Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-08-24
VOTES THROWN AWAY.

Something for the Labor Party to Ponder
Overflow to Utilize More Than a Mil
lion Ballots, wh,ch Stand a FAIR Chance
of Being wss,od in November.
Philadelphia ReCori.
New EoIK. August l9.--As time pro-
gresSeS aud the cool weather sets in in-
terest in the forthcoming Presidential
election increases, and probably no class
OF men are more deeply impressed with
the gravity of the situation than those
heretofore identified with the Green.
back Labor movement, as is evidenced
bv the following interview with one OF
their most prominent leaders 4 few days
since. This gentleman has been active
Is identified with the movement from
its inception, and was a delegate at the
Chicago Convention. In answer TO the
inquiries of your correspondent he gave
the 'Ollowin. as
His Views on the Situation.
There is no more difficult problem
disturbing the minds OF both Republic
can and Democratic politicians than the
direction and effect OF the Labor vote in
the coming Presidential election. That
vote is more OF an unknown quantity
than ever before. Like Banquo's ghost,
III will not down. 4 careful comp.la-
ton of the Labor vote cast in the whole
of the States at the latest elections in 1878
amt lS7a gives the startling total of l.
OBJ, ,lS2. while in the Presidential elec-
ton OF 1876 the total popular vote was
S,424.ll2 At the Chicago Greenback.
Labor Convention, which | attended
there were upward OF 1000 delegates
present. The majority OF these men
were Of tue sturdy yeomanry class that
Form the Backbone ofthe Nation.
Machine politicians were conspicuous
bv their absence. These men repre-
sented Labor revolt And in land
OF universal suffrage and free home
stead That there is some deep-seated
reason for this no II fle ting man can
doubt. In 1873. when Mason ran as the
Greenback candidate for Governor In
vour State OF Pennsylvania, he secured
81 ,75S votes. IIoyt obtained $40, 100, and
Dill 297, l31. Ii is idle 10 suppose that
all these labor votes came from Demo
cratic ranks, but the largest majority OF
them did. Had the Labor vote been
gwen 10 llt lftul JCidllt NtulttabV
h He Would Have Been Elected
bv majority of at least 10000. In the
Presidential election your State polled
75S. .S7I votes. and Hayes majority over
TIlden was only l. Sii. AS an earnest
and consistent Labor man L know We
cannot win the Presidency with mil
lion OF votes, nor even with million
and half The possible contingency
spoken OF BY General Weaver that
there will be no popular election; that
the decision will he thrown into the
House of Representatives, and that De
La Matyr holds the balance OF power
and will cast the vOt. giving him the
Presidency, has shown me cOnclusively
that Weaver lacks the
Feelings or Wisdom offs Statement,
would not care To see a Greenback
President elected on such a victory-at.
any price policy. Oa the contrary, |
should feel ashamed and alarmed at
such result. | am still an ardent
,iresnbackpr, but | would prefer, now
that the country has entered upon 4
hard money policy, with silver at its
basis. not To disturb the present state OF
currency. Ii the present system fails
then will come our time. We caG afford
to watch and wait. and will gain credit
by s. doing. As regards labor questions
the Democrats have certainly shown a
strong disposition 10
Remedy Some of the Evils
of which We complain. The passage OF
the eight.hour law is proof OF this.
Their plank on the Chinese question is
another strong proof. They favor. too,
the abolition Oi the StOre-order or truck
system.
considering General Weaver's some
what cnnceited and uustatesmanlike ut
trrInccs and the position taken 10y the
Democrats, together with the unim-
pyachahle character OF General Han
cock. have iully determined, for the
first time in my lie, 10 cast Demo-
cratic vote in November. have reason
also 10 believe that the views OF quite a
number of prominent Labor men are
Drifting in the Same Direction
SLOWLY 10 be- sure-at present. So
Won see i; is not So absurd or preposter.
Gus to supp ppSe that even your Republi-
can Pennsvlvania NAV 60 Democratic in
November next. The Labor vote is the
unknown quantity that will decide it;
and. according 10 the vote OF 1876, ont
of nearly a million voters less than ten
thousand will effect this change, and
! Pennsylvania twenty-nine electoral
votes 20 To General Hancock.
Take New York State, too, in It's
vote for Governor in 1879, with a split
in the Democratic ranks. Robinson
would have been elected by 5000 ma
iori,v had there been no split, and by
IS. 1000 msiority had the Labor vote been
given to the Democrats. The Democ-
Tacy OF this state
Will Be Solid in November.
and the indications are that the magic
OF Hancock's name and character will
also secure the Labor votes. With New
York and Pennsylvania Democratic the
election would be settled. But there are
| other States California, for instance,
last wear elected Republican Governor
by 10000 majority; but there were also
Al, 600 Labor votes cast also. Strong IN
dicstions are showing that the Labor
men are breaking in that State for the
Democrats and are already on q STAN