The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-02
QhnQntah9en1en
,,o, Rem. wilson and the Great
'o'' Corporations.

,p,,konsurs Times Of Monday
Tho extor.ions and the cOrrupting
ooxrr Of the great corporations brought
iDto existence the GrangerS. This timely
"rn,ni,,,ion was necessary, both as a
nrote,. against and a protection from
heir grnping greed. 1t is known that
the r,ilroads especially have their paid
ra,,iue,s in every branch Of the Govern.
meut-not excepting, in many parts OF
The country, the highes. tribunals OF jas
lice. Their poisonous influence is felt
.vervwhere. They, by their corruption
iuui and plant tools, are invading the
ucred precincts Of every mans home.
They scruple at no means to accomplish
tbeir oyerpowering ends. nthe interest
Of the people, whose rights they deny
and ialsify, by fraud, we raise our voice
agains, one Of their hired retainers-
,rainst one Of their most plant pander-
era. :.
We do not wish to bring into unmerit-
ed contempt any man who seeks to serve
nj. ielloE.men; but when such q man as
Col. Ben Wilson is put forward 10 aid his
hackers, for whatever reason, we think
the people should know in part his past
record. 10 that they may judge impartial
" az 10 his fitness to serve their true in
forests.
Col. Wilson has, for years, been the
paid attorney Of corporation which has
large interests to protect both in and out
Of Congress. He is the recipient OF free
passes and large retaining fees Tor utiliz.
iby bis power in the interests OF that cor.
poratiOn. The whole power OF that 81
gantic monopoly in this State, especially
ia this Congressional district, is exerted
even now to defeat his Competitor-Sen-
aior Scolt-because that corporation
knows that Senator Scott is not made OF
the stuff which it can mould to its pur.
poses. lie il friend Of railroads and all
other associations Of capital which render
service to the community By building up
its material interest; but he is also friend
Of the people in seeing that they are not
tyrannized over by these mammoth ma.
chimes OF mammon. A notable example
OF his fearless course in defending the
peoples rights against gang OF Cormor-
ants and thieves, was the part ne took,
some three winters ago, in defeating 4
scheme for forcing through the Legisla'
ture Of West Virginia the James River
Canal Bill. The projectors OF this scheme
had ring OF lobbyists at Charleston
which had wealth, GINNING and talent at
iuback. The bill came up for final pass
age on the last day of the session, and Z.
Wills Wilson and Senator Scott spoke
Tor seven mortal hours against time, and
finally secured its defeat at the hour Of
adjournment. For this unselfsh service
bOIh Of these gentlemen have the lasting
gratitude Of the people OF the Third Dis.
uict.
At the last session Of Congress Col.
Wilson succeeded in getting through an
appropriation ostenSibIy for the improve
nent Of the Little Kanawha river-but
really and in fact for the furtherance Of
the interests Of the Little KanawhA Nav.
igation Company-a corporation owned
and controlled by private capital. Had
Congress known this fact, it never would
have departed from its we'll known policy
Of not siding private corporations. The
suPpOsition is that personal rather than
public interests controlled Col. Wilson's
action; as he has large tracts OF land in
Calhoun and Gilmer counties to be bene'
lifted BY theimprovement-in addition to
the benefits to be secured by the corpora.
ton he served. The Little Kanawha
River Navigation Company improve.
nent benefits the public only indirectly.
The tolls are so high that the margin OF
profits 10 the timber and.other producers
Is Whitfield down TO an exceedingly fine
point,
Col. Wilson is one OF the corporators
in several boom companies in Writ, Tay.
lor and other counties that oppress the
timber interest Of those sections BY an ex.
orbitant tax. His hands Of compassion
never move in sympathy for the toiler
except by an injected decOction Of green.
backs for which he renders no equivalent.
His private interests and his public acts
are made to further the welfare Of the
gigantic corporations-are made to en-
courage, aid and strengthen them.
It will be we'll for Changers and all
others who seek to protect a community
from the outrages Of monopOlized capital
to remember Col. Wilson's record when
they come to vote. Senator Scott in his
long Legislative career has never once
served his own interests in those matters,
but be has always supported liberal legis-
latlOH Tor legitimate enterprise-when
not contraVsnIng the rights Of the people.
II he ia elected TO Congress, he will make
the same liberal legislation and the same
'xatChtul guardian Of the peoples righu.
he Is honest brave and true. He is ono
Of the few who dares to do right for the
sake Of the right. We believe he will be
slected-because he is such man as the