West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-04-20

take serious account OF the movement
/ OF which he is accounted the head
There is being waged now a factiora,
campaign whose end. whatever may
be its purpose. is TO destroy the pros
poets OF the Republican party in Yves,
Virginia. and 10 turn the state over
to the Chiffon machine and all OF the
dangers that must be associated with
such a elimination TO campaign of
folly. There are evidences that pol-
icy OF rule or ruin" has been pro-
claimed at the state capitol: that IL
has been decreed that the Governors
choice FOR the Governorship must be
accepted by the voters or the state
surrendered to those opposed to the
Republican principles for which all
have stood. We have watched this
movement grow, tolerantly and pa
uently, hoping it seems hopelessly and
futilely, that difficulties and difreren-
ces which at best are but personal.
might be composed or at least subor-
dinated to the larger interests OF the
party and the State.
Our patience has so far been un-
rewarded There has been no mod
Grafton in the impatient and nl-ad-
vised, almost mendacious assaults de-
livered night after night upon Gen.
Lilly and those who may prefer him.
through the medium of the Governors
personal organ the Charleston Post
Not the latest we can hardly keen
mp with that-but one OF the most in
sidious attacks that has been made
upon the attorney general Is an as
sault upon the orthodoxy OF his Re
publicanism. Though elected upon
the same ticket with our good Cover
nor. and under precisely the same cir
cumstances, the Governors organ
brings Gen. Lilly's party loyalty into
question. II undertakes TO make a
case against him on the score that
Hon. Grant p. Hall, OF Kanawha, is
his alleged supporter. In a lengthy
diatribe respecting the attorney gen
erals political affiliations. the Post
quotes from the record of evidence in
the Rath Duf case at Webster Springs
and from the record It appears that
Attorney r. l.. Gregory as counsel for
the defense, asked Mr.. Hall his poll
tics. MIR. Hall denied that he was a
Republican He declared himself to
be a Progressive. He admitted that
he had been a political turncoat.
This incident and the circumstance
that Mr. Hall is accredited with being
a supporter of Mr.. Lilly are empha-
sized and offered as conclusive proof
Of Mr.. Lilly's apostasy. Upon the
score of this proof Mr.. Lilly is char
acterized as the man without a party
The asininity OF the argument we need
plead to no one. That much is OBJ
vious.
The animus that prompts the publi-
cation is readily apparent There is
no show of proof that Attorney Gen
eral Lilly is, due to this circumstance,
or any other, unfit or unavailable for
the GovernOrship II is manifestly a
play upon prejudice; an attempt to re-
yive the factional bitterness of 1919
and to make It do service in the Re
publican nominations Of 1916. More
over It Is an affront to every Repubu-
can who four years ago stood for and
with Theodore Roosevelt, offered
and without justification.
It may be that I'm assuming that the
Governor is responsible for reading
General Lilly out Of the Republican
party we are doing him an injustice
II may be that an overzealous subor-
dinate is responsible for the ill-tem-
pered. illogical. prejudicial and fac
tional propaganda which is waged by
the Governors newspaper Yet Il rs
asking too much OF us to expect ua TO
believe that the Governor is not aware
of It's existence, or even TO expect that
it has not at least received his quiet
acquiesence.
Does not the Governor understand
what he is doing. i'm making or per
mitting to be made this assault upon
the solidarity OF the party? What
good purposes can be gained by the
of factionalism? What pos
sible end can be achieved by the drlv-
ing Of a wedge Of prejudice into the
vtals Of the party when every consid-
Grafton of prudence and disinterested
party service dictates the promotion
OF harmony? DO not the Governor
and his Post understand that the cam
paigu now being wagcd carried 10 its
logical conclusion will make the
nomination Of any Republican an emp
ard Questionable honor?
The State Journal continues 10 de-
plorc the interjection of factonalism.
1t believes that an Republicans have
the right to- a preference. and that
tine Governor has as much a right and
am obligation TO assert his choice as
any less conspicuous party man.
His party leadership, however en-
tails responsibility as well as
privilege Prudent administration or
that leadership would Doe reflected by
counsels 10 harmony rather than ap-
peals 20 prejudice.
Governor Hatfield is too big a man
to subordinate TO petty personal feel
ings and jealousies the high responsi-
bilities Of his Office and his party
leadership The service that he has
performed for the state ought not to
be dimmed by political activities un-
worthy Of him Hls leaderahip % the