Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-08-17
John J. CornweIl in Hampshire Review
OF Course They Rejoice.

Tuesday OF last week, coincident with
the news that Gen. Abe Lilly had aban-
doned the contest for the Republican
gubematorial nomination, the Wheeling
lntelligencer, the Hatfield -OgdenMa-
chine organ, continued what purported
TO be dispatches from various cities and
towns over the State. telling with what
wonderful enthusiasm and satisfaction
the news was received by the Robinson
Hatfield Ogden faction. The dispatch
from Charleston, whether genuine or
faxed in the lutelligencer ofiice, was quite
Illuminating and doubtless entirely truth
ful. Ii read as follows:
Charleston, July 24.-Here al the State
capital Republicans arei in the seventh
heaven OF delight following announce
ment OF General Lilly's action. Al the
State House in particular the feeling OF
satisfaction is most pronounced. Pre-
dlctions are made OF the largest Republ-
can majoritles in the history OF West Viz
ginia at the coming November election.
OF course there was rejoicing at the
State House. That is where Gov. Hat
field has his office That is headquarters
for the State House machine, for the
army OF political emissaries and Salaned
appointees who used their positions and
the public funds to force the nomination
OF Judge Robinson on the Republican
party. OF course there was rejoicing
there. They saw visions OF four more
years in clover. They saw the full frui-
tion OF their pre-primary efforts. They
all doubtless received a pat on head from
Gov. Henry Doubtful Hatfield, as Gen.
Lilly loved 10 call him. and "well done,
thou good and faithful servant"
The Intelligencer editorially and meta
phorically falls upon Lilly's neck and
commends him as an unselilsh, patriotic
and high-minded gentleman, apparently
forgetting that il is only two short months
since he was, according 10 its editorial
columns, TOOL OF the coal companies, a
drunkard and debauchee.
That is machine politics for you. To
obey the mandates OF the machine is TO
be appIauded and defied. To rebel is TO
be blackgu rded and destroyed.
Lilly has done what everybody knew
he would do, he has surrendered 10 over
whelming odds, 10 pressure from within
and without the State Had he gone on
and exposed the theft, corruption and
robbery ofthe Hatfield-Robinson machine
il might have so nauseated the people
that il would have been long time be-
fore his party elected another State Of
ficial, hence he must be headed off at
whatever cost Ard the cost
The machine was powerful enough 10
rob Lilly OF the nomination. II is power
full enough 10 drive him out OF the con-
test and wiring from him a half-hearted
statement in favor of Judge Robinson, but
the letters from Lilly's former followers
convince the editor OF the Review that
the machine will not be powerful enough
10 line up the honest and unpurchasable
Republicans who supported Lilly not for
his sake but in protest against The corrupt
machine which defeated him.
But OF course there was rejoicing in
the State House. There was rejoicing in
every State institution, big and little,
where Lilly's contest added to the dan
ger Of his threat OF "new faces"
LlIIys assassination having been ac-
complished, the next order OF the ma
chine will be 10 train the mud guns on
the Democratic candidate for Governor.