Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-06-22
How 1t Was Brought About.


and unusual appliances at his hand to
compete for the vote. 1t was plain
scheme to make money the king, and d
notice to all that poor men and men OF
medium means and good conscience were
not needed in Republican canvass OF
the county. Mr.. Anderson's friends op-
posed this scheme. The event of Mr.,
Taylor's election, in his own boxes, with
out opposing candidates, showed the
wisdom of the friends of the former, for
to secure the vote as it was, for the can
vassers abroad in every township by day
and night for week or two must have
cost much money, besides the sums
paid by Mr. Tayler in various townships
to get out the vote, to say nothing of the
use of funds, as is charged, in ways not
in accordance with the doctrines of cat
echisms and temperance platforms. The
committee was so strongly against Mr..
Taylor's way at this meeting that he did
not dare to force the question to vote.
1t was claimed at that time-and the
public statement was undisputed-that
the committee was against this incipi-
ent step in the way of crushing the peO-
pie and their rights, interests and well
fare before the weight of money, bosses
and bull-dozers. After private and per-
sonaI conferences with committeeman
and the friends of committeeman, after
securing designations, petitions and pre-
tended proxies, the committee was call
ed together again, evidently, from the
course of events before, at it and subse-
quently, to force, without authority, the
Objectionable rule.
The committee met. There were
present those who had served upon it at
its former meeting without question.
The BulIdozing bosses found that they
did not have majority of the commit
tee. They therefore proceeded at once,
as coolly and deliberately as any high
wayman ever robbed his victim, to make
a majority. There was no Committee
ON Credentials. There was no authority
in the committee to fill vacancies if they
existed. That was for the Republican
voters in the usual way. Certainly not
when designations were secured for
some mysterious and undisclosed pur-
pose. Contests were made upon men
who acted at the last meeting, and they
were coolly requested not to vote as
their votes could not be counted. Then
at once was a motion to bnseat Willis
anti-Taylor plan-and seat Mr.. Bush
field. The vote stood-Willis not being
permitted to vote, being hidden with
others to stand aside,-9 to 9, and the
chairman, on the double vote, after
ruling all motions to adjourn out of Or
der, seated Mr.. Bushfield. Here was the
incipient step of parliamentary wrong.
All the other evils which have followed
the canvass in this county were the out
growth of this turning Of majority into
a minority by the most outrageous ways
ever known in the history of any re-
spectacle deliberate body since the days
of barbarism.
The initial unseating of Willis and
the seating of Bushfeld, with show of
virtue when the minority was turned to
a majority. was followed by the ousting
of Ogier-and the seating Of D. d. Tey-
lor-and the admission of Hughes, of
Madison. L. M. johnson pledged against
the scheme, called away, gave proxy to
another, who voted it in violation of
Mr.. Johnson's views. Others left, and |
against protest, the iniquitous resolu-
ton which was to give Mr.. Taylor a
death grip upon the throat Of the Re-
publican party in this county was pass
ed.
The committee at its subsequent
meeting had a motion before it to in
quire into the authority of T. H. Ander-
son and D. D. Taylor as committeeman,
which was held out of order. Upon this,
on appeal, there was tie vote of the
Anderson and Taylor both
voting.
In the course of all the proceedings
one event stands out to give courage
and cheer to hearts that love justice and
to men who wish to do right-the pro-
tests of Stranathan, Hibbs, Daugherty,
Stewart, Siddall, Nicholson, and others
who were rising as the chair decided
that the meeting was adjourned.
The result is known. Taylor, without
opposition, had in his boxes about one
third of the Republican votes of the
county, after campaign against no
body, which he conducted as arduously
as if the presidency hung upon the re-
suit. He will take 80 on his string to
st. Clairsville. Mr.. Anderson has 15
delegates elected bv the township plan.
Mr.. Updegraff has 2. Thirteen are yet
10 elect.
The endorsement of the county con-
vention was no endorsement at all. 1t
advises Mr.. Taylor's own delegates,
which he will probably name, to vote
for him. 1t does not relate to the regu-
lar delegation at all.
Such is an accurate resume of the
course of the canvass to the present. 1t
is made necessary by the many misstate-
ments abroad, which are being and
have been fostered by Mr.. Taylor's
friends -[Guernsey Jeffersonian.
Fire destroved the Sherman Lumber