The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-07
THE FIRST ASSAULT
ON THE GIBRALTAR OF DEMOCRACY
Ia west vltt,.la-rA. s... Tim. til. work. VIII
be CArrisd-A Review OF the Contest Between
Jadss BruHa and Captain saIdsr
IN the KnaWha District.

SpeNid Correspondence ofuI Ihthligenee.
CHARLESTON, W. Va, June Mr.. Sny.
der's official majority having been pub
lished dropped into the city this morning
to sound some OF the faithful. Now that
the fight is over, one can retrospect some,
see errors and draw lessons that may be
serviceable in the future. The strong feel.
ing among ali the Republicans I have seen
is that Judge Brown could have been elect
ed. The campaign, in a certain way, was
conducted discreetly and vigorously, but
the feeling Of hopelessness among the mass
OF the voters, remained, and in several
counties the full Republican vote was not
polled. In the district, outside Of Upshur,
at leastsix hundred Republicans stayed at
home. No recriminations, though, are in
dulged in, but the defeat Is good naturedly
aud proudly taken, for it was most gallant
fsht. Before an analysis Of the vote was
made the fight, or rather the re-
suit, was accepted, not SO much
as Republican victory as Dem.
ocratic apathy. It was supposed that
the old wheel horses Of the Democratic
party in this district, those gentlemen who
hail from Greenbrier, Fayette, Logan and
Mercer counties, who have spent all their
DAYS in the service OF this party, felt that
in their aga they were being left naked 10
their enemies, and were inclined TO be dis
gruntled. In fact, have heard 1t whis:
pered that in their secret souls they would
have rejoiced over the defeat OF the hand.
some young Prosecutor Of Kanawha. Again
tho youth and inexperience Of Captain
Snyder were supposed to be against him.
His bargain with Bone and L'gan to sup.
port him for the nomination against the
upper end Of the District was another
element OF weakness.
WHY BROWN WAS PREEERRED.
Then, on the other side, Judge Brown
had been in active and public life in this
end Of the State for forty years. The peo'
pie had known him as boy; had seen
him practice law as young man; had
watched with interest his career on the
bench, and at the end saw man Of ex-
perience, culture aud character-a char
acter true and clean-ald they only
wanted chance to show their appreciation
BY voting for him for Congress. Add to
this his wide acquaintance, his active un-
tiring and perseVering personal CANVASS,
and you have the reasons for the supposed
apathy in the Democratic ranks and the
great activity ttrou a Democratic stand
point in the Republican. Nor must the
fact that it was corn planting" and par.
leying" time with the Democrats be for.
gotten. Nor the other, most important OF
all, the "reassessment act" Omiuiug the
last reason, for the dominant party will
not admit Il, you have the reason for Capt.
Snyder's majority OF 1890 votes, being
proportionateIy aslarge assenator ksnnas.
COMPARISON OF FIGuREs.
But do the figures sustain this claim? In
1882 Mr.. Keuna received 1929 votes; Mr..
Buttrick, 5,sl4; and MIR. Reynolds, l,454,
leaving Kenua a plurality OF 4,465, to
which add 800 majority iu Webster county
not counted in above, making total plu.
rality OF 4, ,765; or msj j1rity Of 1916 out Of
a total vote OF 7.547. Now in 1883 out OF
a total vote OF 1S,0lB, Mr.. Snyder receives
{, 1921; aad Judge Brown s,S9l votes, leaving
Snyder majority OF ,2SO. In the face OF
the figures was there such a tremendous
Democratic apathy? Mr. Kenna last fall
recstred 1857 votPs, and Nc. Snyder this
spring 0 6el, falling of OF nearly 1000
votes. Grant these to be disgrunlled Demo.
Gratis and add this vote to Mr.. Snyder's
present majority and he is still 9 535 votes
short Of Kenna's plurality, and l,OSl Of his
actual msjority. Does this show Hpathy or
a clear Republican gain? Were any Of the
brethren lukewarm?
A sTEAKISG TABLE.