West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-12-14
Cheating the People and Shaming the
Court

~ caused the election OF Democratic
governor of this state in 1916. by that
election the people repud lted the par
" leadership. No intelligent man
doubts the significance of the event
recorded ON the eth of November.
Bent upon protest. the people re
iected the candidacy OF a really sound
candidate for tho governorship and
elected the 9th candidates on the
state ticket by .lo narrowest margin
of votes. Tho people of the state
know pretty we'll by this time what a
governor of their state IS expected to
do. They know. for example, that in
him is vested the power TO make ap-
pointm nts They know that the prac-
lice has not been greatly modified by
new laws for many years When they
elected MIR. Cornwell governor they
! did not elect him as mere dummy.
bat as an executor of the laws OF the
state, empowered TO select he subor-
dtnat officers. not popularity elected
who should assist him in the admin
| teNA AhAA'u III bbNNl uIltNi.
1t may be presumed that the people
believed the new governor would ex-
crcise a sound Judgment i'm the ap-
pointment of officers. that he would
retain or dispense with officers now
incumbent according TO that Judgment.
Assuredly they did not expect him to
be hampered I'm the discharge OF his
| duties by the present executive OIL
GERS and members of the expiring
House OF Delegates whose record as a
whole they had (whether wisely or
noD just decided to repudiate.
And yet what now do we witness?
| A special session of the expiring leg
! islature-the same legislature that
passed that infamous travesty on free
government, the Williamson charter
Oil -hurriedly called together for the
purpose of committing further out
ages. The new infamies are embod-
led in eight legislative bills, framed
wholly in TN interest OF the partisan
| political machine which was so re-
Gently rebuked by majority OF the
electors.
Democrats did not elect the Demo
cratic candidate for governor. Demo
Gratis could not elect him, for Demo
Gratis form a minority party i'm this
state. Republicans elected him II
Is clap-trap to talk OF election frauds
on the part of the victorious party.
OF course there were frauds, as every
| body beliefes; and as everybody be-
iieyes, the frauds were pretty evenly
| distributd between the two political
parties. The net result OF the election
was not, in all probability, determin-
| ed by the use OF money. Republicans
holding balance of power went TO the
polls and there repudiated the leaders
who have been false to their party's
traditions. Again we say. their sense
! OF outrage was so great because OF
what had been done in the past that
they rashly refused (too many OF
them) TO trdst a new leader, although
that leader was the best representa-
tive which the Republican party has
put forward for the governorship for
| many year. They went further
They refused to elect Republican
House of Delegates.
What are these further enormities of
steam-roller legislation which the dis
credited legislature is expected to
pass? We mention one at time:
House bill number 2 This measure
would make IL practically impossible
| for the governor just elected by the
! same votes which repudiated the more
! numerous branch OF the present law
! making body to remove any appointiye
| office for any cause whatever. No
matter what the oncnse. how outrag
! .ous the conduct Of the incumbent
| subordinate officer he cannot be re-
moved by the governor alone. The
governor may initiate proceedings for
so doing, but no determination may
! be reached for many weeks The i'm
| eumbant officer no matter how great
! his malicasance or misfeasance. no
| matter how drunken or dissolute. no
matter how numerous his repcuton8
1f misconduct MAJ be-is privileged TO
! 'laim a review OF the removing OfH-
! ser's action by the august Supreme
Court OF Appeals Of West Virginia
Thus thc states highest tribunal Of
/ aw is TO- be dragged into the dirt OF
party politics the kind Of dirty poll
! tics which at this moment is being
| pfacliccd at the state house and that
s not all! The court must suspend
an other business, except political
business i'm the meantime. Here is
the provision 90 is from House Rip
per bin number D:
"rhq hearing Of the matter shall
take precedence over all other matters
before the court except contested cleo
uons ."
And that is not the end Of the mat
ter The Supreme Court Of the state
having suspended the exercise Of It's
customary duties. for compulsory
excursion into the realms Of pot-housc
politics, cannot pronounce a final dc
cision Where does the case go then?
TO the State Senate, To the very
body among whose majority members
4t thie moment not single voice IS
being raised against this singular and
moustrous parody Of government
what will be the immeS
Exa adRs result -
pia
nor