Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-23
THE PHILADELPHIA TINES On
WEST VIRGINIA Politics.

/ The Philadelphia Times" offers
about a column of editorial instruction
| to the Democrats on the subject Of the
| tariff, in which lessons are drawn from
the public sentiment alleged to prevail
in several of the States.
According to the "Times" West Vir-
ginia furnishes the most impressive les
son on the tariff issue; and when West
VirginianS reads the following COM
ments, they may learn something from
the "Times" illustration, or they may
nOt-they will at least learn something
new about West Virginia politics:
Tie most direct and impressive lesson
given the Democracy on the question OF
Protection comes from West Virginia. Inc
First Congressional district of that State
was CSrried by the Democrats in ISIS by
500 In 1850. with the Tariff for revenue
only" platform, the Democrats carried II
by nominal majority. In lNS2, the
democrats nomiuared a gentleman who
hsd been IN the committee un resolutions
in the Hancock convention, and favored
the Free Trade plankthat defeated Han
Geek. Mr.. COT, ex Secretary OF the
-NdhN iliNtS, WIS ~
the Republicans, aud he made the battle
on he free trade theory proclaimed by his
Democratic competitor TWO years before.
The result was that the district that was
Democratic by 5000 before the free trade
Issue faced the psople, elected d Republl-
can Con gresham by some 1000 majority.
And the same issue well.nlgh defeated
Wilson in the Second district reducing his
plurality 10 10. while ellison was chosen in
l. d. - a. NJ ralt
a majority Of over 1850 against him on the
popular vote.
The one district that gave the full party
majority and something more, was Mr.
keura'S, who was chosen by i,&hO. He Is n
liberal tariff man: one who understands
thu. the mountains OF his State are studded
wiki .imitleSS wealth; that its streams are
ready 10 furnish power Tor development,
AMI that its vas: unsettled acres caiI Tor
,argeiy Increased population; and his PEG.
pc Ircyed their faith in him by promot-
Ing him 10 the Senate. y special election
was held in his district few days ago 10
choose his successor, and the 4.3Go Demo
cratic majority by which Mr.. kenua was
chosen i either entirely lost, or the ma
ioritv of the Democratic candidate reduced
to 3 few scores instead OF thousands The
result is so close thatit may require the OIL
Cial vote TO decide whether Snyder, Demo-
craft is elected or defeated. Thus the only
district i'm West Virginia that kept up its
party vote last fall. has faltered under the
Democratic threats OF reOpening Of the
Tariff issue.
1t will be news 10 those familiar with
the politics of West Virginia to learn
that Corr defeated COOP on the tariff
issue; it will be news also to learn that
the question of tariff ut any
figuIe in the Congressional contests in
! the Second snl Fourth district
and it will lie exceedingly fresh
| to learn that in the more re-
} cent election in the Third dis
trict that the Republican candidate,
Judge Brown, who stood on a tariff
enue.only-platform, cut down
| the majority for SNYDER, who is a pro-
nounced protecCiOnist, because of "the
Democratic threats of reopenEg Of
the tariff issue"
We dO not desire 10 make any issue
with the Times Oh its general con-
illusions, but its premises are sadly at
fault when it attempts to draw an "im-
pressive lesson" from West Virginia
/ politics on such a statement a. that
. given above.