The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-09-08
JUDGE VESTS VIEWS.
What Even Blind Nan Can See In the
Ohio Campaign.
The Observations Of an Old Time
StumRer and q Close Political
Calculator.
Some Reasons why the Republicans arr
Having n Walk.oV0r In the
Buckeye State.

Learning that Judge West, Of Belleior
taine, who has been giving our neighbour
over the river some excellent Republican
argument and oratOry for several evening"
past, was spending Sunday in this city, 9
scout from this office started to hunt him
up, and found him late in the evening en-
gagged in talking Ohio "reminiscences with
party OF old friends at Mr.. B. S.Allison's
on Chapline street. It was Sunday night,
but the scribe had no instructions to
talk theology, and citing,'at some hazard
to himself, the case Of another Judge who
once excused himself for writing law
books on Sunday on the ground that he
was helping legal oxen and asses out OF q
pit, the newspaper man intimated that he
would be glad to find the visitor disposed
TO consider secular matters TO some extent,
In connection with the Ohio political situ.
alton.
The Judge, who Is amiddle aged, slender
gentleman, with good grey head and a
clear cut expressive countenance, stretch.
ed out his long legs and smiled audibly as
he made some remark about It always be-
ing in order to do good on the Sabbath
day. Sitting in the lamp light, and turn
ing his face frequently In the direction Of
his questioner, II was difficult to realize
that he was blind, but beyond being able
to distinguish imperfectly between light
and darkness. his eyes are sightless; and
one Of the dangers Of his oratory is that
he is as apt to deliver an impassioned
burst OF eloquenoe with his back to the
audience as he Is to deliver It in proper
form, unless he guards himself carefully
by the aid OF table or other stationary
object.
Plunglng into politics without further
introduction, the reporter inquired what
portions Of Ohio had been trayersed by
the Judge ii his recent political peregrin-
ations?
"Most Of the Eastern portions Of the
State, below you. | expect to go next to
Steubenville, In Jefferson county, and
from there to East Liverpool, and after
that, l am booked for Palestine. ] don't
know whether the last mentioned place is
in the Land OF Idumea or not, but I am
told it is portion OF Northeastern Ohio,
where at one time they had quite green.
back revival"
Speaking Of greenbacks, what are your
impressions as to where the last $4,000
Greenback vote Of Ohio will 60 this year?"
"Well, sir, / believe nine-tenths OF it
will go back to the Republican party from
which 1t originally came, and Ewing will
get the balance"
"What about the other man?n
"oh, you mean Piatt. He does not
amount to row Of pins in. this fight. l
hardly ever hear his name mentioned any
more. I don't believe the result will
give him thousand votes in the State
not more than two thousand at the out
side. He lives in my county, and I do not
know OF but three votes he will get there,
and two OF these belong to his own sons"
"And you think the bulk Of the Green
back vote will 90 back 10 the Republi-
ans?"
"Ihave no doubt ofit. tell you they
are getting their eyes opened on this mat
ter Of soft money. There are hundreds OF
Democrats besides within my personal
acquaintance who will scratch their ticket
this year on account OF the men and
measures they have put forward for their
support, , !,
mer ones in the matter OF interest and
feeling displayedY"
"There is more Of it this year than re-
member to have seen in any preceding
gubernatorial contest. There Is no unu.
sual excitement in the cities, which have
been about talked to death over the politi-
cal situation, but in the smaller towns and
country districts the people turn out won
deriully to hear political questions discuss.
ed,
"Have you had any joint discussion or
division OF time between opposing speak
ers in your canvvssp"
'None as yet, There have been propo-
sitions from the Republicans TO divide
time at meetings, but no Democrats have
been found who wanted to divide time
with u.s."
(Which branch of the discussion seems
TO he taking the lead2"
"The subject Of free elections is taking
precedence Of the financial issue, When
Mr.. Ewing started out he began an ag-
gressive campaign on the money question.
He discovered his mistake some time
since, and is now disposed 10 give other
matters more prominence. For that mat
ter, however, he Is on the defensive all
round. You can see that by his Gallipolis
speech"
who are his best helpers in his can
vass2"
"He hashad few II any. Durbin Ward
has made one speech for him, and Sam
Gary has made q couple, but hitherto there
have been few men Of any prominence
who have taken the stump for him. see,
however, that Thurman Is announced for
points hereafter, and doubtless there will
be other speakers Of equal prominence
sent out for him throughout the State. It
is easy to see, however, that they are dis
pirited. Asthe boys say, they are under
cow They neither act nor talk as they
did"
"Maybe they are making still hunt?"
"It's too still. Even when that Is the
game there is certain air Of assurance,
an outside oi comfort, that Is necessary.
The Ohio Democrats havn't got either any
longer. They are sick. And they ought
10 be. Their revolutionary and lawiess
attitude in opposition to the efforts made
TO secure free elections, has alarmed the
thinking men Of the State. The position
Of their leaders on the money question
unS M auLaBVLlLeu prudent men oil
all parties. Our position in Ohio
is something like yours on this
side Of the river. We have some hundred
factory chimneys which are now busily
pouring forth the smoke OF industry, Our
farmers and merchants are prospecting.
There is not tramp in the State who can
not get employment II he wants Il. All
these things are unanswerable arguments
against the Democratic idea and program.
me and Its doom Is sealed. Every
harvest, that Is gathered, every potato
that Is dug out Of the ground"
that he was likely To absorb more Of the
Judges eloquence than he could assimi.
late In time for the early morning edi.
ton, and bidding him good night, went
of with the impression that II there were
few more blind men in Ohio like Judge
West, 1t would be bad place for a mar