Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-06-01
SOCIALISTS ENDORSE
ROBINSON.

SOCIALISTS ENDORSE
ROBINSON.
Declaring that the working
people of West Virginia are
facing a political and industrial
crisis, involving the issue of
whether democracy or amilitary
despotism shall control the
state, G. G Griffith, chairman,
and /. G. Williams, secretary of
the Kanawha County Socialist
Executive Committee this
morning issued statements
heartily endorsing Judge Ira E.
Robinson for governor.
Charging that Lilly stands
for military depotism" and
Judge Robinson for Justice and
democracy" Mr.. Griffith urges
all workingmen to rally to the
support Of the fearless jurist,
whose dissenting opinion in the
military court cases in the Cab
in and Paint Greek industrial
wars, holding that it was linlaw-
full to send the strikers to the
penitentiary without giving
them a trial in a civil court,
stood out in strong contrast
against the act of Mr.. Lilly, who
as attorney general, advised the
court to uphold the position of
the military court.
He declared that "in such a
crisis the workers should vote
for the man that stands for JUS
tice and human liberty against
corporation greed and despot-
ism"
The statement follows:
an 1912 the supreme court of West
Virginia, by divided opinion of four
to one, confirmed the military edict
issued by Governor Glasscock, this
military edict saying in effect that the
corporations of this state were inter-
fered with the piling up of their in
terest and dividens, then in the in
terest of these corporations all law
and government might for the time
being be suspended.
Guarantees Set Aside.
ut also set farth that all rights
and guarantees of a citizen as set
forth in the code and constitution of
the state of West Virginia were sur
rendered to the autocratic will of the
ommander-i n-chief.
Under this edict hundreds of min
ers were arrested on alleged offenses
and sent to the pentientiary to serve
terms ranging from two and one-half
to twenty years.
Judge Ira E. Robinson was the on
ly man in the state of West Virginia
in an official position to protect
against this outrage of justice.
"The primary law passed in the
legislature of 1915 prevents the
working class of the state from plac-
ing a candidate of their own in the
field. This leaves the working class
of the state but two parties and five
candidates to choose from.
Democracy or Militarism?
"All epoch-making events envolve
themselves around great characters,
who in themselves become the incar-
nation of these epochs. The working
class of this state on facing a crisis
politically and industrially. The is
sue is one of democracy or military
despotism. Lilly stands for mill
tary despotism; Robinson stands for
Justice and democracy, politically and
industrially. In such a crisis the
workers should vote for that man
who stands for justice and human lib
erty as against corporation greed and
despotisn."
Following is the endorsement Of
Mr. Williams:
Williams Statement.
''In looking over the situation in
West Virginia the political field,
feel frank to say that of the two can
didates running for governor | be-
iieve, as an individual that the nomi-
nation of Mr.. Robinson will be sig
nal victory for the miners of West
Virginia. His decisions in the past
have always been favorable to the
working class. We can only judge
the future by the past. Therefore,as
an individual heartily endorse the
candidacy of Mr.. Robinson"
LILLY SILENT WHEN
ACCUSED BY GOVERNOR
CONTINUED from page 1. j