The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-10-25
.MacSW|NEY'S FAST Fatal after 73 DAY
Make Merit The Test
(An Editoriial)

A LTHOUG1 the election will not until Tuesday of
next week there remains less than week OF the actual cam
pas and high time the voters began to look he state and
local the cold light Of and make up their
minds just what their responsibilities and duties are the premises
happens that the responsibilities much greater this year
than they usually for the politicians have created condition
out of which political and disaster for West Virginia
might very easily grow Whether there to be outcome which
will leave Of evil consequences handicap the progress OF
the state for generation depends. literally whether or not
ere enough people the state who capable OF putting 10y
atty to West VirginiL before partisanshp.
1t would be of time discuss what brought about
three coneed gubenatoia campaign West Virginia At best
long tale with many queer and 1t IS suhent 10 point
out that the radical leaders who furnish the back bone and the
driving power Of the organization which behind Montgomery
have outseneraed the politicians of the Democratic and Nepuo
can parties to that the most conspicuous features
Of the campaign upon its colsng week Is the
condition of the old parties and the real possibility that
Montgomery will be elected
To say that the outcome this hour doubt but to re-
peat what every honest observer of political conditions IN thus state
has said Governing the ground and looking at the same facts
these observers have directly opposite conclusions regarding
the possible result Of the election but they all agree that Mont
gomery drawing heavily from both parties and no one WIN
reputation political prophet lose would venture today to say
that Montgomery not going 10 WIN.
Obviously whether he shall win not straight up to the
men and women who will go the polls week with enough
Intellectual independence be willing do their own thinking ana
enough belief their judgment vote the way they think
That .Mongomey's success, which would involve turning
over the law enforcing branch of the state government to class
conscious which has practically respect Tor law" would DC
calamity large majority of the people OF this state clearly und
stands but the law respecting majority divided IN It's opinion as
TO which of the remaining candidates should support II h
unfortunate division Of opinion persists right down to the election
Montgomery will be elected Frank keeneys ambition to own
governor will be realized and West Virginia will be face to face
with four years trouble the of which can tore
If we could get nd of the politicians there would not De much
doubt about the outcome The sterling honesty and the dareo
oigh spirit which brought West Virginia the seood OF
states persists and the people willing follow the dictates OF
their reason and conscious public natter ne tIopbe
Is that in tbs Campaign the truth has been distorted to such
extent that the Republicans feel Morgan be elected while the
Democrats are equally hopeful that koontz Politicians who
care only party and at all for the larger and more
important interest Of the whole deliberately encou
,gnu that state of affairs But both Morgan and koontz can't
win Neither can as Of cold fact unless there a pretty
general concentration among the elements that oppose Mont
gomey upon either Morgan KOontz. Manitesdy the Poh9
clans will give help upon that so The voters "l
have 10 fall back upon their instincts, political and moral
1t is not too much say that West Virginia became
stale has The individual voter been faced with momentous
question
The West Vngnian this time not gong to ADVISE any
one how 10 vote for governor but point out ta poll
tics entirely aside Judge EPhram Morgan tar and away the
alton because he the candidate of the whole people, and
he was the only running any ticket the primary
of whom that could be said full honesty In oraer 70
win Morgan had TO combat band Of political baons his party
who were much bent upon governor as FRANK heey
is But he did wn honestly and fairly and he entered the cam
pagn for the general election with record OF % I
Gent public service help him. his record shows that ne has
always realized that he sprang from the plain people OF We
Virginia and that their interests his interests Moreover tins
record shows that Morgan stands for order for sanity tor progress
and not necessarily for material progress alone but progress
along the lines of social justice weand that ne has an abund
of force and courage =,
In all these circumstances what better could the voters do
for govemor2