Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-07-21
THE DEMOCRACY.
Proceedings Of the Ohio State Con-
yention, Yesterday.
The 0rganization-John F. Follet Strikes
the Key kote-A Strong Ticket and
Good Platform-The Fight for
Power-PendIeton Perma-
nent Chairman.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS OF THE DAY

SCENES AND INCIDENTS OF THE DAY,
Special Dispatch from our StG0 Correspondent
CoLuMBUs, July 20.--"It was one of the
grandest conventions l ever attended, said
the diplomatic Senator, Gentleman
George" to our correspondent, this even
ing, in speaking of the Ohio Democrcy's s
conclave that held forth today, and was
so. The convention was ce rta!nly an en-
thusiastic and memorable affair, and will
always be remembered as one OF the most
representative bodies of men that ever
gathered together in this State. While the
old political leaders were well represented
by men OF their age and opinion, stfif the
Young Democracy
Largely predominated, and really ruled
the Convention. When the young men
come to the front and take hold of the old
party organization as they did to-day it is
a most healthful sign, and shows very
clearly that the party of Jefferson and
Jackson is not dead, but will soon rise in
its full strength and sway the destinies OF
not only the greatest Western State, but
those OF the nation.
PendIeton's Fight.
As telegraphed you last night, the fight
between the two factions OF the party, the
one headed by Mclean, baci by Payne
and Bookwalter, and the other by Thomp-
son. backed by Pendleton, was hot. This
morning Pendleton's ranks were largely
reinforced by the arrival Of country dele
gates, and never fully app reciated the fact
of his power as hand-shakrr until saw
him going among the horny-handed
yeomanry, his tall white hat tipped back
on his head, vest thrown "pen, greeting
each one like an old friend, With a hearty
grasp, followed by most earnest inquiry
after the wife and babies. they may call
him Gentleman George" and all that sort
of thing, but to-day has demonstrated to
me that he has a strong hold upon the
Buckeye State, and that when he chooses
to lay aside his dignity and goes in TO win
he is power. To-day he literally snatch
ed victory from the jaws of defeat, and long
before the Convection assembled 1t was
patent to all observers that he he had
secured his point, and would be the perma-
nent chairman, notwithstanding the fact
that Follett, from his own county, had
been made temporary chairman expressly
to defeat him.
The Convention.
The Convention was called to order by
John G.. Thompson, and on his motion
Hon. John f. Follett, of CINCINNATI, was
made temporary chairman. Mr.. Follett is
an old wheel.horse of Democracy, and is
particularly fond of sounding the Key
note, and this he proceeded to do. He has
more than ordinary eloquence, and is in
the habit of astonishing his friends with
brilliant rhetoric and high-sounding peri
ods; but to-day he confined himself closely
to what had evidently been carefully pre-.
pared and the result was that it will read
much better than it sounded. l don't be-
lieye in "key notes" much, as a rule, for it
is the platform and record OF the party
which are most looked to, and while MIR.
Follett's speech was we'll enough in its way
it lacked the enthusiasm, the dash, the
elan which characteriZes his off hand ef-
forts.
As the conclusion of the chairmans ad-
dress, the committee which had been
selected by the Congressional delegation,
were announced, and the Convention took
a recess until o'clock.
Afternoon Session.
The Convention reassembled promptly
at . o'clock, when Senator Pendleton was
elected permanent chairman and took his
seat amid loud applause. Contrary to all
expectation, he made no speech but quietly
proceeded TO call the Convention to order.
Judge Okey, the present incumbent, was
then nominated for Judge of the Supreme
Court by acclamation, and the ticket CON-
pleted by the nomination Of ]. w. Newman,
of Portsmouth, for Secretary OF State, on
the third ballot, and Henry Weibel, OF
Van Vert county for member of the BoBrd
of Public Works.
The Platform.
The resolutions declare that the Demo
cratic party is the political organization
which combines all the elements essential
| to real nationality-the preservation OF
| local rights and government and the foster
| ing of the productive and laboring interests
| of the country. 1t demands q wise and
| lust revision of our tariff and internal rev.
enue laws, so as to provide the means OF
meeting the public debt and all other oo'
| legations of the Government, and for the
| conduct of its purely legitimate affairs up
| on a system OF the most rigid economy.
The masses of the people are becoming
| aware Of the fact that the amount OF reye-
nue. annually raised by the Government Is
Greatly I'm Excess
of its legitimate needs, that it is unjustly
| burdensome of and destructive to all the
| productive, laboring and business interests
| of the country. It engenders needless and
] yasteful expenditure and extravaganza,
| and enriches the few to the ruin OF the
| navy. ;,
The convention expressed itself very
strongly upon the wholesale system ot
| forced contributions from all the office
| holders of the Government, which system
must result in driving out OF the public
service all honest, capable and self'respect-
ing officials and supply their place with an
army of mere mercenarlss, The system
degrading and corrupt as II Is, has Tor it'
object the teHing OF the money OF the peo
| pie, for the purposes of bribing them, in
| oruer 10 1espoil and misgoyern all. Ii
foIeshadows the setting up o. 2tHcers
To the Highest bidders,
and its legitimate end will be, as in Rome
in the days of its downfall, to put the
country itself under the hammer Of the
party auctioneerS.
The Ticket.
The work of the Convention gives gener-
al satisfaction, and the ticket nominated is
conceded to be one of the strongest that
could have been selected. Judge Okey's
name will be a tower of strength in all
sections Of the State, particularly so that
be delivered the opinion in the Pond Law
case, recently decided. Newman, the can.
didale for Secretary of State, belongs 10 the
Pendleton wing, and is spoken of as a man
of great popularity, and who will make q
strong canvass. This is also true OF the
candidate for Board of Public Works.
| The Result
may be summed up in q few words:
The general feeling of the convention, and
| by this mean not only the leaders, but
the rank and file is, that there is now fair
chance for victory; that all that is needed
is good square, hard work, and there was
no disposition to shirk this. In fact, the
Democracy have gone into this fight to
win. While they have had their fight, and
it was sharp and bitter, that is now over,
and both wings have joined hands for q
struggle which shall redeem the State from
Radical rule, place it in the Democratic
line, and render success in the next Presi-
dental campaign secure beyond per
adventure. This can be done. l have
never seen q more earnestness and enthus-
iasm manifested at q convention in my
life. 1t was, too, the kind of enthusiasm
that wins, for it means hard, earnest and
persistent work, and with that, the
Democracy of Ohio will win. J. +. B.