone,
obeying orders issued by himself and
inquire vainly for his lost legions.
And yet the Republican press will pro-
claim to the people that the Republi-
can party is on trial. Right they are.
The Republican party was tried In the
national administration for fifty years
and was found guilty of Incompetence
and was convicted from Maine to Cal
ifornia. In West Virginia it stands
convicted from the borders of the Old
Dominion to the shores of the Ohio
With the payments of drafts drawn on
the state stopped by the auditor for
the first time in the history OF the
state, credit is Inundated and its
treasury empty, and our seat of gov
eminent would be actually homeless II
West Virginia had to pay rent instead
or owning its state house.
| The people OF the entire state are
demanding OF the Republican party
an explanation of why this condition
should arise. as they have been in
trusted with the administration of its
state affairs as well as an overwheIm-
Ing Republican majority In both
branches OF the law making bodies,
and fully advised as to the conditions
OF the states finances, and agree to adj
journment without providing some
relief against this contingency.
The Republican party must be held
responsible to the people of West Vir-
ginia for its failure to act in the un-
precedented condition; why the once
grand old party proclaiming itself as
the party Of the people and the only
panacea for the evils of oppression has
allowed the state to become bankrupt
under its administration. Under its
unlimited powers IL has simply turned
upon the mercy of the people and pro-
claimed its inefficiency to pilot the
good old ship of state, whose treasury
has been depleted and lies laundering
on the shoals of despondency.-Prince-
ton Progress.