The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-05-13
First Aid to Treason
prom Clarksburg Telegram)

West VirCinians Of every political ami
iatiou. interested in protecting the ii;F
name at West Virginia. arc and nave a
right tn hc rcS"u:iu. 81 the N"n;lI HttI-
rudr of the Whc"linc ECg i$ter. wl!Ch.
with reckless and utter disregard al
fairness and caudOr. approves by reprint
and comment an unjust editorial ap!'"ar-
Irg in a New Iork newspaper attack
.nC tho state Of West Virginia
In the editorial from an eastern news
payer tho Register saw an opportunity
10 assail Governor Morgan rld its com
,nrut. calculated to Inlrc, politics int"
H.. treason trials at Charles Town. ~
Il notorious example of what Il rHbid
partisan writer will do and 10 what
length he will 20 to Hssail an Official
who adh"rcs to another political faith.
There is no politics in the trials at
Charles Town. Treason las no politics
Cunt Is personal and not political "
the Republican press desired TO descend
to the level of the Wheeling muckraker
and make i mOckery OF Justice II cou'u
rccite that the two counties OF Logan
uud MuEU. against which the inSurrec-
ton was melted. were wholly In inc
control of Democratic officers; That
these officers. were responsible for the
maintenance of the practice OF appoint
Ing deputy shcrIfrS for private employ
mcnt: that the chief counsel OF the
prosecution At Charles Town Is the
Democratic national committeeman from
the state and the associate counsel are
all Democrats. and Tat the trials were
removed On a change or venue TO the
largest Democratic county in the state
where every officer is a Democrat.
For the Republican press TO charge
tad tire
not obtain a fair trial under the cOndi-
lions enumerated would be most repre-
l"u%ihlr and Ia" editor OF the Wheeling
Register IS just as culpab!G when he at
rempis 10y the vlicst political methods
to hold Governor Morgan responsible
for tn, law lcSSnrSS which resulted in an
armed INVASION against tn" counties
Turut."urh. ON the contrary all lalr-
minded people entertain no doubt that
the result Of the treason trials Will be
determined by the evidence adduccd and
the application of the law. The man
or newspaper tina. for political purposes
Erju~tly assaults an official cOnSCien-
t!nusIy performing his duty is giving
irEl AID to trca son, although lacking in
IN" courage required 10 take up arms
ar:,iuSt his state. He cares not for the
iair name Of his state or its people and
j. If tho type that would resort in aC-
tual warfare to dumdum bullets or
poison wells from whence his comrades
Taxed their thirst.
West Nirginiaus cannot expect outside
nrw.,paacrs tn tell thu truth about West
N.rgiuia when one of the newspapers
published IN the largest city in the state
resorts to deliberate Justification Of
facts about conditions in the state and
A. az
what the Register said:
"Condti"us in the coal district have
grown continually worse. Armed miners
have modified and threatened civil war
federal troops hav" twice been called
into the state: sensational street gun
battles have been fought and men have
been shot down on N" very steps of in
SritutiunS erected for tho purpose Of adj
miniSterlnC law and justice"
n the Register desired 10 serve the
people "f Vest Virginia with the truth
and not have distorted the facts for
sensational newspapers outside the
state. il would have rcCtted that Gov
.ruor Morgan. when ne entered the en-
rrullve offices. found the very coDdi-
Icons existing Of which IL so vehement
j. complains. His predecessor. Hon.
John J. CornwcN. had 10 contend with
lawlcSsness in the mine districts and
Governor Cornwcll did the best he could
with the tools that he had.
When the first armed march OF the
miners occurred in September. 1919.
r;nvcrnor turnwcll was without 4 ma
t!nnal guard and 1t was only by threats
oE invoking ;hc aid Of federal troops
that tho miners were diverted from at
rarkinG Logan county after reaching the
boundary "f that county. Neither was
there u national guard in existence when