West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-12-14
Political Honesty Versus Party Rcgu-
larity

Quires its votaries TO Chlorotorm con-
science and forget Justice: to embrace
the worst evils in government: to ac-
Get standards in public affairs which
IN private dealings they would push
loathsomcly aside. When regularity
/ is merely foe To consistency il mat
tcrs little, but when IL operates To
condonc political dishonesty Il works
a harm upon its possessor, upon the
party which eNacts such fealty. and
upon the state.
We regret that appeals To party reg
ularity have blinded many good men
TO support OF the wretched business a,
Charleston. against their best judg-
mont and the clear dictates OF their
conscience.
lt is with a design upon party rcgu-
larity that the whole business was
! staged. The ground work was pre-
pared with partisan appeals Parti-
san prejudice was injected into the
preliminaries with cool calculation.
and in this enlightened year of 1916
PARTISAN roprIsals were urged ON the
ground that the opposition had COM
mittod similar acts generation be
fore.
Through "a partisan declaration of
war Governor Hatfield has. not clever
ly. bat nevertheless effectively, drawn
an Issue, and has succeeded in holding
intact in support OF political measures
"a working majority of the logisla-
turc Through this hocus pocus of
partisan hostiliues ne has committed
the Republican party TO acts that in
volvc no Republican principle: to leg
islation which the voters OF the Re
publican party never sanctioned: in
fact to measures and operations which
the party had indirectly yet forcefully,
ropudiated
These things have been done i'm the
interest only of men i'm public Office.
They are not done In the interest of
the party as "A whole, In the long
run the party will bear the odium for
playing "A species OF politics that will
survive blemish upon It's record.
while as a gatuity to bankrupt
Democracy that party is put in a STRAIT
egic position that cannot but strength
en- IT,
The State Journals devotion to Re
publicanism cannot dissuade it from
making these observations Our devo-
tion to Republican principles prompts
them.
There is no issue before the state
except tho fate OF the ofhce-hoiders
The practical matter concerns
neither principle nor policy, but only
the public payroll. II there were prin-
ciples involved the Republican party
would have a position with respect to
them. If there had been inherent
in settled legislation and practice, an
emergency beyond that facing the Of
fee holders. the party would have an
ticipated it. Repubicanism has never
locked the facility for speaking upon
public questions and had there been
a public question involved IT would
have found its voice TO speak.
There is no emergency. The emer-
gency which the governor screamed at
the people I'm his message was a mere
subterfuge- what in war is called q
military distraction II was the en-
tcring wedge TO the extraordinary ses-
sion which has not concerned itself
with any matters affecting the public
welfare, not with an cxigency con
fronting the state but with the peril
that faces the Office holders who have
read the returns Of the goventh
The Charleston Mail speaks hardly
too harshly when T. describes the pro-
cooding at Charleston as a disgrace
10 The state" Every Senator and many
delegates subscrviont TO the admins
trntion are being shadowod by de
tail OF Office holders The men who
have fatteucd ON the public treasury
arc the persuasive influences behind
the Hatfield rippers We could name
ihrm by the score We do not wish
to indulge in personalities and speak
+oi Mr. Lakin only because he is one Of
the most active and is typical Of all Of
them Men vino cannot be elected by
the people. but who themselves and
'hcir next OF tip arc endowed at pub
lIe expense; men who do not stop with
the mere cmolumcuts of Office but Off
c'ally exploit the people ou behalf of
their private enterprise IN uie case
of the store at Terra Alta 70 is almost
public scandal
10 is fair 90 say Of Mr. Ogden. who
has been patronage dispenser for the
northern panhandle. that he alone of
| the beneGciar'cs Of this spoilation.
has lifted his voice ln protest albeit
merely pcrfunctorily We should like
tO do him The honor TO say that he ia
less rapacious than his associates. We
arc forced by au intimate knowledge
of the facts to conclude only that Doe
is infinitely shrewder. lie knows that
the blind course Of these dying days OF
November is but the fashioniug Of a
shroud.
10 Is not necessary here TO revicw
either the rippors designed ~ perpet.
uate Dr Hatneid's appointoes through
the next four years. nor 10 discuss th,
tenure measure which. though sUIi ir
dark recesscs. IS under advisemen
- PIE purpose e is 20 -'oe -
z'i'
f efal4 faud,
,,vn OF Che tglslation