Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-12-15
THE SENAToRsHIP.
Efforts OF the Republicans 20 Elect
senator Davis Successor.

Efforts OF the Republicans 20 Elect
senator Davis Successor.
! Special Dispatch TO the Register.
WASHINGTON, December 14-Republicau
chances OF controlling the selection Of the
next United States Senator from West Yir
ginia continue to be discussed here. Since
l telegraphed you concerning Judge John
JacksOn's proposed candidacy and his
declination to give up his present life po,
I sitiOn for what at best would be but tenn.
| porary provision, the tide of Republican
! hope and speculation seems to have been
| diverted from the federal ermine at Park.
| erSburg TO the crested jayhawk at Clarks.
burg, and most of the talk IN that direC.
| tiOn here is now centered on my gallant
anu distinguished friend Col. Ben Wilson,
| Of Harrison. | met one of his most ardent
I supporters, who was fresh from visit to
the interior counties Of the First district, at
the capitol Yesterday, and he was full OF
the COlonels prospects,. II tell you" he
said, there is a mighty kind feeling
among the Republicans up in that country
for old Ben. You see it never made any
difference to the old man ever since he has
been in Congress whether the fellows who
asked him to help them were Republicans
Z or Democrats. II he could do anything
. for them he did, irrespective OF politics,
and if he could not he told the same kind
of ungOdly whOppers to both sides alike.
There has be been an absolute impartiality
in his conduct in this regard, which in ret
respect is
Beautiful to Contemplate,
and il has undoubtedly made him many
friends. There is nothing like treating
people with absolute equality after all.
Even the very fellow who lived like the
chameleon on the air promise-crammed
with the Coloneps assurances and whosud-
denly woke up to realizing sense that it
was too windy diet for material support,
became recOnCiled to the situation when
he found that the other dependents on the
political assistance of the Harrison states
man were getting the same kind of dose,
and ali of them came to love him for the
even and exact manner in which he dealt
out his pleasing tictions. And then too the
Colonel has been no reSpecter OF persons.
He would 90 oyer to the Agricultural De-
partment and get a handful Of the new
corn which is SOwed for early whisky for
some altitudinOus and barefOoted agricul-
turalst in Wetzel county, rs quick as he
would help the Bishop OF his diocese to get
an appropriation for a hospital and he
would pull the wool over the eyes OF a can
didaIe for county constable just as cheer
fully as he would paste up the OCulars Of
an aspirant for a State or National office.
To people who like that kind Of thing that
is Just the kind of thing they like-abso-
Lutte equality. The liberty and fraternity
can be attended to afterward. In all his
official career at Washington, Col. Ben has
been true to his great
Cardinal List.
Whether toiling in the seed and root de-
partment or exercising his exuberant i'm
agination for the benefit of his constitu-
ents he has made no distinction between
representatives OF the two political organ
izations, or for that matter, between Green
hackers and Prohibitionists. Among the
notable instances of his kindness to Re
publicans, was his memorable support OF
Judge Maxwell for a seat on the bench of
the Court of Claims, when he told the
President that Maxwell was the finest law
yer the Continent had yet produced. and
Jake kemple in his lecture on The ENpe-
riences of an Officeseeker,' speaks with
tender and grateful recollection of the fact
that on the occasion Of his visit 10 the Ma
tional capital he found no member OF our
delegation more prOfuse in his advice and
more liberal with his cigars.
These things you will find have made
their impression on the popular heart oil
the Republicans-So to speak. Then, too,
his services in the last Congressional cam
paign are not forgotten. There is an I'M
preston current among some people that
when Hans Good got beat, Ben shaved his
head and retired 10 a convent until the
first bitter thrOes of disappointment pass
ed away, but such is not the case. On the
other hand there is some reason TO be-
lieye that when the news OF Hans over
throw was carried to WilSOnburg the pro-
prietOr of that enterprising town exc
Cuted
in the main plaza of the municipality.
The fact is the colonel never took kindly
TO Hans nomination. Like Henry Ward
Beecher, he felt thathe would have been
better man in his place, and this cOnvic-
ton strengthened upon him as the canvass
proceeded. l do not say he worked with
the Republicans, but he did not lay awake
at night deVising schemes for Coils de-
struction; was willing to trust the contest
so far as he was concerned to the unaded
| management of a beneficent providence,
! and thus, when the dread stroke came and
| Hans was propelled by the explosion lHto
| the upper atmosphere, he was at least able
| 10 bow to the dispensation with plous
resignation and say, in the fullneSS OF his
/ heart, the Lords will be done.
It will be remembered, too, that on the
| occasion of the last big meeting in the dis
| trlct, when Goff, after swinging round the
| circle, was addressing his neighbors ana
| fellow citizens at home, he appealed to the
| colonel, who was present in the audience,
| TO know If his statements were not correct,
/ and the latter, who as George Davenport
| used 10 say, was ''all right, but was liberal
| very liberal in his views" to the cons
| ternation of Democrats who were present,
| got IN and stated that the General was cor
| rect, and appeared to be singing on the
/ proper key note. II heard Democrats
| there added my informant
DenOunce Wilson
all through the county for that perform
ance, and if you think the Republicans are
going to overlook his services when they
come to look around for q candidate to
! break I'D the caucus and defeat Demo
cratic choice, you are mistaken. He can
| get more Republican votes tobegin with
than any Democrat yet mentioned in that
| connection, and has more hackers among
| Democratic members likely to jump over
the traces than any of the candidates.
| Fontain Smith, the Senator from the Ma
rion district, who, you see, has commenced
to kick two months before the time for
hitching up, and who says be will not go
into caucus at all, Is Wilson man, and
know several other Democratic members
who feel the same way. You mark my
words and see when the time comes if the
old man is not brought to the front as the
most available candidate on whom outside
Democrats and the Republican vote can
unite. Lam.
The Michigan SenStorshIp-
| WAsHISeToS, December 14.-The Senate