The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-07-09
WEST VIRGINIA
AND B0LSKEV|SM
rrREsr1Td EXTRACTS PROM An
AnnREss BY SAM B. MoNT6oM-
ERY AT KIN0WooD.
NO DANGER OF BoLsEEV1sh BE-
COMING MENACE ~ TAS
sTATE-PEoPIE LOYAL.
Emphaticaily Resented BY
rollers in This State.

(FrOm an aQuTcSS W o"
comcry, state commissioner OF laDor'
delivered at the Court House square,
Kincwood. July 8. the occasion being the
one hundredth anniversary OF Preston
county.)
West Virginia would be the last IN the
Union of States to surrender to Bolshev-
ism-the BoIshcvism Of capital or the
Bolshevism Of labor. To do so would oe
to give over the executive power Oh tne
government to a particular GLASS; 70 'he
exclusion Of all other people.
Our first act as a state was to strlKe
down an oligarchy where the supreme
powcr was held in the hands OF Few.
West Virginia stood an impossible bar
ricr against the cncroachment OF the
southern slave owners. Her blood has
not changed, her sons stood like walls
of granite against kaiscrism, they now
stand immovablc against BolsheSism or
any other destructive power. But 1t Is
the habit Of dcmagogucs TO apply every
vile epithct to labor, so let us under
stand in the beginning that Bolshevlsm'
in the yernacular Of the United states
is not confined solely to labor. a minor
ity in every class group do not belieVe
in tho rule Of the majority, yet majority
rule Is the fundamental principle OF
good government.
Wcs, Virginia is a wonderful state
great in war and grand in peace. From
our veins flow an amalgamation or the
| frcest. purcst and riches blood or all hu-
manity. We have the largest percent
Of native born citizens Of any state IN
the Union. Approximately 80 out OF
each 100 Of our population were born IN
West Virginia.
We arc by descent Normans, French
! Hupucnots, Scotch Covenanters. English
! cavaliers. German Moravians. 1rishmcn.
| We are Of the first Americans. In pro-
norton TO our total population. the TOR
cign born are not drop in the bucket.
| ANY revolt on their part would be ike
an angry tide 0 fthc occan-menaclnS
for q moment and then gone forever.
Because Of these truths 1t Is matter
Of keen regret that sensational reports
have been printed broadcast, charging
that our wonderful people are so poison
cd with radicalism Of an extreme nature
as to threaten state sovereignty.
That any high official would give pub
lie utterance to such a malicious SIAN
der is beyond the reason or ordinary
man. No official to whom Is open the
usual channels Of information could De
so poorly informed as to make himselr
ridiculous by giving currency 10 incen-
diary statements which are bound 10
excite passion unless suffering with
furor-loQuendi.
II West Virginia is nest OF l. w. W.
agitators. anarchists and outlaws VINO
seek its destruction, who are the leao-
! crs and why have they not been ar
| rested. All war measures are still IN
full force and the government Still mas
the same autocratic power 1t exercised
during the war. If scditious ag1tators
are so numerous as to create dreao 1eaf
why has not the public sbecty bill. pHs'
ter known as the "Constabulary," beer
nut into effect? This measure passed
the State Senate under high pressure
after n spectacular fight. March %. 1918
II took effect from its passage. IL was
arnroved by the governor March 81. II
has been n law for more than 30 days
These poisoned arrows arc aimed al
labor, while those who shoot them give
Ilip-scrvicc to labor's plea for justice
All must agree that labor was loyal IT
war. and what has occurred to lead any
fair-minded person to believe that labor
will not he just as loyal in peace?
! n strife and treason were not advo-
Gated when the state was In distress and
the minds Of the people distracted by
actual warfare Is it reasonable 10 De-
lieyc that any Disseminated element VIII
show violence now when state officials
can give all their time and attention 10
state affairs, and the government can
| marshal its forces more promptly ana
with moro deadly effect than when "ii-
Gagged in war with powerful foreign
enemy?
| Any flaming uttcrance by ono high In
authority to the effect that p''wer IN
Wcst virginia Is about to be seized by
labor leaders who arc Bolshcvists IS an
omen invitation for all extremists to
come to our state and be received oy
hosnitabI, hands. 1t is an admission
however false the presumption. that mere
is fertile ground 10 carry on worKs OF
destruction. i,
Those who stigma:izc her toilcrs.her
ycomanry-cast a shadow over tie pcst
manhood and womanhood to he founo
anywhere in the world OF labor. Not
violent act was committed by labor dur.
ing the entire war. and to every call
issued by the government for support
labor rcSDonOCu Will u iuiL He"lN' NhSNh
book in hand.
Labor exhibited superb courage meet
ing every crisis OF the war with an un'
dauntcd spirit. giving its blood. treasure
and toll, as the occasion demanded. Who
now ehall say that labor is disloyal
treachcrous. reasonable? We have the
same mon To deal with now that VIC had
during tho war. They have not changed
If we have chanCcd-lf we nre so wrap
ned I'D in @clh"hncss. tho selhshrcss "i
war proftncring--if wc so quickly for
got the sacrifices they made. If VIC will
not see, and neglect their contentment
We ere to blanc. not labor.
We all know that this is the best gov
crnmcnt in the world. Labor knows II
better than any other group. and viii
not risk its overflow. hut there arc
wrongs to he rightcd. We must hold
fast to that which is good and rere
that which Is evil.
EolshcviSm took root in Russia he
c~"~~ Of the hard necessities OF tn:
people
rhcIr troubles were so deep and ter