Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-01-15
TIE VIEWS. OF EX-GOVERNOR
STEVENSON

| STEVENSON
Upon the Leading Senatorial Candidate
His Qualifications for the Position-Th'
Necessary Requisites that Fit Man fol
the senate-wh Where the "Ol CIy'
Against Bar. Camden Comes from-Hr
Past Record. and What May Be Ex
pected Of HIM in the Future.
Parkrrsburg State Journal.
We publish elsewhere in the JOurHG
Of this week an article taken from the
Richie Democrat in vindication OF Mr.
Camden in the particulars named
WHAT the D,nOcra, says OF the genera
demor4lizatlon of the oil business prior
to the organization Of the Camden Con-
solidated Oil Company, We know to bG
true. We also know that with the i'm
proved methods of transportation, the
system Of cash payments, inaugurated
by the Camden Consolidated Oil Com
pany, and with the economies which
have been introduced into the oil busi-
ness, the interests OF the producers oi
oil have been largely improved, and that
this community during the long deprss'
sion has been able to "pull through"
almost unsurmOuntable difficulties. In
the oil regions, where the facts are prop
erIy known, the benefits We have emu
merated are properly appreciated, and
due credit is given TO the parties who
have instituted the new system. There
we hear OF no complaints on these
points.
1t IS but natural that the business op.
ponents of the Camden Consolidated Oil
Company-the company with which Mr..
Camden is connected should feel sore
and in some instances sOured at the sue.
cess of their rivals. So lar as We can
learn the only opposition which MIR.
Camden encounters, of tie kind men
TONED by the Democrat. is from his COM
petitors i'm business. Disinterested men
men who have fair estimate Of the
facts, largely discount the personal ami,
mus which underlies the criticisms oi
Mr.. Camden through the correspondence
of the Wheeling htsil,gcHccr and other
papers outside tins State. Here, this
community is inclined to make due al
lowance for many Of the things, which
these correspondents Seem tn take such
delight in magniiying.
In our estimation the election OF q
Senator should rise above the mere per
sonalities, which always, unior unateIy,
come To the surface in such contests. IL
is quite natural, where private interests
4. 40 m a
pe,itors in everything; but the public
are slow 10 sympathiz- with this sort OF
opposition. Earnest men protest and
regret that mankind are so constituted.
But nevertheless the word moves.
We take il that what Republicans
want TO know, in view of their inability
TO elect their first choice, is whether
Mr.. Camden. or any other Union, pro-
crRssive Democrat IL nj man to repre-
sent the people Of West Virginia IN the
United States Senate; whether he can
by his position, training and opportuui.
ties bring To the State honor, capital and
population TO develop our great and un-
told resources; whether he will divest
himself Of the influence OF rings and
meet the railroad problem IL as
suminy important proportions and must
be met in the spirit OF reform and JUS
;ice-iustice o the people and the rail-
roads themselves; whether he Is IN favor
of projecting our coal, iron, salt, petro-
leum wool and other products, raw and
manufactured. by a iudicious protective
tariff; land this tariff question Is oi
greater significance To- West Virginia
since Democratic Congressman from
Ohio, Mr.. Hurl, has introduced free
trade resolutions into the lower House
of Congressl whether he is in reality in
favor OF eniogcirg the law--bOth North
and South-so that all men, white and
black alike, snail be protected in their
civil and political rights II such 9
Demncrat can Oe found We doub,
whether Republican members OF the
Legislature will stand much upon cere
mony in giving him their support, as
being the next best thing 10 do IN default
Of being unable 10 elect one OF their own
party; an event now Improbable.
We had hoped tina. the Democratic
aspirants for the Senatorship would
have favored US with their views on the
ouestions hintel at above. We under
stand from Mr. Camden's friends that
he takes advanced ground on all ques
tions in which our people are interested
on the tariff, transportation, and the
Southern question and the improvement;
of our State by railroads. lie has al.
ready spoken in favor Of reform in the
transportation system-spoken in such
terms "a to be almost radical on the sub.
iect. lie is known all over the State as
a progressive Democrat, and in its
earlier history fa,oring the Flick Am
endment.
We are not advised as TO his views on
the tariff question, but il he is the bust.
ness man We take him to be, he mus;
gee that withou; protective tariff West
Virginia will never be what she ought
to be. lie cannot long survive as poll
tician If he antsgOnizss her interest in
this direction. We regret that we can
not speak with more authority on this
point. II We had intelligent information
here, OF a favorable character, We would
have little hesitation in saying that Mr.
| Camden, among others that we could
name, always remembering that the
choice must come from the Democratic
party at this time, fulflls in q mafke,,
degree the conditions which make him
q suitable man TO represent West Vir.
J ginia in the Senate OF the United States