The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-05-06
THE FUSION pROJGCr.

The Action OF the Ohio County Repubii.
can Convention ON the BubjeetT7Ihe
Convict Labor Question-what About
the Financial Issue:
Wheeling acknowledgements German paper.
The Republicans of Ohio county have
resolved to declare themselves in the
State Convention for coalition with the
Greenbackers, and as the Republicans in
the other counties of the State are, as we
are led to believe, even more decidedly in
favor of the project, this idea will very
probably be adopted by the State Conyen;
ton. Whether this action of the Repub.
lcans will bring to their party thesuccess
they expect, is, OF course, a question to be
decided by the future. We have declared
ourselves against the project and have
given our reasons, although it does not
concern us, our paper not being an organ
of the Republican party. We still firmly
believe that this action Of the Republi.
cans was wrong, and based on wrong cal.
culattons as to the consequences. Some
gentlemen have tried to prove 10 US by
figures that the Republicans, II united
with the Greenbackers, could overcome
the Democratic majority but they did not
take into consideration that those Green
hackers who had become tired OF the
Democratic party, but did not wish to join
with the Republican party, would, by such
a coalition, be driven back into the Demo.
cratic camp. From whence, under such cir.
cumstauces, the Republican majority
would arise we cannot see. It must be
said, however, that the Republicans OF
Ohio county have set up platform which
contains nothing that could be obnoxious
even to the most enthusiastic Green.
hacker.
The money question Is not troubled at
all, and as far as the administration OF
State matters is concerned, the Republi.
cans have made accusations sgainst the
Democratic party in which, il proved to
be correct, the Greenbackers could readily
concur. or course, the ruling party is al.
WAYS made responsible for all the faults
and neglects OF the administration which
Is under their control. In that respect the
minority has always IN advantage oyer the
majority, because 1t has not many chances
to commit faults. Above all the Repub.
licans should try to win the confidence OF
the people and to convince them that the
misdoings and faults OF the ruling party
would be corrected II the minority should
take the place OF the majority. Whether
the Republican party will be able TO effect
this change in public opinion must also be
left to the future.
The only concession to the Greenback.
ems is the resolution against the convict
labor system. AS everybody Knows, the
agitation against the employment OF the
convicted criminals is one OF the hobbies
OF the GreenbsCk or Labor Party, which
deems the interest OF the workingmen
greatly endangered by that system. In
Tact, the system must, If carried out falsely,
iniure the interests OF the working classes,
but on the other hand it should not be
forgotten that humanity demands the EN-.
ployment OF convicis; that 1t is OF benefit
10 the community in general; that the
conyicts should not only be punished but
at the same time have a chance for moral
improvement, and that this object can
only be attained by compelling them to
get used 10 a regular employment. Ger.
tsinly great many mistakes are made in |
this respect, and we heartily approve the |
resolution, II only the correction OF Gbuses |
IL aimed at. This resolution is apparently
calculated to show TO the GTeenbacker's |
aud the workingmen IN general that their
Joining with the Republican party would |
De to their advantage. 1t will doubtless
have its effect, but perhaps not as great an
effect as the Republicans expect.
Whether othereoncessions not mention.
ed In the platform are made or will be
made TO the GreenbAckers by the Repub-
licans, we cannot say, because we do not
know the inner workings Of the Republi.
can party machine. In the platform we
can not lind anything that could give us A
right to- say that the Republican party mas
given us particle Of its principles, We
only miss, rs we said before, 4 resolution
in relation TO the money question, OF
coune, this question has nothing to do
with the election OF State officers and even
less with tie election OF county officers;
but In a year In which the Presidential
election aud the Congressional elections
take place, this question can not possibly
be avoided, and hence the Republicans
will be compelled to show clearly their po- |
sition on the money question. As soon
as they do this, and do II they must, and
that too in favor Of and In harmony with
the past record OF the Republican party
their coalition with the Greenbacksrs ex-
lists no longer