Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-06-28
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MORE INTERVIEWS.

TALK WITH HON. j. w. haoN>'
Recognizing in Mr.. Mason Repub-
lican OF high standing and gentleman
of considerable intelligence, sought
him out to get his views upon the pres
ent situation of the parties IN this State
and the prospective action OF each.
What is the condition of the organ
ization of the political parties in this
State. Mr.. Mason?" / asked
If either of the parties mas any or
ganization, laughingly said Mr.. Mason.
81 don't know it. My impression is
that neither the Republican nor Demo
cratic party has the slightest approach
10 an organization i'll this State. The
bars are all down and the sheep are
straying into such pastures as their
tastes incline them 10.
"You mention the Republican and
Democratic parties, Mr. Mason, but
omit the Greenback party. How is
thiS?'
BEG your pardon sir; but | had for
gotten the existence OF such party IN
This State. We arc without that luxury
in TAYLOR courtyard in fact the Second
Congressional District seems TO have to
struggle along without much of Third
Party organization of any kind"
Then you think the fight next year
will be between the two old parties in
West Virginia."
"Undoubtedly sir; with the chances
in favor of Republican success.
"Ah! you don't tell me- How do you
figure that?'
We'll; we have in this State $4,000
good, staunch Republican voters out OF
the 100000 votes likely to be cast next
wear. This is splendid nucleus and IL
is a solid one,-barring the drill a few
months organization vii! give it. That
leaves $4,000 voters 20 the opposition
not the Democracy, mind You. This
opposition is composed of the most het-
croucneous mass Of wild animals imagl-
naGle-fguratively speaking, OF course
There are old seceSSiOulstS, old Union
men-who became soreheaded when
they failed TO get office iii the Union
party at the close of the War-and Ger
mans aud Irish and bitter know-Noth-
ings, old Wings and old Democrats,
Greenbackers, and Hard Money men,
Bankers aud Anti Bankers, Capitalists
and Labour Leaguers, and-well, the
heads and tails, and odds and ends OF
every possible party and faction ever
known to politics And this party, SO
made up, is about as harmonious as the
historical trlincs of the town OF kilken-
ny.
well, now, you are giving me real
news, and my curiosity is excited. BE
GOOD enough to enlghten me as to who
head some OF these principal factions
and what are the Objects aimed at by
each.
oh, that would be a long story, and,
besides would Lead 10 naming persons,
which prefer not doing at this time.
i5ut what ! have said every intelligent
politician in the State recognizes as the
TACT. And they all know the jealousies,
lIeurt-GurniugS, and the hack-Olttng go
ing on in that happy family.
Then you Republicans propose to
ntilize some of these warning factions OF
the Democracy in aiding you to power,
next year!
"Uuduubtcdly we will be able TO do
80. As said, the bars are down. The
patty is urofiicrred, uGorganized, unhar-
inoniouS mass of Stragglcrs, and we are
in condition to pick up a good many OF
the rank and file. The dissatisfied are
always more ready to aid al open and
powerful enemy than TO cooperate with
the more bitter rivals within their own
party.
But Mr. Mason, you are aware that
in the last Legislature neither the Dem
ocratic nor Republican party had much
Influence. 1t was 4 we'll understood
matter that there was compact secret
organization, which was composed OF
members of both parties, led by Hon.
J. NJ. Hagans, Republican, Hon. G. III.
Moffelt, Democrat, with such Republl-
cans as Gist, OF Brooke, Hyer, of BraX'
ton, Nixon, OF Marshall, aud others, low
ingly sandwichtd among double the
number of Democratic members, but
none of them acknowledging allegiance
TO either OF the leading national parties.
And it was further well understood that
a slate was fixed up by which liagans was
10 be made Governor, Motfett State Au-
ditor, Brown ofJackSon, Supreme Judge,
and so OH; and the Republicans were to
make no nominations, but 10 do as they
did when jacob bOlted the Democratic
nomination and ran against Mr.. Cam
den for Governor. In turn, the Demo
cratic portion of this combination was
10 cast their votes for the Republican
Presidential Electors, they did in the
Jacob campaign. You seem Mr.. Ma
son, to be ignoring this young party
which showed itself powerful enough TO
control the last Legislature, aud promis-
es, on its part, to fill all the offices in
the State next year.
mo, s;r; am not blind to all you
say. But that was an ephelneral COM
bination-nota party organization found
cd upon principle-and when the two
great parties come into the field with
their candidates for President, land their
platforms of principles, the issues will
he Joined and the armies marshaled III
battle array, party spirit aud party pride
will be aroused, and all men will rally
under one banner or the other. There
will be no room for third party"
"No, sir" added Col Mason, "there