Year: 1876

Al least one Democrat who listened 10 IL
was heard to say, ~ believe II every
word"


THE CLARKsuuHn CONvESTIoN.-We
publish complaint this morning in re-
gard to the coming Republican Conven.
lion Mt Clarksburg. II is intimated in
this complaint that the soldier element
Of the party has not been numerously
enough represented In the selection Of
delegates. It is said that notwithstand-
ing the soldiers constitute one half Of the
voting Republicans OF the State yet they
have only about one.seyenth OF the dele
gates to the Convention. Whether this is
true or not we have no means OF knowing.
Neither do we know whether it is true,
as is alleged, that the various county
meetings have been controlled by the "ef-
fete" members Of the party. Webster de-
fines the word "efiete" to mean "incapa.
bic OF efficient action" We are inclined
to think that this il hardly The correct
word under the circumstances. Gener-
ally speaking, political conventions are
controlled by the active element in the
party, men who are willing 10 work for
success, and who, have inotives more or
less personal in trying to achieve success.
Such men are not "eilete," whatever else
they are. They may be bummers or ak
grinders, but they are, generally speaking,
capable Of efficient action"


We judge that the complaint about the
soldier element heing ignored in the se-
lection Of delegates does not rest on a
very reliable basis. The doors are open
to everybody in primary conventions.
Those who have fancy for taking
hand generally find opportunities for so
doing. This remark applies to the sol
dier element or to any other element. 1t
ia question of personal taste and activ.
ity more than anything else. We pre-
sumo that in every county in West Vir.
ginia, and in the ranks OF both parties, il
isthe active and, quite often, the personal.
ly interested element that "sets np" the
local politics Of the county. This may
be an unfortunate circumstance, but il is
one that admits Of remedy wherever
the people choose TO turn out and inter-
est themselves in their own affairs. Fail
ing to do this, they have themselves
mainly to blame il their local politics
fall into the hands Of the "machine" men.
For this failure, the soldier element may
he as responsible rs other people. The
ultimate remedy for them, as for every.
body else, is TO smash the machine now
and then at the polls. This generally
teaches lesson that lasts for u year or
two. The Democratic machine men oi
West Virginia, for instance, IN 1877, got
their "set up job" very badly smashed at
the polls. And in the matter OF the local
offices in this county they have expert
enced one or two smashes OF similarly
disastrous character. The people have
a habit OF doing this thing every now and
then. This year they are perhaps more
inclined TO declare themselves free
aud Independent Of all machine
control than usual. As things look now,
it stands political conventions, large and
small, to be on their good behavior.


As for the specific complaint on the
part OF our correspondent, in regard to
the soldier element, it is not new one.
Ever since the war il has been heard to
greater or less extent. There may have
been once or twice some grounds for 1t,
but we confess we do not recall any such
time. On considerations Of policy, say
ing nothing OF better motive, it has
generally been deemed decided party
advantage to bear the soldier in mind.
And certainly he has not been forgotten
by the Republican masses in West Virgi-
MIA. This fact was shown in Gen. COTS
Campaign for Congress in this district
two years ago. And the same voters are
ready to-day TO honor any soldier who
has well recognized qualifications to fill
any position to which he may aspire.
Further than this the people cannot be
expected to go in the matter Of selecting
men to office. The true test Of candid
acy Is not the fact Of man having simply
been soldier, but in his fitness to properly
discharge the duties OF the place. And
as for such preierments as those to which
our correspondent especially alludes,
when he charges that only one-seventh
Of the representation to the Clarksburg
Convention is made up oE ex.soldiers, he
certainly can not make much OF griey'
ance out Of such complaint. As mat.
ter Of fact the great majority OF ex.
soldiers do not give any particular
attention to politics further than to vote
They can not afford to lose much time
or spend much money in going to
political conventions, and therefore dc
not put themselves III the way ot seeking
such honors. Their chief concern, like
that Of citizens generally, is to see good
results accomplished by those who dc
make practice Of going to these conven'
ventions. Therefore, having no private
axes to grind, they need not and do not
feel disposed to be mathematically pre-
else as to whether the soldier element OF
the plain citizen element has majority In
any given convention. How can any such
consideration matter materially to a sol
dier more than to his neighbOr whowas
not soldier, since both are in the same
boat a. respscta common interest, and
also as respects the lack of any special OF
private interest. What they both desire