Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-11-01
EXPLANATIONS THAT DO NOT Elk
PLAIN.

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In the first place the Democraticpart
cannot in any just sense be adjud5ed to
have suffered defeat. We have elected
a Supreme Judge; we have elected a
large majority in the Legislature, and
We have elected three out Of four Con-
gressmen.
This, they would call, Utmost States,
very substantial victory. 1t would be
little piggish for party to ask larger
division OF the stakes in an election than
that.
Ifthere was any defeat of the Demo-
cratic party it must be found in the
first district. That district has hereto
fore been represented by a Democrat
and now has elected a Republican. But
inasmuch as the Democratic party re-
manned out Of the contest, in large
measure, it is not properly a defeat.
The election was simply allowed to go
by default.
But nevertheless it is proper, and our
contemporaries must have their views
about what caused the falling off in the
Democratic vote.
The Lincoln Clipper comes forward
with new explanation which is en-
titled to consideration even if it has no
foundation. We never get on the right
track until we get it clear of brush:
II is worse than useless-it is unwise-tO
attempt 10 conceal the fact that the failure
of our Legislature to submit the PrOhibi-
ton amendment to the voters of the State,
had very much to do in causing the heavy
reductions in the Democratic vote of West
Virginia at the late election. 1t is the part
of wisdom to discover, if possible, the
causes that led to the, startling reductions
IN the vote OF 9 eil5 Earliest practicable day
What has been done can't now be undone.
The situation is upon US, and We must sub
nit with the best grace possible. The
strength Of the temperance element in this
State has been very much under estimated
by our party leaders. And We repeat what
We have said before, that the temperance
people intend to be heard and felt IN our
a
accord with this new departure. As TO
whether there are enough temperance voters
in the State to carry the Prohibition
amendment, if submitted to them, is not
the question we have TO deal with. the
question is, shall the Democratic party Of
West Virginia take its stand openly and
squarely upon the temperance platform?
We believe that the near future will deyel-
op the fact that that party, be 1t Demo-
cratic or Republican, which throws itself
upon the tide of temperance reform, will
ride into power. The agitation OF this
temperance question, is not by any means
confined TO our own state, but 1t Is assam.
ing gigantic proportions in this nation, and
exciting the liyeliest interest in many Of
our sister States.
The Republican press of this State, in its
zeal to faSten upon the Democrats of the
last Legislature, the blame If defeating the
Prohibition resolution, always forget to
tell the people that several Republican
members of that body voted against it, and
that any Two OF said votes if cast in favor
of the resolution. would have secured its
passage Mr.. Hubbard, the acknowl-
edged leader of the Republican
members, in the House Of Dele
gates, voted against il. There were about
seventeen Republicans in that body, whose
votes wOuld have made up the necessary
two thirds, with several over and above
what was required.
If the Republican party OF West Virginia
is so closely allied with the temperance
movement, and has its success as much at
heart, as it would have you believe, why
was il that any of its members i'll the legiS.
lature voted against the Prohibition reso-
lutiOn2
The Clipper makes the mistake of
starting out upon ERRONEOUS premises
and then contradicting itself in its own
conclusions.
In the first place the question of sub
hitting the amendment was not made
a party question in the Legislature;
Democrats and Republicans alike voted
for and against it; the champion of the
measure in the Legislature was leader
of the Democrats and the champion of
the opposition was the leader of the Re-
publicans; both disclaimed that it was
partisan measure; the leading temper
ance advocates all over the State declare
that it is and must be kept separate from
politics; and the temperance conven-
ton declared in its platform that the
prohibition party would ignore politics
in the campaign and vote for temper
ance men regardless of their party
affiliations.
If the temperance party was true to
its platform it did not make an issue
with the Democratic party in the last
campaign. We saw no evidence that
it did. In view Of the division in both
parties on the question, we cannot
readily see how it could. The chairman
of the Republican committee in his add
dress at the opening OF the campaign
defined to commit his party to the
adoption of q prohibitory amendment
The Democratic party made no declara-
ton pro or con.
The fact Is that the refusal TO submit
the prohibitory amendment by the last
Legislature was predicated solely on the
ground of expediency-uot party ex-
pediency-but expediency as a temper
ance measure. Democrats and Repub-
leans alike doubted its expediency,
Democrats and Republicans alike de-
clined to submit it on that ground.
1t is even more difficult to ascribe the
reduction in the Democratic vote to the
whisky question in West Virginia than
it is to refer the Republican defeat in
Ohio to the whisky question. And we
predict that when this question come;
before the next Legislature member;
will show as little regard for party ties