Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-09-03
BEHIND THE SCENES.
Some Inside History Of Political
Affairs
In the Seventeenth Ohio District-Facts De-
yeIoped and UndeyeIoped During the Hot
Contest for the Republican Nomina-
tion-The Situation Reviewed. =
INTERESTING SECRETS EXPOSED.

sion in the breasts OF the party leaders,
not only in that district, but in the State at
large, and the National Executive and
Congressional Committees. The dissatisfac-
ton toward Updegraff has been clearly and
enthusiastically shown at each recurring
convention, and the campaign anteceding
the convention has already developed q
dissatisfaction that nothing short of man
with sand" could bring himself to face.
Upaegraff has been nominated each time
with great difficulty, and amid an increas-
ing bitterness that will yet ultimate in the
sinking of the party in the district. It has
been the claim, and in fact il is their stock
in trade, that he is the unanimous choice OF
the agriculturalists of the district. Never
was pretext more flimsy, but never was
stock so skillfully manipulated. 90,
The truth is that Updegraff is generally
rnpopular in the district, and had the dis
sffection been d ven organized in other
fDtnships as it was in Beilaire, he would
4 4, Ilay be not the, candidate but perma-
|sIentEs retired politician, 9ofeytf harmless
4 N The fut1re,s That thefe lisa Bide epread
opposition 10 him the WRITER, ia flpyp ware,
for; he has encountered it az vafiops places
IN the district and Always OF the most pro-
nounced character. AtMartin's Ferry some
of the most outspoken Republicans were
bitterly opposed to him, and Il only re-
ouired the name OF an acceptable man TO
have organized this opposition and made IT
work his defeat. One OF the most promi-
nent men said: "If Hollingsworth had only
possessed the manhood TO remain in the
field he could have had the nomination.
TAYLOR made no impression upon the Re
publicans here, and not man he met was
attracted to him" In Bridgeport the pug
pacious campaign carried on by the gov
eminent mendicant, whose bread and but
ter depended upon his success, was such
as to disgust all decent men and the oppo-
sition, though very large, took no tangible
form, and the thing went by default. This
has been the manner OF operations in all
the counties OF the district. On
the contrary, in every city and
town, hamlet and country store updegraffs
henchmen were at work in the shape OF
postmasters, mail clerks, pensioners and
other small but interested and influential,
fry, who worked night and day to compass
the success Of their creator. The methods
resorted to toaccomplish success have been
so open that it has excited feeling of dis.
gust in the breasts of many, and 10 such
degree with some that they say they will
not be bound by the action of the conven-
IlOD, anu Will uOI Onll hOl SuppOib tLS
nominee, but will oppose him in October
in the most effective way. The bolt of the
Relalre crowd at Barnesville was but an
exhibition of what several determined
men could do to eIemplify their ideas, but
that act was feeble and incomparably less
than another which will supplement it at
the polls this fall.
The campaign in the Seventeenth Dis.
trict has developed another fact that sur
prised the old stagers, viz: There is not
single man in the district possessing any
qualifications for or making any preten-
tions TO, preferment in this direction that
was received with any marked degree OF IA.
vor. The bitter hostility to Taylor, not
only in his own county, but in the adjOin-
ing county of Noble, showed the hopeless
ness of his prospects from the be-
ginning. Dalzcll never did really
rise to the plane OF can
didacy, and was regarded by all the candi-
dates merely as one of the indispensable
small annoyances that are the inevitable
excrescences of all campaigns. Ross An
derson, of Cambridge, was bubble gotten
up merely to advance Cpdegratf's interests
in Guernsey county. Hollngsworth was
grand mistake from the outset. A State
Senator for two or three years, he became
inflated with sense OF his own impor-
lance, and thought that in the disaffection
to the wealthy Quaker he saw stepping
stone TO a position that would elevate him
to a place that few men of his age reach,
and from which the prospect is dazzling.
His lieutenant at st. Clairsville said to me
the other day after the GAINESVILLE Conven-
ton: ut was tough for us from the be-
ginning. At one time We thought we saw
our way clear. Taylor had voluntarily
promised us that in case Hollingsworth
came up TO As votes he would transfer his
following to him and nominate him. That
number was received by our man and d.
rectly we were informed that the Guernsey
delegation was ready to come over. was out
of the hall at the time, and a man
was dispatched to hunt me up and organize
our forces. l could not be found at the
time and considerable time was lest in the
search. In the meantime Taylor had learn
ed of the intention OF his men to desert
him and nominate younger man, and GO
ing to them he besought them to not leave
him, as it would hopelessly compromise
him and ruin him in the district II have"
said he, promised Updegraff sacredly, that
in no event would 1 agree 10 the nOmina-
ton of Hollingsworth, and my word is at
stake. If there is a man in this delegation
that has slight feeling of friendship or
regard for me, l beg of him to stand by
me i'll this extremity" They stood, and
HOliiDgsworth was not nominated. You
see how near to the nomination our Dave
was and what defeated him"
At GAINESVILLE the other day q man
named Sullivan, from Noble county, and a
delegate, had in his possession charges
against Updegran, which were repetition
of those urged at st. Clairsvfle, only sbe-
cific and supported by evidence. The wit
nesSeS were readily available and nothing
but the fact of the hopeless majority in the
convention for DIR. Updegraf prevented
the introduction of the charges and the
consequent rumpus. Sullivan told me that
in view OF this fact he had concluded TO let
them CO. Updegraff's henchmen were
scared to death on account of this threat
ened investigation, and blamed DanfOrd for
forwarding it. One of them went to Major
kenna early on Tuesday and told him that
in case the charges were presented Danford
would be held personally responsible and
made to suffer more than Updegraff for it,
They never saw the light and Danford
never went into the convention.
Another little episode of the convention
that has not come TO public notice yet was
this When the Committee on Permanent
Organization retired to make up their per-
msnent officers for the convention on Tues
Gay, it was proposed to make Dave Holdings
worth p.rmanent chairman, but this was
antSgonized at once. Col. Anderson, of
Guernsey, opposed it bitterly, and another
member whose name do not now remem-
Der. Anderson finally gained his point and
Judge Frazier was continued.
POOrman and others are of the opinion
that there is a disatfection in two or three
OF the counties that is sufficient to defeat
Updegraff if properly manipulated, and
yesterday, with this idea in mind, I asked
James +. Andt rson, Esq, Of Bellaire, what
he thought OF It.
Il think there is some little opposition
here In this county. At present there is
some little feeling, and there may be two
hundred votes in this vicinity which, il
the election were to take place at once,
might be sgainst Updegraff; but when. the
October election comes around and the
foolishress Of their courses has became
apparent. they will be around all right
Col Taylor told me he thought there
would be final adjustment of the diff
fereDces, and all would be right He pro-
posed to do all that he could to further
unity.
Mayor Mitchell, of Martins Ferry, says
il is the old, old story. Bellaire detection
has not very often accomplished its object,